2. Yoga is not just for the fit and flexible. Saying that you're not flexible enough to practice yoga is like thinking that your house is too messy to hire a maid. The idea that you must twist yourself into a pretzel to do yoga is one of many common misconceptions. I've taught yoga to people with a wide array of health conditions including heart failure, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, fibromyalgia and back pain. The only requirement for practicing yoga is the ability to breathe.

3. You don't have to stand on your head. While some people over 50 are extremely healthy and able to do headstands and other challenging yoga postures, much more common are older adults who fit the profile of the "average" senior in America — 80 percent of whom have at least one chronic health condition and 50 percent of whom have at least two. Many also face other health challenges, such as artificial joints or prosthetic heart valves. That's why it's essential for older adults beginning yoga to find an appropriate class with an experienced and well-qualified instructor.



4. There are many styles of yoga — from "hot" to gentle. For example, ashtanga yoga is very athletic, while kripalu yoga tends to be gentler and viniyoga is generally done one-on-one in a therapeutic setting. If you attend a class that is too demanding for your specific level of fitness, you may risk injury. Be sure you're in a class that is appropriate for you, and inform the teacher of any health concerns or challenges you face. (See "How to Find a Good Yoga Instructor.") Older adults, particularly those who have been inactive, should look for a class called Gentle Yoga or one specifically geared to seniors.

5. Yoga should not hurt. The yogic approach is very different from the Western exercise mentality of "go for the burn." Ancient texts on yoga say that a posture should be "steady and comfortable" or, according to some translations, "relaxed and stable" or "sweet and calm." So if you're straining to push yourself into a posture suitable for a magazine cover, that's gymnastics or calisthenics but not yoga. Yoga invites you to move into each posture only to the point where you feel a sensation of pleasant stretch, then allow your breath to help the pose deepen and unfold. If it hurts — back off!

6. Yoga is not just a workout. Yoga is a powerful form of mind-body medicine that approaches health in a holistic manner, recognizing that physical ailments also have emotional and spiritual components. In one recent small study researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found yoga was better than walking to improve people's moods. The tools of yoga are postures, breathing practices and meditation, which work together to balance and integrate mind, body and spirit. One of yoga’s most basic skills is learning to pause and take an easy breath, which can be one of the most healing practices of all. (Download a free guided relaxation breathing practice, the Six Minute Stress Reducer.)

