If you’re looking to start practicing yoga, but your busy lifestyle doesn’t allow you to attend classes, chair yoga can help! Chair yoga is a great way to restore balance to your life, no matter how small and cramped a space you call home. Plus, you can do it anytime, anywhere and out of any chair – making chair yoga the perfect solution for a yoga workout on the go!
Benefits Of Practicing Chair Yoga
Chair yoga is more than just sitting in a chair and stretching. It’s actually a full-body workout that combines muscle strengthening, toning, and stretching exercises with mindfulness, breathwork and meditation. Chair yoga will help to improve young, strong muscles while protecting your joints, bones, ligaments and tendons. It’s also a low-impact style of yoga, perfect for those who have physical limitations or injuries.
Easy Chair Yoga Positions
Namaste: To start slowly and get into a meditative state, slowly stretch your arms out to the sides at shoulder level and press your palms together. Position your feet slightly apart with your toes pointing towards the floor. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then relax your arms and sit up in your chair.
Seated Sun Salutation: To start, sit tall in your chair with your palms in prayer position. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Straighten your spine, pushing through the chair arms. Take a deep breath in, then on an exhale, bow your torso forward. Place your hands on the sides of the chair and come up to sit tall, placing your palms back in prayer position.
Chair Mountain: While sitting in your chair, place your feet firmly on the floor while extending your arms up to the sky. Roll your shoulders down and back, and take a few deep breaths. Feel tall and strong, like a solid mountain. Hold this pose for a few breaths, then slowly release.
Chair Half-Lift: To strengthen your torso and check on poor posture, sit up tall in your chair. Bring your arms to the sides at shoulder level and hold the present of your seat. Slowly lift your feet off the floor and extend your arms out to the side. Push down with your arms, feeling the strength of your chest, shoulders, and stomach. Hold this pose for 30 seconds, then slowly release.
Mindful Movement
Chair yoga is the perfect way to take a slow, mindful approach to yoga practice. Each time you practice, focus on your breath and the movements of your body. To help deepen your practice, placing your hands mindfully on the chair or your body can help bring a point of focus to your practice.
So, if you’re ready to start your practice, chair yoga is the perfect way to move your body, explore mindfulness and calm your mind.
kristinmcgee.com