(LEWES, Del.) - Seniors in Sussex County are finding ways to stay sharp and healthy, and they say gentle yoga is the way to go.
"It's great. I can cross my legs for a little bit of the time, and I can touch my toes," said Kalee Collier.
Collier says she first tried gentle yoga at the Lewes Senior Center last month and has been back ever since. She says the exercises she learns helps her in everyday life.
"In the morning and at night, the stretching's and the side-to-side helps my back no matter what position, all of the side positions we do," said Collier. "I'm just thankful I have the Lewes Senior Center to be here and do this."
Andrea Monetti says she also enjoys gentle yoga, as it helps her get back into her daily routine after pulling a muscle in her hip.
"It doesn't strain a lot of the muscles. It's easy on every muscle you have, and it's good for you," said Monetti. "It's good to destress for your mind and your body."
"Many seniors face medical issues, issues with joint surgeries or joint injuries, and 'gentle' is a great way to come back into whatever you were doing before," said Judy Impell, yoga instructor.
Impell says she's been a gentle yoga instructor at Lewes Senior Center for nearly one year. She says gentle yoga is different because it focuses mainly on flexibility and balance while moving at a steady pace that's easy on the body.
"People certainly want strength, but the flexibility piece and balance are really quite significant as you age, even when you're in good shape," said Impell.
Impell says gentle yoga is beneficial to seniors because it helps them maintain their strength and flexibility.
"[Seniors] want to be able to retain whatever physical capabilities they have for as long as they can," said Impell. "I think it's difficult as you age to really come to that understanding that 'I can't do everything I did before,' but the great thing is that people in this class and some of the other classes I go to feel 'whatever I have I want to keep,' and I always say to them, 'I want you to feel as good or better when you leave class.'"
Gentle yoga is held every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Lewes Senior Center, located at 32083 Janice Rd. It costs $10 for members to participate.
"This is a great starting point where you're just starting to utilize your joints and your flexibility, and sometimes people move on to more intensive things, and sometimes depending on the class makeup, we can do more intensive things, but we try to go by what the needs of the class are," said Impell. "One of the things most people, including myself, appreciate about yoga is you can do it on your own. You know, it helps to have somebody once a week, twice a week, whatever it might be, and certainly, that social interaction and energy are wonderful, but you can do it on your own on a daily basis even for a short period of time and really maintain your strength and flexibility."