Yoga Benefits All Ages and Abilities

Christina Beggan

The ancient practice of yoga has remained popular in the United States for decades. What began as a spiritual practice thousands of years ago in the Eastern Hemisphere has become a way for modern Americans to reduce their stress levels and strengthen their bodies. There are multiple forms of yoga. Vinyasa flow yoga is a series of poses and flowing movements that improve balance, strength, and flexibility. It emphasizes the connection between breath and movement. Hatha yoga focuses on posture and breathing techniques to channel vital energy sources. Yin yoga is slower-paced, with postures held longer to access deep flexibility. Kundalini yoga incorporates chants and meditation to increase self-awareness. Yoga teachers recommend trying different studios to determine which type of yoga is best suited to your age, personality, and fitness level. As an exercise form, yoga connects the body, breath, and mind. Millions attend yoga studios across the country on a regular basis, and Pittsburgh is blessed with a plethora of studios offering various styles of yoga.

One of the reasons for yoga’s continued popularity is that it fits into almost any exercise routine. Most studios provide mats, blankets, cushions, straps, and blocks, keeping financial investment to a minimum. These pieces of equipment allow students to tailor their sessions to fit their level. Blankets help those with tender knees, while blocks and straps provide support. It is a good idea to check with a studio when booking a class, but it is common for multiple levels of students to take a class together, with instructors finding ways to accommodate everyone.

Susan Gillis Kruman

Susan Kruman was formerly the chair of the dance program at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently teaches an online chair yoga course for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Pittsburgh. This gentle form of yoga is especially beneficial for balance and coordination. “Motion is lotion for the joints. A person needs to continue to gently move their body to lubricate their joints as well as calm their mind,” Kruman advised. As an aging dancer, Kruman finds that yoga keeps her agile and fit. Her class is open to students 55 and older who sign up as members of Osher. Kruman says the beauty of the online class is that many people can join via Zoom from their living rooms. She has had as many as 97 students in a class. The class is so popular that it remains in the Osher curriculum rotation alongside other types of yoga.

Christina Beggan found that yoga was instrumental in helping her get through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During challenging times, yoga can be a powerful antidote to stress. She enjoyed yoga so much that she decided to become a certified teacher, earning her certification in January of this year. While holding down a full-time job and taking night classes, she still chooses to teach yoga twice a week. Her vinyasa yoga classes are offered at two different studios: Saturday mornings at Sneha Wellness in Lawrenceville and Thursday evenings at Roots Yoga Pittsburgh in West View. “Yoga is important because it brings you back home to yourself. It is an endless awakening of the heart,” said Beggan. She leads her hour-long classes in a way that allows students of varying levels to feel comfortable. She encourages students to take each pose as far as they can and reminds them that everyone is at a different level and can always continue to improve. Beggan’s classes always end with three joyous and musical chants of “Om,” a sacred sound often chanted during meditation that represents the essence of the universe and ultimate reality.

Roots Yoga Pittsburgh is a small studio in West View that opened six months ago. Owner Margaret Mullinary has created a welcoming space and offers multiple classes with different instructors. The studio offers vinyasa yoga, candlelit yin, regulate and flow, warm vinyasa, slow flow, and kundalini yoga. On the second Sunday of each month, the studio also offers a sound bath. Sound bathing helps a person reconnect with themselves and can aid in healing the body, mind, and spirit. “Yoga is beneficial for a wide range of people because it offers a holistic approach to well-being—addressing physical, mental, and emotional health by combining physical postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. The practice also offers adaptability for different populations because each posture has variations to support the individual and make the pose more accessible,” said Mullinary. She added that yoga is truly for everyone. “Gentle or yin yoga can support seniors, children, and adolescents, and many find yoga helps develop self-regulation, focus, and emotional resilience.”

As warm weather returns to Pittsburgh, consider taking one of the many outdoor classes that will be offered across the city. The Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh has partnered with the Allegheny County Parks Conservancy to offer free yoga in the park from May 25th to September 6th, 2025. Premier studios across Pittsburgh will offer weekly free yoga classes at Allegheny Commons West, near Brighton and Ridge Streets, across from Gus and Yiayia’s shaved ice stand. Classes are held at 10 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

With plenty of options to choose from, anyone in Pittsburgh can incorporate yoga into their fitness plan with ease.