Yoga has been in existence for centuries, however, the makeover that it has recently received across the world, with many people being hooked on to Yoga is quite phenomenal. Yoga can be intense that can even give some of the fittest people a run and therefore to make things easier, there are fast emerging different yoga forms that are suited for kids, the elderly, pregnant women, athletes, and others.
Chair Yoga and its benefits
Yoga has many benefits ranging from increasing flexibility to improving stress levels, however, as much as one would want to do it, yoga does appear daunting if you cannot keep up with the pace of the others in the class. With Chair Yoga, you can achieve what you perhaps could not do earlier, as it helps you to perform the poses with ease in a seated position and gain from the yoga benefits too just like conventional forms. Furthermore, this type of yoga can be performed at various places- at work, on an airplane seat- anywhere.
Various chair yoga poses
- Chair cat-cow stretch
For this pose, you need to sit on a chair and keep both your feet flat on the floor. Hold your spine straight and upon inhaling, arch your back while dropping your shoulders (cow pose) and while exhaling you can curve your spine and let both your head and shoulders lean forward (cat position). Repeat this five times.
- Raised hands pose
While inhaling, raise your arms upwards towards the ceiling, giving your shoulder blades a good stretch.
- Forward bending pose
While exhaling, bend forward over the legs allowing your hands to rest on the floor, if you can reach it and let the head down. You can repeat the inhaling and exhaling sequence a couple of times.
- Extended side position pose
After your last bend, take your left hand out and place it outside your left foot. Open up your chest and twist towards the right while inhaling. While doing so, raise your right arm and look at the ceiling. Stay in that pose for a couple of seconds and then bring your arm down and exhale. Repeat the same with your left arm.
- Pigeon pose
Sit up in the chair and rest your right ankle upon your left thigh. Make sure that your knee and ankle are aligned. Hold on to this pose for five counts. Repeat with the left leg.
- Eagle pose
For this, cross over your right thigh on top of your left thigh and try wrapping your right foot from behind your left calf. At the same time, cross your left arm over the right one from the elbow while touching your palms. Drop your shoulders and life your elbows and keep the pose for 3-5 counts. Repeat with the other arm and leg.
- Spinal twist pose
For this pose, sit on the chair sideways while facing the left. Twist your upper body towards the left while holding the chair back. Straighten your spine as you inhale and twist. You can repeat this on the other side too.
- Warrior I pose
You can do the warrior pose by keeping your right leg across your chair in a way that the left leg is right behind you. Your left foot should be flat on the chair. Raise your upper body over the right leg and raise your arms upwards while inhaling.
- Warrior II pose
Upon exhaling, you have to open up your arms and keep the right arm forward and the left backward. Turn your upper body to the left and look over your right hand and hold your breath for three seconds.
10. Reverse warrior pose
Allow your left arm to come down your left leg, and lift your right arm upwards to the ceiling and hold for three counts. Then bring both your legs in front of the chair before starting the set of three warrior poses again.
Summary
Chair Yoga is suitable for seniors who have chronic pain, arthritis and also for those who use a wheelchair. Chair yoga poses are adapted in such a way that they enable the person to perform the traditional asana by using the chair for support. This can be easily practiced at home too as it is safe to do.
