Yoga helps with STRENGTH, BALANCE, FLEXIBILITY AND MORE

By Celeste Edenloff Alexandria Echo Press

A yoga instructor for more than 15 years, Sarah Roers said her recommendation for getting started is to just do it. Showing up, she said, is sometimes the hardest part.

Roers, an Alexandria native, teaches yoga around the area, including at the Alexandria Senior Center. She will be teaching in February and March on Wednesday mornings. The classes are open to members and non-members. For more information about the specifics, such as dates, time and cost, contact the Senior Center at 320-762-2087.

A former employee of Tastefully Simple, Sarah got her start with teaching group fitness classes after the business built a fitness studio.

“We had a really great yoga instructor but she moved away and so I gave it a try,” said Roers. “It was the most natural thing for me.”

She had regularly taught other fitness classes, like bootcamp, step class and dance, but with yoga, something was different.

“I did it and it flowed. I just clicked with it,” Roers said.

Soon after Roers discovered yoga, she said she was struggling with sleeping. When she would wake up in the middle of the night, she would pop in a yoga video from one of her inspirations, Beth Shaw, and follow along. Even if she didn’t get much sleep, she said doing yoga would help her feel rested and more relaxed, and it was a way to get out of her head, or calm her mind.

There are many different types of yoga, said Roers, but the base is the same when it comes to matching breath with movement. And depending on what group she is teaching, she said there are always modifications, as well as advanced moves.

In her opinion, there are many benefits to yoga, but the top benefits include:

► Strength

► Balance

► Flexibility/mobility

► Improved mental health

For seniors specifically, she said, bone strength is also a result of strength training, which is included in the practicing of yoga.

As people age, Roers said, balance is so important because people lose some of their balance naturally, which then increases the chances of falling.

As for practicing flexibility and mobility, she said it helps to keep people moving with less pain.

“Focusing on connecting breath to movement and mind to body, along with intentional practice of releasing thoughts results in improved mental health,” said Roers. “Along with the natural endorphin release that moving your body creates. When your body and mind feel better, your mental state will naturally follow suit. Not to mention, in my experience, I have seen some very amazing friendships made at classes. And making connections or friends and being around like-minded and positive people will no doubt boost a mental state!”