POWERFUL PRACTICE. Lucinda Kemmet, an instructor at The Yoga Room in Eau Claire, says that as people age, their bodies talk to them in different ways, and yoga is a good way to listen and stay connected.

Everyone starts somewhere. In yoga, whether you are 25 or 70, this motto is what defines The Yoga Room in Eau Claire, and their accessibility to all community members.

Lucinda Kemmet, instructor at The Yoga Room (2839 Mall Drive, Eau Claire), said she enjoys sharing her values on yoga with a wide variety of audiences – and now senior citizens.

“Yoga is such a powerful practice for people whose bodies are starting to talk to them in different ways,” Kemmet said. “The foundation of a yoga practice is helping us stay connected with our body, and so I started studying yoga for seniors.”

Senior-friendly courses have been in place for the last two years at the studio, with the mission to provide access to yoga practices for people of any age.

“We want to do the movements without attachment to what the outcome is,” Kemmet said. “We talk a lot about the process of moving and the process of making a mind and body connection, not really so much what the pose looks like at the end.”

Lucinda Kemmet demonstrates yoga poses at The Yoga Room.

With a community that desires to “feel better,” Wendy Oberg, The Yoga Room studio owner, said this mission has been brought to life through inclusive courses provided at their studio.

“My vision with the space was just to create a fusion type of yoga studio that created an opportunity for everyone and anyone,” Oberg said. “We’re so fortunate to have Lucinda here who I have known for many years, and she is very passionate about this age demographic.”

Within her fundamental courses, Kemmet focuses on the intention of each yoga pose, and understanding the movement between each one.

“With the senior yoga, we’re taking more time to get in and out of poses,” she said. “We do a lot of strengthening, flexibility, and balance.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic – and its looming effects on older demographics – the studio has shifted all of its classes online.

Kemmet said the majority of issues students approach her with relate to declines in spinal mobility and chronic pain. These conditions often affect – or “speak” to – seniors on a regular basis, and impact the things they love to do, she said.

Yoga is a great form of exercise for people of any age, according to Kemmet.

“Maybe there are days they just can’t quite go on that walk or it can’t quite make it to the grandkids’ soccer game,” Kemmet said. “With yoga, there is really no other exercise modality that I know of that allows us to have a greater impact with the muscles along the spine.”

Kemmet and other beginning yoga instructors at the studio work to provide additional support towards specific health conditions in scenarios where a student comes to them with specific concerns.

“We can modify our practices, so that they come away feeling better,” Kemmet said. “Not only feeling better today, but we can empower them with things to do at home that allow them to continue to feel better every day.”

Senior yoga classes are currently held virtually each Tuesday and Thursday for one hour. To register online, visit www.theyogaroomec.com.