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Northwest editioN reachiNg seNiors iN illiaNa: cook, lake & Porter couNties
February 2026
Vol. 29, No. 11
www.seniorlifenewspapers.com
Chair yoga – where sitting can lead to better health
ARMS UP — Margaret Fyffe of Portage raises her arms during this exercise at chair yoga at the Portage Township YMCA. The class offers phyiscal and mental benefits for participants.
Text & Photos By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer
EXERCISING TOGETHER — Zelda Wiggins, far left, of the Miller area of Gary, is among the people who regularly attend chair yoga t the Portage Township YMCA. Participants say the class helps them both exercise and relax.
Who says you can’t exercise while seated? Certainly not participants in chair yoga at the Portage Township YMCA. Zelda Wiggins, from the Miller section of Gary, said, “It has given me strength, balance and helped with my breathing and stamina. It’s also helped me with sleeping.” Margaret Fyffe of Portage added, “It’s done so much for me. It’s strengthened my muscles and relaxed me. It’s good for my mindset. I absolutely love it.” Also from Portage, Carmen Batista noted, “I feel so renewed and strengthened, and I feel flexible. I’m able to do the things I want to get done.” Jackie Wonso, another Portage resident, commented wryly, “It keeps me off the couch, sometimes.” Wonso added, “Our instructor ‘Pach’ is exceptional – pleasant and very accommodating.”
Pach is Pachicha Zurvalec, who leads two sessions of chair yoga three days a week. She’s been teaching these classes for three years. Coming to this country from Thailand, where “yoga is my life,” Zurvalec was a YMCA member for several years when she responded to an opening for an instructor. Chair yoga, the instructor said, “helps seniors with strength every day. They can do things on an everyday basis, and it helps with stiffness. Some of these people have had surgeries or have conditions like arthritis, and chair yoga helps them to move throughout the day.” Among Zurvalec’s goals for the class is helping seniors with balance, as some, she said, are fearful about falling. She also wants participants to work on their breathing. The class is open to all ages. Sessions run 30 minutes in a typically dimly lit room with soft music. Participants remain seated throughout the session, with ZurContinued on page 4
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