Yoga for a Lifetime

Catalog description

KINES 77 is a course designed to give students an understanding of and proficiency in yoga. Yoga for the Lifetime introduces students to the performance of yoga as a lifelong activity that maintains and enhances physical health, psychological well-being, and overall wellness. This course provides the information that the student needs to understand, organize, plan, and implement a wellness program that features yoga as a central practice. The centerpiece of this course is an integration of foundations in yoga principles and the physical practice of yoga, introducing students to classical yoga postures that address such needs as stress management, muscular tightness, skeletal alignment, and injury recovery. In addition to posture instruction, students practice breathing techniques and meditation; various breathing techniques are included to calm the mind and focus mental energy on specific tasks. Students explore such topics as the historical and philosophical foundations of yoga, nutritional practices that enhance the value of a lifelong yoga program, and Eastern-based movement traditions that complement yoga practice. Students also have the opportunity to reflect upon various aspects of yoga philosophy and the evolution of their personal practice. Upon completion of KINES 77 , the student will be able to identify the components of an effective lifelong wellness program and explain how yoga contributes to the success of this program; perform yoga to develop flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular endurance; select and perform yoga postures that address specific needs (e.g., stress management, muscular tightness); describe the philosophical and historical framework that supports yoga practice; and explain how effective breathing and meditation techniques promote physical and psychological well-being.