International Yoga Day 2025: Top asanas which are suitable for everyone

Yoga is an age-old wellness practice which needs no introduction. Those who prefer to lead a holistic lifestyle have all started to incorporate yoga in their wellness routine. Celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Malaika Arora, Shilpa Shetty, Jennifer Aniston and many more regularly practice this art of healthy living to stay fit and fabulous with glowing skin and a waist that never expands an inch.

But often when one sees the smooth stretching and asanas, question comes to mind, how inclusive is Yoga? Can it accommodate the physical frailties of senior citizens or those with physical impairments and yet let them make the most of this ancient art? This International Yoga Day we take a look at how Yoga is one of the most accommodative and inclusive way of staying fit, breaking age-groups and physical abilities.

Different types of yoga that are suitable for everyone

Yoga is one such practice which can be very gentle, yet affective. It considers age, ability and much more during its execution; and hence with time, the types of yoga have evolved to make it possible for everyone to practice it. In fact, a person who practices yoga includes it in their lifestyle for years. With changing physical abilities, yoga itself has become adaptive so that a person need not quit it, just make a few adjustments to accommodate a new style.

Take to the Chair

Growing increasingly popular is Chair yoga. For individuals who have mobility issues, balance issues or are recovering from any kind of injuries, can opt for chair yoga. Since balance and mobility both heavily relies and tax the joints which become weak with age or injury, chair yoga lets you sit or take the support of a chair which relaxes the joints quite a bit. Chair Yoga helps you to improve joint coordination, balance, flexibility and strength.  

Not Yin Yang

Yin Yoga is perfect for those who have physical disabilities or discomforts and yet can hold a pose for a long time. This type of yoga makes an individual hold their stretching poses for almost three to five minutes, albeit sometimes with the help of props. This helps in the flexibility of joint mobility and also increases concentration.

Warmth Wonders

Two very common problems that elders suffer from are joint pains and arthritis. This often limits their abilities to bear weights. One solution that helps them a lot in terms of pain relief is warmth or steam. Incorporating this same logic in yoga, Aqua Yoga allows such individuals to practice yoga in warm water. This not only reduces pressure in the joints and relaxes them but also helps in treating pain and increasing their motion range.

Change is the only constant

While you may have heard that change is the only constant, it is also true that adaptability has no limits. For those who have specific physical problems like injuries in specific parts of the bodies or amputations, yoga can be adapted and customised according to their individual requirements. Adaptive Yoga is done with the help of props and even assists. This starts bringing back self confidence and motivation of the practicing individuals, it uplifts their mental abilities and strength to a great extent paart from also making them physical confident and flexible.

Better late than never

As one gets older their muscles and joints become stiffer. It is pertinent that they keep doing some physical activity so that they do not become immobile or develop joint and muscle issues. For that reason, many senior individuals tend to adapt yoga into their lifestyle at a later age. Gentle Yoga or basic yoga then equals to simple postures, holding onto a pose for a while, focusing on breath exercises and more.

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