The New Yoga for People Over 50: A Comprehensive Guide for Midlife & Older Beginners Kindle Edition

I have been into physical fitness and the martial arts for more than sixty years and I recently decided to add more yoga exercises to my regular every day exercise routine. I just purchased this 286 page (The New Yoga for people over 50 by Suza Francina) at a bargain price (along with several other yoga books) on Amazon.The thirteen chapters in this volume cover an enormous amount of material. After a long introduction explaining how the author began teaching yoga and what you will find in this book, chapter one covered our changing view of aging. Chapter two explained in detail how yoga slows down and reverses the aging process. The use of props in yoga are discussed in chapter three. Key yoga postures for reversing the aging process is covered in chapter four. Yoga for feet and knees over 50 is explained in chapter five. Chapter six deals with women’s menopause and doing yoga. Chapter seven shows weight-bearing yoga postures help prevent Osteoporosis. Yoga techniques for arthritis are covered in chapter eight. Opening the heart and yoga is covered in chapter nine. The remaining chapters’ deals with restful inversions, Savasana, pose of deep relaxation and tips of teaching and practicing yoga at home. My main complaint is that the black and white photographs are not great and the explanations are not as clear as I have read in other yoga books concerning the postures. There is also way too much about some of the experiences of older people doing yoga. Nevertheless, I did like this book enough to give it 4 stars because of the last chapter dealing with senior problems when teaching them yoga.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Haiku Moments: How to read, write and enjoy haiku)

This book is like a bad trip into the early 70’s, seriously don’t waste your time or money. I have to say it was good for some fun dinner conversations with my kids because of the archaic pictures.

love love love this! i've got tons of yoga books by and for young people. i used to even teach Viniyoga. this book is filled with ancient people--photos and stories-- doing yoga, teaching yoga,and reporting the improvements that have come from their practice. Especially good is the chapter on the basic poses that will reverse (aging) non-movement tendencies. All those young books made by/taught by young and naturally flexible people lead us to think yoga is for the young. for those for whom it is easy. BUT THE BENEFITS OF YOGA HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON THOSE OVER 60!!! I'm 64 and at first didn't want to buy it because it is filled with photos of old people. i feel more like 30 than 60. yet the photos of old people doing lotus in headstand, and handstands in a line, made me think this IS for me. the author wrote her first yoga book for aged 20 some years before this book was written, and she reports that when young people attend her classes and see all the 70 & 80 year olds standing on their heads, they quickly get the message that they can do alot more than they think. YES, i can learn to do head and handstands now, even if i've always been afraid to do them!

I am 70 years old so maybe on the outer edge of what is written for folks over 50. Several reviews I read almost turned me away from buying this book. I am glad I made the purchase. Many helpful points in the book. Naturally, not being a lifelong practitioner of yoga, I find some poses difficult to attain but I liked the descriptive use of props that are very helpful for me. I still can't do a headstand and probably never will but I have an inversion table that takes care of that need. All in all a well written book and a useful addition to your yoga library.

I am 54 years old, have practiced yoga off and on for a few years. I purchased this book because I wanted to make sure I could truly enjoy my golden years, this book has renewed my passion for yoga, so much so I plan on learning yoga and teach at senior centers. There are amazing stories of people in their seventies and eighties who are more flexible than me! I hope to be that eighty year old who can sit in lotus, can't do it now but how knows. There are lots of modifications for poses to help you work on your flexibility.

I am very happy with this book. It came as it was clearly described, in very good shape. The content of the book focuses on yoga & how it is beneficial for those who are middle age and beyond. Which is what I wanted. I liked that it shows adjustments that some of us will need to use to start out with some of these poses. I know I will never be able to do some of the advanced poses, but it is good to see how they are done. The pictures in this book are in black & white which is fine with me, but some people may prefer colored pictures. It came very quickly and the seller also included a free yoga DVD-- a great surprise!

Easy read, informative and interesting to even younger folks contemplating getting into yoga. If you are over 50, 60, 70, 80 or beyond, here is your avenue for restoring and maintaining good body and soul functioning! This is a very inspiring work. At 66 I began a vigorous yoga program along with a much younger group and although I found it rejuvenating I wondered at the wisdom of starting this at my age. I now feel completely confident that I have chosen the best path, thanks to the information I have learned in this comprehensive work. Enjoy and experience it for yourself.

It's a book and perhaps better for people over 65+

I bought this book because, although it is old (like me) fashioned in writing style, it was recommended by one of my older yoga teachers and reflects many of the practices we use in class. The bonus is it comes with the theory explaining why, which I don't always absorb in class. A nice little number to support and encourage my personal practice at home.

Not inspired by the layout and drab design of this book. Small and very unclear black and white photos of fairly old people contorted into unnaturally looking poses for their advanced age. I'm over fifty but I don't look anything like any of the "models" in the book and I could not feel very inspired by this association. I think the book should be renamed "Yoga for the over 70" . Also, I would have liked colour photos and also many more of them as yoga is often taught by visual : this book is too wordy and lengthy. Drab.

Even though it was published in 1997 I still find it a valuable guide. Well written, easy to read. It is structured in bite-size chapters. Not only describes postures but also introduces props you can use for support. It follows B.K.S. Iyengar teaching which is more appealing to mature students than the currently popular dynamic yoga styles. Clearly demonstrates that it is never too late to take action to improve your health and look after your body. In addition to the explanatory sections there are lots of personal examples with photographs and some valuable quotations by the margin to meditate. A truly inspirational book.

Although the book is a tad old fashioned with it's black and white photographs it's never the less most inspiring.I'm in my late 40's and have been practising yoga on and off for the last 5 years and consider myself to still come under the beginners heading. With this in mind and the fact I have some stiff and sore joints to contend with I wanted a book to show me possible modified versions of some of the harder poses.This book does just that and more. I read it from cover to cover finding lots of useful information and seeing the over 50's holding difficult poses was so inspiring that it's kinda freshened up my whole perspective.I now intend to get her other more recent book about 'ageing and yoga' which looks to be a little more modern (pics in colour).I thoroughly recommend this book and would suggest that you not be put off by the slightly dated presentation because the information is so useful and heartwarming.

i was disappointed with the book content the photos were very old , they should be up to date with recent shots of students doing the movements and in colour , The black and white shots were not easy to distinguish and I felt the book would have been better giving the reader a sequence of exercises to do, .The photos of students into their 70's and 80's are suppose to be inspirational I think, however when reading the book these "elderly" students had been practising for about 20 -30 years!This book was not a BID LET DOWN. I ordered it on my kindle, so no return , if had been a paperback I would have asked for a refund, As it is I have deleted it from my kindle library.....Would not recommend it to anyone

There's a lot of philosophy and theory in this book, but not much of immediate practical use. I bought the book hoping for clearly explained yoga postures in practice sequences geared to the over-fifties. The book explains at length why yoga is good for older people and gives a few examples of individual postures and their possible adaptations. But it does not suggest or recommend any sequences or combinations of postures which the reader could follow in his/her own yoga practice. Not a "hands-on" book.

Very old fashioned book with intense,dense writing about Yoga but no direct exercise plan,so of little use.Grainy black and white photos, I am afraid it went straight to the Charity shop.

some intresting reading and ideal for those that are less than fit x

Clearly set out in a way that is easy to understand. Encourages one to proceed with yoga exercises. Pictures are helpful in demonstrating exercises though colour woud have added to their impact and interest.Is described as being 'comprehensive', but for me it is a little too comprehensive and I coud have done with less text. I agre that the writing is 'dignified', as one reviewer described it, but some humour in the writing would have made it a more entertaining read.

My mistake - I found that the exercises contained in this book are too difficult for a person of my age and physical condition. Therefore unable to make any use of it.

I wanted a book that was suitable for someone of my age. It is a good read with examples of exercises that helped me improve my core strength.

This book is an interesting read if you can manage all 250 pages of it but there is no exercise programme as such just lots of black and white photographs of older people in the most impossible poses with suggestions that this excerise is good for such and such a complaint. I was eager to get started but this had not inspired me. Very disappointed.

Very useful in order to check out that you're getting the poses right! Inspirational!

This book is interesting and probably of benefit if you are over sixty. It is simple and basic in its layout but that should appeal to those not seeking technical over-heat! Some of the poses look excruciatingly difficult and I suspect they could be quite dangerous. Make sure that not only your body, but that your furniture is solid enough for the tasks on offer!!!

Very nice to see a book that takes account of older people. Would have been useful to have a few workouts listed, but this still worth buying.