If you’re over 50, you may have started to experience pain in problem areas such as your back, knees, and joints. Yoga provides a natural and highly effective solution for treating pain and provides an environment for physical and mental health improvements.
However, many adults over the age of 50 may be new to the practice or feel uncomfortable performing yoga in group environments. Thankfully, Yoga is widely available on digital learning platforms and can be accessed through online streaming services and traditional DVDs.
Although the use of DVDs for Yoga was popular throughout the early 2000s, online streaming services have become increasingly popular and enable people from all across the world to participate in Yoga at any time, anywhere.
The following are some of the primary reasons why adults over 50 have started to use online services and streaming for Yoga over the traditional use of DVDs:
- Online services are more cost-effective in the long term when compared to a single purchase.
- Online services provide greater flexibility and more options for the types of classes available and their duration and difficulty.
- DVDs risk wear and tear, unlike online services.
- Some online services provide live streaming, which provides a more authentic experience.
- Streaming and online services provide access anytime, anywhere, unlike DVDs which rely upon system requirements.
- Most online services provide a multi-faceted learning approach to Yoga by accessing articles, blogs, courses, and more.
This article will review the best yoga DVD for beginners over 50, including online services and traditional DVDs. We’ll also discuss how Yoga can treat common health conditions in adults over 50, such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
Comparison of the Best Yoga DVD for Beginners Over 50
Best Yoga DVD for Beginners Over 50: Yoga International
Yoga International is an incredibly diverse yoga website that offers live-stream and pre-recorded yoga classes for yogis of all levels. It provides a community-based good yoga DVD for beginner, multi-faceted digital learning platform where yogis and practitioners can further their practice and gain a more profound knowledge of Yoga, meditation, holistic health, and mindful living.
Yoga International currently serves over 300,000 members per day and offers a free 30 day trial for new members. Membership options are available for $19.99/month or $119.88/year.
Members of Yoga International will enjoy access to:
- 500+ experts in yoga therapy, meditation, persona transformation, and more.
- Video classes, digital workshops, in-depth articles covering a wide variety of yoga topics
- 1000+ classes of various lengths, styles, and levels of difficulty
- Monthly themed challenges and multi-day training sessions are available
- Live stream classes and offline classes
- Yoga International app that’s accessible through the phone, tablet, TV
Class options are available for all levels of yoga practice, and there are also specialized classes available for Hatha, vinyasa, and other major forms of Yoga. Some of its best courses for over 50 include Yoga After 50 and Simple Beginnings: Moves to Feel Good.
Yoga International has received ratings of 4.7 and 4.0 on the Apple app store and Trustpilot, respectively, from among thousands of ratings and is held in high regard by the yoga community.
Pros:
- 1900+ classes and 500+ expert teachers
- Live-stream classes and offline classes are available
- Accessible anywhere, anytime through the Yoga International app
Cons:
- Some customers have reported issues with customer service and billing.
- Some customers have noticed issues with audio or lagging on the app.
- Customers have mentioned that Yoga International has a small selection for its 60-min classes.
Yoga for Over 50 beginners DVD by Barbara Benagh
We are confident of this yoga DVD because Barbara Benagh is an intelligent and highly experienced yoga instructor. As a testament to her expertise, Yoga Over 50 contains all the routines that people over 50 can do to stay fit, flexible, and healthy.
We like how the DVD specifically designed the workout program for individuals over 50, including senior citizens, who can still build strength and flexibility – simple but effective. We especially like how Barbara promotes breathing to calm the mind and increase one’s focus.
The DVD contains 8 customized 20-60 minute workout routines – Seated Poses, Flexibility and Strength, Relaxation and Meditation, Flowing Sun Salutation, Osteoporosis, Yoga on Chair, and Osteoarthritis.
The routines are also designed to enhance the practitioner’s balance. Shot with the beautiful view of Glacier National Park, this workout DVD would give a fresh perspective to what Yoga truly is – an exercise for all ages.
Barbara Benagh yoga beginners dvd are designed to make your practice easier. From the basics to advanced poses, these dvds will help you feel great and stay fit.
Highlights:
- Easy-to-use menu
- 8 customized 20-60 minute routines
- Routines designed to enhance balance
- Specifically designed for people over 50
- Shot with the beautiful view of Glacier National Park
Gentle Yoga: 7 Beginning Yoga Practices for Mid-life by Jane Adams
The best home yoga dvd for beginners. In this fantastic yoga DVD, Jane Adams came up with seven routines for beginners and middle-aged individuals ages 40-70. We like how easy it is to follow the different routines and how the instructor emphasizes each pose by holding it.
Many of the routines focus on core strength, balance, and flexibility. Another great thing about the routine is that they have broken down into several parts during the day: a morning energizer, mid-day follow-up if you’re free, and a relaxing way to make you sleep and rest better.
It contains 100 poses to help you master the basics of Yoga. Set at the Glacier National Park, you relax with the instructor as you go through her routines.
Highlights:
- 3 sequences for different times during the day
- Designed specifically for mid-lifers
- 3 targeted routines for specific mid-life needs
- Relaxing full-body practice on the back
- 100 effective yoga poses
Complete Yoga for Beginners by Rodney Yee
Rodney is a modern-day yoga guru for a reason, and this video is a testament to his mastery of the art. The video may be designed for beginners, but it works just as well for practitioners with a bit of yoga experience. And you can bet it’s a great yoga workout for people over 50.
The DVD contains basic yoga routines that are the foundation of yoga practice and essential for increasing one’s flexibility, rejuvenating one’s body, and releasing all the stress and pain from that middle-aged body.
We like that the routines are done fast, and some practitioners might find it a challenge to keep up, but the increased pace makes the workout effective. You will be
You will be sweating during the workout and build more strength, flexibility, and body coordination along the way. We also find it terrific that the DVD has a beginner’s guide for basic poses and terms, making it easier to understand and follow.
If you’re someone at the age of 50, these yoga exercises will surely benefit your body.
Highlights:
- Four beginner yoga practices
- Basic yoga poses – mountain, plank, cobra, etc.
- Yoga for flexibility
- Yoga for energy to help start the day
- Yoga for relaxation
- Bonus yoga practice
- Pose guide for beginners
Best beginners Yoga DVD for Over 50
Several factors determine which of the above programs are best for you and your health needs.
Some of the key aspects you should take into consideration when selecting a yoga DVD that’s best for you include:
- Proper guidance to better understand poses, posture, and breathing styles
- Type of music – it’s best to select a DVD that contains calming music and creates a holistic atmosphere.
- Routines that are geared towards specific areas of the body or health goals
Yoga Over 50 Poses
Most beginners over 50 are recommended to follow a slower-paced yoga practice, such as Hatha Yoga, and participate in classes that incorporate extended rest in between poses and use blocks and chairs for extra support.
Some of the best poses for beginners over 50 include:
- Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
- Triangle Pose (Konasana)
- Tree Pose (Vriksasana)
- Child’s Pose (Shishu Asana)
- Savasana
Chair Yoga Poses
Some beginners over 50 may feel more comfortable doing chair yoga over traditional Yoga to have extra balance and extended rest.
Most chair yoga classes incorporate overhead stretching, arm holds, forward bends, and twists.
Final Words
Yoga provides people of all ages and health backgrounds with an effective practice for pain management and relaxation and healthy living. When searching for a program that best suits you, selecting a DVD that contains proper instruction geared towards your specific health concerns is crucial. And the outstanding yoga instructor will guide you to start your yoga journey in a great and effortless way.
References
- Cheung, Corjena PhD; Park, Juyoung PhD; Wyman, Jean F. PhD Effects of Yoga on Symptoms, Physical Function, and Psychosocial Outcomes in Adults with Osteoarthritis, American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: February 2016 – Volume 95 – Issue 2 – p 139-151 doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000408
- Corey Z. (2017). Hatha vs. vinyasa.sites.psu.edu/zmcrcl/2017/02/21/hatha-vs-vinyasa/
- Deepeshwar, S., Tanwar, M., Kavuri, V., & Budhi, R. B. (2018). Effect of yoga based lifestyle intervention on patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 180.
- Gautam, Surabhi et al. ‘Impact of Yoga Based Mind-body Intervention on Systemic Inflammatory Markers and Co-morbid Depression in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial’. 1 Jan. 2019 : 41 – 59.
- Grabara M, et al. (2015). Effects of Hatha yoga exercises on spine flexibility in women over 50 years old.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4339138/ - Huang FJ, et al. (2013). Effects of Hatha yoga on stress in middle-aged women. DOI:
10.1097/jnr.0b013e3182829d6d - Lauche, R., Hunter, D.J., Adams, J. et al. Yoga for Osteoarthritis: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Rheumatol Rep 21, 47 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-019-0846-5
- Lu, Y. H., Rosner, B., Chang, G., & Fishman, L. M. (2016). Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss. Topics in geriatric rehabilitation, 32(2), 81–87. https://doi.org/10.1097/TGR.0000000000000085
- Motorwala, Z. S., Kolke, S., Panchal, P. Y., Bedekar, N. S., Sancheti, P. K., & Shyam, A. (2016). Effects of Yogasanas on osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. International journal of yoga, 9(1), 44–48. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-6131.171717
- Parasuraman, S., Wen, L. E., Zhen, K. M., Hean, C. K., & Sam, A. T. (2016). Exploring the pharmacological and pharmacotherapeutic effects of yoga. Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biomedical Reports, 2(1).
- Sherman, K. J., Cherkin, D. C., Erro, J., Miglioretti, D. L., & Deyo, R. A. (2005). Comparing yoga, exercise, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled trial. Annals of internal medicine, 143(12), 849-856.