Episode 124: TEACHING YOGA TO AGING STUDENTS

Many yoga teachers can feel uncertain about how to serve older students effectively. Students in their sixties, seventies, and eighties have different considerations than younger students (i.e. reduced range of motion, changing balance, concerns about bone density, addressing multiple chronic conditions, and slower recovery times). But aging is not decline, and older adults aren't necessarily fragile. They're people who are capable of growth, adaptation, and would benefit immensely from a meaningful yoga practice. Learn to understand what changes with aging, what concerns older students face, and how to teach this population thoughtfully. This episode breaks down everything yoga teachers need to know about working with aging bodies, from physical changes to emotional context to practical modifications to class formats that work well.

I'll cover:

• The Physical Changes That Affect Yoga Practice as Bodies Age
• What Older Students Are Actually Dealing With
• How to Approach Teaching Older Adults Thoughtfully
• Specific Modifications and Teaching Considerations
• Class Formats That Work Well for Older Adults
• What Older Adults Actually Need from Teachers

Teaching older adults is meaningful work because you are helping these students maintain independence, stay connected to their bodies in a culture claiming they're past their prime, create community, and experience joy and purpose in movement.

Resources Mentioned:

Teaching Students with Injuries Mentorship - Six-month program with real students, real-time application, ongoing support covering anatomy, pain science, injuries, nervous system, recovery strategies, and sequencing

Designing Transformative Workshops -  Create workshops for specific populations, including older adults, market them, and deliver them thoroughly with confidence.

Let's stay connected:

• Check out my website: Enhanced Body
• Connect with me on Instagram
• Join my Newsletter for teachers below!

Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.