Yoga classes for a senior citizen?

I feel like my mom needs to get out more and even though we talk on the phone once a week for at least an hour - that is not enough contact for her. So I was thinking for Mother's Day I would get her and myself yoga classes for like 6 weeks so we could have planned time together and she would get out of the house. She is in her early 70's.

She still does her own work around the house - raking, snowblowing, gardening, lawnmowing so I think she could handle yoga - BUT I have never taken a yoga class so I don't know if this would be relaxing, too strenuous or what.

Do any yoga people have advice? Are there some people who don't like yoga? I've never heard anything bad about it (except my SIL says a lot of people pass gas when they do it which I wouldn't look forward to).

Yoga has various postures and they can be modified to fit the person's level. I know I will never be able to do some of the advanced ones but I still enjoy yoga and get something out of it.

As for picking out the appropriate class, check out various studios. Some studios offer classes called "gentle" or something like "Yoga for real people." These classes are especially geared not to be intimidating.

YOu might also want to start your mother with tapes or dvd of yoga practice. A lot of them show modifications to postures so that people of all levels can do them.

Yoga making people pass gas? That's news to me and my nose. I'm sure I would have caught a whiff of that if it were true.

a Yoga/Pilates class too. I'm glad to hear you never heard of the passing gas thing because I don't think I'd enjoy a stinky yoga room.:-)

is that if you can't do a particular pose, they will present you with a modification that you CAN do.

I say it's a great idea.

But if it interests you, and you think your mother would enjoy taking the class with you, I'd go for it.

They are very good about proper positioning and explaining the poses for you.

You might also look for "gentle" and/or "restorative" styles of yoga. Enjoy!

I've had the privilege of being in one, and you get a really good work-out
based on what you are capable of doing.
They could all do circles around me. :D