Chair yoga is a general term for therapeutic yoga practices that can be done while seated in a chair. Lakshmi Voelker, the founder of Siddha Yoga, who has over 50 years of experience in yoga, developed it in 1982 to meet the needs of students who have limited mobility because of age, injuries, or impairments.
The Advantages Of Chair Yoga For Beginners
Since chair yoga is all about adaptation, it should not be a surprise that the specific chair you use is not crucial; chair yoga beginners don’t need to go out and buy a special yoga chair for it. Even though chair yoga is gentler on the joints and has less impact than traditional yoga, it still improves flexibility, strength, and focus and can help reduce stress. Because of its practicality and emphasis on self-care, it’s perfect for retirees, desk workers, and beginning yoga practitioners. These positive effects can also be significant for people who are confined to chairs or have limited mobility. Chair yoga to help you connect with yourself on a deeper level.
Practicing Chair Yoga As A Beginner
A gym membership is frequently insufficient to compensate for the hours of desk work. A lot of people try to add some physical exercise to their desk or office setting. The most important item for a chair yoga beginner to have is a reliable chair. The ideal chair should have a straight back post to support your back and no armrests so that your arms are not constrained. Wheeled chairs offer a risk because they are likely to move or slide under you as you do your poses.
4 Simple Chair Yoga Exercises For Beginners To Practice At Home
1. Seated Cat Cow Stretch
- Sit up straight and begin with your hands on your thighs. When you exhale, round your back by burying your chin towards your chest, tucking your tailbone under, and drawing your abdominals toward your spine. Being as round as you can in the upper back while directing your mid-back toward the chair. That’s the cat stance.
- For the cow posture, allow your belly to travel forward as you inhale; arch your back, send your sternum forward; and, if your neck is comfortable, gaze up toward the ceiling or keep your head parallel to the floor.
- Inhale into the cat and exhale into the cow while doing this action repeatedly.
2. Chair-Raised Hands Pose
Raise your arms up to the ceiling as you inhale. Maintain a straight upper torso with relaxed shoulders and a ribcage that is naturally positioned above the hips. Reach up from the chair seat, securing your sitting bones there.
3. Seated Chest Opener
Place your hands behind your back in a fist and sit on the front edge of your chair. Raise your hands up and away from your back as you inhale, and lift your chin gently away from your chest. Lower your hands as you exhale. Take at least two breaths while repeating this motion. Change your hand’s grip, then do it again.
4. Seated Twist
With your right arm extended over the back of your chair, place your left hand on your right knee. Hold for four breaths while turning to look over your right shoulder. Feel your spine lengthen on inhalation and twist deeper on exhalation. After exhaling back to the center, repeat on the other side.
With yoga having several advantages for both physical and mental health, anyone can practice chair yoga, regardless of their physical characteristics, restrictions, or abilities.
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