Brooklyn seniors can now get stretched and unstressed while finding find their balance with free yoga classes in Clinton Hill.
Every Wednesday and Friday, Brooklynites age 60 and over can join instructors in South Oxford Park for a free morning yoga session hosted by the City Parks Foundation. All equipment is provided at no cost, but participants do need appropriate footwear such as sneakers or running shoes.
Yoga offers a wide array of health benefits—working physical and psychological wonders particularly for the elderly who often struggle with pain, joint stress, imbalance, osteoarthritis and other physical limitations, according to the Chopra Center. It's not a "competitive" sport, and as yoginis know: "You don't have to be good at it, you just have to show up!"
Many yoga poses focus on balance and stability, which gets more and more important as we age. Strengthening muscles and improving balance prevents the likelihood of falls, which can be a common concern for the elderly. Yoga is also a particularly gentle exercise that increases flexibility and can help manage conditions like osteoarthritis.
Additionally, the practice involves focusing on the breath and slow movements, which helps to improve respiration and reduces stress, anxiety and high blood pressure, thereby lowers the risks for kidney disease, heart attack and stroke.
The free yoga classes are part of the City Parks Foundation's Free Spring Sports Programs which also include free tennis lessons and power walks, and are held in 17 neighborhood parks across the city. Since its launch in 2006, the program has served over 10,000 participants, encouraging older New Yorkers to maximize their health benefits by staying active.
Online registration is now open for all spring programs at CityParksFoundation.org/play. Participants are encouraged to register online in advance, though walk-up participants may register on-site if space permits. For more information and a full list of City Parks Foundation's 2019 sports programs, please visit www.CityParksFoundation.org.
And for all the senior yoginis joining the class: There is no place like Om.
Yoga in South Oxford Park is taking place Wednesdays and Fridays at 11:00am.