Finding the right path for your student
Today I would like to speak about teaching a senior student of mine. He’s not that quite senior, he still gets around just fine. Probably in his 60s somewhere. He sure does like a cocktail or two and enjoys socializing and going out. He has a dog which he walks up the hills in Puerto Vallarta, and often goes for long walks with his partner. He’s on some cholesterol pills and had low blood pressure. But he and his partner wanted to book me for private yoga classes at their condo gym, and I agreed.
My student told me a former yoga teacher told him, yoga is not for him. How absurd. He, and his partner, are two of the loveliest people ever. Even though they are both over weight, they try their hardest in the classes. Sometimes a little too hard. I have to bring him back from the brink of falling over sometimes. It’s hard to get old and not be able to do the things you once did. Or ever did.
He’s not really flexible in the hamstrings, but super open in the hips. He does everything o ask of him. He said he really needed to work on balance. Even though at times it really looks like he’s going to fall out the window. I make sure to shut it when we go to the bar in the gym.
The real issue is his low blood pressure. He often gets dizzy from cat/cow breathing. And from forward fold to standing. I tried googling low blood pressure and not much came up. Luckily, I posted in a Facebook group, and the group admin was able to repo d with some advice. Never head below the heart- duh, I should have know that. And she also suggested using props like chairs. I guess for cat/ cow, it’s too much a of a blood flow exchange? Although, he does deep belly breathing and skull shining without issue.
Part me of wants to fight against the ixnay of the forward fold. When we did it this week, I encouraged him to ground down through the feet, squeeze the calf and quadriceps, squeeze the glutes, lift the pelvic floor, hug in the core; essentially, charge the blood upwards through the veins, into his head. That’s what i would do whenever I felt dizzy in a hot yoga class.
But intuitions can be wrong.
For now, I will leave the inversions and table top cat/cow breathing aside. I do believe he can still strengthen himself and become adept at yoga. I just need to help him find the right path. And pool yoga, a suggestion to help with his balance since he will be ‘weightless’ to some extent may just be that. Although, it has its own fun challenges.
And suggestions would be lovely. Thank you.
