The past three years, I have been teaching a 77-year old ex-air force man some yoga. Uncle (let’s call him that coz I do) is a man who is active, not just physically but also mentally. He teaches himself (with online help) some Sanskrit and some Indian mathematics. He also taught himself yoga. This alarmed his daughter who got me to go in to teach him personally. Wise move!
Teaching him has been an experience for me. One thing that he has going for him is is passion, zeal and self-discipline that gets him beyond the progress of his peers, I believe. However, his limitation is his body, which is ageing, as all of ours do. For me, the biggest takeaway with teaching seniors is patience.
Seniors may not necessarily move or respond the way you expect them to. Sometimes they take longer to respond because they can’t really hear you; or because they just take a little longer to process; or a combination. So repeating oneself and being clear, not only verbally but also visually and kinesthatically is so important, while giving them time to adjust!
Another thing that’s clear to me is once they fall #ill, it sometimes takes months for them to get back to baseline (if at all), and that they and I have to be patient and be okay with that! The photos above are of him, and another student in my public class at Anytime Fitness 8 Kinrara, showing us what strong really is 💪🏽 💯!!