STAY YOUNG WITH YOGA

Use the power of yoga to stay youthful, fit, and pain-free at any age, these routines are structured around daily activities, from desk stretching to pre-gardening yoga. There are variations, modifications and tips so you can adapt each pose and sequence to suit your body, age, goals and lifestyle, and all is based on the latest research into exercise and ageing. From how you look and feel to your bone health, balance, mobility and memory, the healthy choices you make in the present have a huge influence on your fitness, happiness and pain in the future. For tender wrists and elbows, there is also weightlifting, plus walking and hiking, everyday essentials for beginners, how to breath long and strong throughout each pose, and kneeling Sun Salutation, modified to take pressure off your joints, and a Baby Cobra to lift your chest, exhale, lift your hips and push back to Child's Pose. The low lunge targets the muscles at the fronts of the hips which tend to get tight from sitting down and opens up the chest to help you breath deeper and more easily. 70 year old Diana started practicing yoga about five years ago and although always a fidget, fell instantly in love with it. 'After just a few weeks of practicing, I noticed I was walking differently and was much more conscious of my posture and my core. I definitely feel I gained strength and have more stamina and my balance has improved... I practice at home whenever I feel the need - often 15 minutes first thing in the morning or before I go to bed.' Challenging poses like the Crocodile for arms, shoulders, lower back and abdominals build strength which is important as you age to continue performing everyday activities such as carrying shopping and to maintain independence. There is lots of de-stress yoga, full body flexibility, flow and sweat sequences for every level, a useful monthly plan with weeks and times of day to help you fill in your own chart. Beautifully illustrated throughout in colour photographs, over 100 yoga poses, sequences and meditations in large format square softback of 192pp.