What Is Chair Yoga?
Chair Yoga is a form of yoga as therapy or restorative yoga, created by famous yoga instructor Lakshmi Voelker-Binder, in 1982. Since then, chair yoga spread its popularity worldwide.
Lakshmi Voelker-Binder is a certified yoga instructor and therapist, well known for her works for creating accessible ways to health and wellness. Her works and efforts ended up with the birth of chair yoga and provided an opportunity for everyone.
One of the main purposes of traditional yoga is to be mentally and physically therapeutical and healing. However, not everyone was lucky enough to practice yoga due to their special conditions. Thanks to chair yoga, disabled and elderly people can practice yoga as well.
Although the chair yoga was first designed to be remedial for those suffering from diseases and the elderly, its popularity reached its peak due to its accessibility and effects on the body and mind.
The Aim of Chair Yoga
The main goal of chair yoga is to eliminate the barriers for those with mobility issues and the elderly. Hence, it encourages them to hold on to their lives
Life is short and time is swift. Chair yoga also aims to decrease the motionlessness for those on a tight schedule and long working hours. Therefore, it assists them to increase their mobility while sitting on a chair.
Do We Need a Mat While Practicing Chair Yoga?
There is no need for a mat while practicing chair yoga since it is exercised with a chair. However, you better choose the most comfortable one for you. to avoid any accidents and irritations.
You do not need a specific chair while practicing chair yoga. However, if you cannot decide on which chair to use while practicing, here is the chair that fits the bill:
Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Double Braced Gray Metal Folding Chair
This is a highly demanded chair, available on Amazon.com. Although this chair was not designed to be a specific yoga chair, it is suitable for you to use while practicing chair yoga.
Practices for Chair Yoga
Likely to other forms of yoga, chair yoga offers a bunch of practices for you to exercise in your daily life. Some of the highly recommended yoga practices are listed below for you. Enjoy!
Seated Cat-Cow Pose
Seated Cat-Cow Pose or Upavistha Bitilasana Marjaryasana is a simple chair yoga practice for beginners, stretching, and strengthening your spine and neck.
Steps:
1- Be seated and become upright.
2- Take a deep breath and be straight to the wall.
3- As you inhale, lift your head toward, arch your back.
3- As you exhale, round your body forward, arch your spine.
4- Repeat 3 to 5 times.
This exercise is a warm-up yoga pose, especially done before you start your practice. Even if you are not a beginner, it is efficient for you to do this exercise in case of an injury.
Seated Side Stretch
Seated Side Stretch is a warm-up chair yoga pose for beginners, stretching and strengthening your arms and upper side of your body.
Steps:
1- Be seated and become upright.
2- Take a deep breath and sit straight to the wall.
3- Inhale and raise your right arm.
4- Exhale and lean to the left side.
5- Come back to the center.
6- Raise your left arm.
7-Exhale and lean to the right side.
6- Inhale and become upright.
7- Come back to the center.
8- Repeat this exercise for 3-5 times.
It does not matter to start with raising your right hand or the left one. The main purpose of this exercise is to stretch your arms and spine as much as possible. That’s why hold yourself a bit while leaning to each side and try to push yourself. It is significant to do this exercise before you start the chair yoga practice.
Seated Mountain Pose
Seated Mountain Pose, Seated Samasthiti, or Seated Tadasana is the basis asana for other yoga practices. This exercise focuses on your breath-taking and body posture. It also releases the stress in the trunk and shoulders.
Steps:
1- Be seated and sit up upright.
2- Close your eyes.
3- Take a deep breath.
4- Extend your spine.
5- Raise your arms, interlace your fingers, and stretch your hands to the ceiling for a minute.
6- Come back to the center.
Your body will be stretched like a mountain after completing this exercise.
Seated Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Seated Wide-Legged Forward Bend is an efficient chair yoga practice, stretching your inner legs, hamstring, and groins while calming your mind and increasing your flexibility.
Steps:
1- Be seated and sit up upright.
2- Sit comfortably.
3- Keep your feet on the ground.
4- Take your legs wide apart while keeping your feet flexed.
5- Take a deep breath and reach your hands up.
6- Breathe out, come forward by moving your fingertips, and place your hands on the ground.
7- Come back to the center.
This chair yoga exercise is a warm-up for wide-leg standing poses, twist practices, and seated forward bends.
You should feel comfortable especially while stretching and strengthening your legs. You better wear the most suitable yoga pant to get the most from your workout.
HISKYWIN Inner Pocket Yoga Pants 4 Way Stretch Tummy Control Workout Running Pants, Long Bootleg Flare Pants
This is a multi-functional yoga pant, available on Amazon.com. It is one of the best sellers of Amazon.
There is a high demand for these pants due to their high quality and comfort. What is more, they fit you well. Once you wear these pants, you will see the difference while stretching and strengthening your legs. Besides, you can wear these pants even if you are not practicing but do shopping or running.
Seated Leg Stretch Pose
Seated Leg Stretch is a chair yoga pose to strengthen the hamstring. It is a highly recommended chair yoga practice especially for the motionless people due to having long flights, spending too much time on traffic, or working for long hours.
Steps:
1- Take your seat, sit up upright, and inhale.
2- Exhale and start stretching your leg.
3- Lift your knee while both of your hands are around your shin.
4- Pull your leg towards yourself as much as possible.
5- Let down your right leg carefully.
6-Repeat the exercise, following the same steps with your other leg.
This chair yoga practice is efficient for exercising adrenal, reproductive, and muscular systems as well.
Do not think twice, realize your potential, and take action to start chair yoga. Do not be lazy and delay it because sometimes, later means never. Break a leg!
Benefits of Chair Yoga
No word can describe the benefits of chair yoga. It is a life-changing experience for people of a certain age and handicapped as it allows them to participate in the yoga practice.
Including them but not limited to, chair yoga is lifesaving for those struggling with limited mobility as well. Chair yoga turns their situation into an opportunity.
So, what are the benefits of chair yoga?
Improving Strength and Flexibility
Especially the seniors and physically challenged people are not able to move freely, which results in muscle pain and weakness. Chair yoga is a great option for them to improve their strength and flexibility.
Raising Awareness of Proprioception
Proprioception or Kinaesthesia is the awareness of self-movement and body position. Unfortunately, the aged and disabled people cannot get control of their bodies and their movements. Chair yoga plays a significant role in bringing them their power back.
Reducing Pain
Due to the busy pace of modern life, we do nothing but always complaining about our pain issues. However, actions are louder than words. Instead of accepting, it is the right time to make our destiny. Do yourself a favor and start chair yoga immediately to reduce your pain.
If you are dealing with neck and back pain issues, here is the formula to kill the pain:
Chair Yoga + The Product Below
Zyllion Shiatsu Back and Neck Massager – Kneading Massage Pillow with Heat for Shoulders, Lower Back, Calf – Use at Home and Car, Black, (ZMA-13-BK)
This is both a massager and a massage pillow with heat, available on Amazon.com. It is one of the best sellers of Amazon.
It is good at relieving sore muscles due to its advanced massage nudes and powerful heat option. You will love it!
Wallet-Friendly
You can practice chair yoga when you are at home, work, or classroom. There is no need for a yoga studio nor a workout place. Hence, chair yoga is wallet-friendly for everyone since everyone has a chair.
Sleep Well
Most of the people are in trouble with a disturbed sleep problem due to being stressed, suffering from pain, and overthink. If you are one of them, having a regular chair yoga practice routine may end up with a good night’s sleep.
To improve the quality of your sleep, you better prefer an orthopedic pillow as well. I will recommend a suitable pillow, that you will never regret to buy.
Core Products Tri-Core Cervical Support Pillow & Travel Core Combo, Standard Firm – Midsize
This is an orthopedic pillow, available on Amazon.com. Also, it is prime on Amazon. It is alleviating neck pain and it aligns your spine. If you are in trouble with pain conditions, this pillow is exactly what you are looking for.
Social Interaction
Chair yoga is a socializing practice especially for disabled people and the elderly as they usually prefer to spend days by themselves. Although social interaction is thought to be a health concern, there is a connection between loneliness and some health problems. Because of that reason, chair yoga gives a handle for them to stay healthy and fit, while never feeling alone.
Easing and Relieving Menstrual Symptoms
Menstrual Symptoms and heavy menstrual bleeding are the nightmares of women. Chair yoga practice stabilizes these issues because it relieves and eases menstrual symptoms, symptoms of bloat, and heavy bleeding.
Less Time Consuming
There is no need for you to spend hours driving to the yoga studio or re-arranging your schedule to attend yoga classes anymore because chair yoga comes to you by itself.
You can practice chair yoga everywhere when you have the most appropriate chair with you.
Friends of Meditation Extra Large Relaxing Meditation and Yoga Chair with back-support and Meditation Block
This is a portable meditation chair, available on Amazon.com. It is designed to be relaxing and retreating for those trying to deal with pain conditions and the elderly. You will feel privileged due to its great back-support.
Reducing Stress
Stress and stress-related issues are so common in our daily lives. Chair yoga is a good way to improve your stress management as well. When you will get used to practicing chair yoga, you will easily calm down and have a clear mind.
Mental Clarity
Clarity of mind occurs when we are awakened and focused without any stress. Hence, chair yoga is the key for the mental clarity as it leads you a lot to improve your self-management including, but not limited to: reducing stress, pain management, and reaching self-growth.
Chair Yoga at Work
There is no need for you to be at a workout place or studio to practice yoga thanks to the chair yoga. Unlikely traditional yoga, chair yoga allows you to exercise even when you are at work.
Due to the rash and extreme busyness, unfortunately, you focus on nothing but your business life. As a result, you suffer from chronic pain inevitably due to a lack of movement and stress. Let’s do some changes!
You can practice yoga at work in your free time and turn your free time into an opportunity. There are some specific chair yoga practices exactly for you!
Seated Ardha Chandrasana
Ardha Chandrasana, also known as Crescent Moon Pose and Half Moon Pose, is a standing asana but it has its seated version as well. It enables you to stretch your arms, fingers, and spine.
Steps:
1- Take your seat and become upright.
2- Raise your arms overhead.
3- Stretch your fingers.
4- Lean-to right and take deep breathes.
5- Lean-to left and take deep breathes.
6- Repeat several times.
This chair yoga practice is one-to-one for you if you are struggling with a chronicle back pain problem. Spending less than 5 minutes heal your constant pain.
Seated Kapotasana
Kapotasana, also called Pigeon Pose, is a kneeling back-bending asana in the modern form of yoga practice. It also has a seated version for you to practice with a chair. This exercise allows you to stretch your legs while sitting on a chair to balance your hips and lower spine.
Steps:
1- Be seated and become upright.
2- Take your shoes. (If you can. If not, nevermind and focus on your workout.)
3- Keep your feet on the ground.
4- Cross your left leg on your right leg with a 90-degree angle. Your left wrist should be on your right knee.
5- Stay in the upright position.
6- Put both your hands on your right knee.
7- Breath 5 to 10 times.
8- Switch the position and repeat it.
Crossing our legs and sitting improperly may result in an imbalanced body posture. This chair yoga practice will support you to balance your hips and lower spine only in a few minutes.
Seated Roll Your Neck
Rolling your neck is one of the easiest and most efficient exercises of yoga. You can do this exercise wherever, whenever you want. All you need is to be concentrated on and calm down.
Steps:
1- Be seated and sit upright.
2- Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
3- Keep your head straight and focus.
4- Roll your head to the left side then right side or vice versa.
5- Circle your head.
6- Let your chin drop down then up.
7- Repeat these steps several times.
This chair yoga practice will support you to protect and strengthen your neck intensively. Once you get used to this exercise, you will never face any back pain and stiffness.
Seated Marjariasana
Seated Marjariasana or Seated Cat-Cow Stretch is a highly recommended chair yoga practice to stretch your back torso and neck. Unlikely to its original version, this chair yoga exercise will help you to relax and ease your wrists and knees. This exercise will allow you to align your spine, get control over your back pain, and expand your lungs.
Steps:
1- Be seated and become upright.
2- Take off your shoes. (If you can. If not, nevermind and focus on your workout.)
3- Keep your feet on the ground.
4- Put your hands on your knees. (Right hand on right knee, left hand on left knee.)
5- Take a deep breath.
6- Arch your back and look up.
7- Exhale.
8- Round your spine and look down.
9- Repeat these steps several times.
If you are a businesswoman, this exercise will be a lifesaver for you when you are on your period as it is good at easing menstrual symptoms.
Seated Paschimottanasana
Seated Paschimottanasana or Seated Forward Bend is a well-known exercise in hatha yoga, especially good for stretching shoulder, hamstring of the spine and vertebral column.
Steps:
1- Take your seat and become upright.
2- Keep distance from your desk.
3- Keep your feet on the ground.
4- Interlace your hands in the back.
5- Straighten your arms as much as possible.
6- Lie to your knees. (Head on the knees.)
7- Interlace your abdominal muscle.
8-Release yourself.
This exercise will help you to improve your performance while you are working. You will feel regenerated!
Seated Garudasana
Garudasana or Eagle Pose is a yoga practice done standing to improve your body balance. You can practice its seated version when you are at work as well.
Steps:
1- Be seated and become upright.
2- Look directly at the wall.
3- Cross your one leg to another.
4- Interlock your feet.
5- Interlock your arms. (Arms are straight to your head.)
6- One hand on the other hand. Palms should touch each other.
7- Repeat this exercise by changing your hands.
Keep in mind that Garudasana or Eagle Pose was completely a different exercise in medieval hatha yoga so make sure that you do not mix each other.
Seated Spinal Twist
Seated Spinal Twist is a kundalini yoga practice well-known for stretching the upper side of your body, especially your back. If you are dealing with backaches, this exercise will relieve your pain immediately.
Steps:
1- Be sideway seated and become upright. The back of the chair should be by your side.
2- Keep your feet on the ground.
3- Both hands on the back of the chair.
3- Turn yourself to the back of the chair with the upper side of your body.
4- Repeat with your other side.
After doing this yoga exercise, you, and your body will be relieved.
Stand and Sit
This chair yoga practice is considered to be a mixture of Squat, Chair Pose, and Mountain Pose. You can stretch and strengthen your entire body by doing this exercise.
Steps:
1- Take your seat and lean forward.
2- Straighten your arms and wrap your arms. Palms should touch each other.
3- Your knees should be leaning 90-degrees.
4- Press down your feet to stand up.
5- Stand up to forward.
6- Sit almost down.
7- Repeat 10 times.
Although this exercise is a bit tough, you will receive its benefits with the increase in your muscle mass. The more you do, the stronger you will be.
Office yoga is not a luxury but a need. Practicing these exercises will underrate your discomfort throughout the day, and will make it easier for you to focus much more on your work. It is time for you to enjoy the best of both worlds!
Summary
Not everyone is born equal. We are born to be different. However, no matter what, health and wellness are a birthright for us all. That’s why it is time to reduce pain, improve health, and clear the way by starting chair yoga. All you need is to push your limits, believe in yourself, and a chair. Hang in there!
PS: Although chair yoga is both effective and safe, you better consult a doctor before you start chair yoga in case of danger.
