Chair Yoga 2.0
Before you begin the movements it is important to put on a mindset of patience, persistence, and kindness. If something does not feel right, do not feel you need to move into it. Mild pain can be a healthy sign of growth, but sharp or numbing pain can be dangerous for our long term health and happiness.
- Centering
- I invite you to take a nice neutral seat in a chair, bringing awareness to the spine, seeing if we can roll our sit bones forward and up, shoulders down and back, chest slightly forward.
- “Feel the body, experience the breath, allow the mind to drift by.”
- You are invited to try a few Pranayamas or breath exercises
- Belly breathing: Breathing in through the nostrils, the breath travels into the abdomen, the belly rises, exhale, the belly falls or deflates, as we breath out through the mouth or nose, repeat as long as you would like.
- Sukha Pranayama or easy breath: Inhaling at a certain count, let's say 1-2-3-4, exhale for that certain count, 1-2-3-4, and repeat as long as you would like. You can change the count at any time but do your best to remain consistent, matching inhale to exhale.
- Full Yogic Breath or 3 Part Breath: Inhaling the air through the nose, 1) into the belly briefly, 2) through the mid section, 3) and up into the chest cavity, expanding the ribs, elongating the spine slightly, exhaling when ready to through the nose or mouth. Rise and falling gently with every breath, repeat this as many times as you would like.
- Seated Cat and Cow
- inhale, arch the back forward, chest expands in Cow
- exhale, allow the back to sink backwards, shoulder draw forward into Cat
- Seated Cat and Cow Curls
- the same movements as above, though, this time, lift the knee as close to the chin as possible with each Cat movement, and release the knee down with every Cow. This requires more flexibility than the previous.
- Seated Straight Leg Forward Fold
- Straighten the legs out as much as possible with heals touching the ground, inhale, exhale fold the torso forward, hinging at the hips, nice straight back, inhale rise back to a upright torso, exhale fold, repeat as many times as you wish.
- Seated Fold and Twist
- Very similar to the previous, though, this time, we add a twist, inhale, exhale reach the right hand to the left as we fold, twisting looking left, inhale return to an upright neutral seat, exhale then reach the left hand to the right foot, twisting looking right, inhale return middle, and repeat as many times as you would like.
- Take a neutral seat with a nice straight spine and breath in and out, resting whenever you feel the need to.
- Gate Awareness
- In this movement we practice our ability to transition and balance in a very practical manner. From a nice neutral seat, inhale gently tipping the torso forward, moving the weight onto the feat, lifting the bottom of the seat,
- exhale straighten the body out to standing,
- inhale step forward with the right foot,
- exhale bring the left foot next to the right in a nice neutral standing position. Repeat with stepping the left foot forward to complete a set. Do this as many times as you would like.
- Standing Leg Lift with Chair
- Standing behind a chair, holding it with the hands, inhale raise the leg, bending the knee, exhale lower the leg, repeat on the opposite leg to complete the set. Repeat as many times as you would like.
- Standing Leg Swings with Chair
- Standing behind a chair, holding it with the hands, inhale swing the leg forward, exhale swing the leg back, repeat on the opposite leg to complete the set. Repeat as many times as you would like.
- Tree pose (Vrksasana) with Chair (Advanced)
- Standing behind a chair, holding it with the hands, inhale one leg up bent at the knee,
- exhale turn or swing the lifted leg out to the side, it might be helpful to release the hand that is on the same side as the lifted out leg,
- place the soul of the foot on the inner thigh or below the knee of the straight leg, balance as long as you are able, repeat on the opposite leg to complete the set.
- Squats with Chair
- Holding the back of a chair, inhale, exhale bend at the knees, tipping the weight slightly forward onto the feat, exhale lower down to your deepest squat, inhale press back up to standing, exhale bending back into a squat, repeating as many times as you would like.
- If you feel like a break take a neutral seat with a nice straight spine and breath in and out for as long as you would like
- Seated Back Bend
- Inhale with full yogic breath, chest arches forward, spine slightly elongates, exhale. This is a position similar to seated Cow pose. If comfortable here, and there is no neck condition that prohibits you from tipping the head backwards, inhale as you do so. Keep tipping and allowing the chest to arch forward as much as feels comfortable. When you reach your limit or the back of the chair, exhale hold for as long as you would like, inhale and exhale as we return to a nice neutral upright seat.
- Seated Crescent Side Arches
- Inhale the arms up, exhale, holding left wrist in right hand, pull the left arm to the right, opening the left side body, gazing up at the left forearm area, hold for a time, inhale, and exhale the arms down to the sides with a nice straight neutral seat. Repeat on the opposite side to complete the set.
- Seated Straight Wide Legged Forward Fold
- Move the legs open to the left and right as wide as is comfortable, inhale, exhale fold the torso forward, hinging at the hips, nice straight back, inhale rise back to a upright torso, exhale fold, repeat as many times as you wish.
- If you felt confident folding forward, try folding forward to the right, then to the left. Do as many of these as you would like.
- Seated Leg and Foot Movements
- Toe Crunches
- From a nice neutral seat, inhale the right leg out straight, exhale I invite you to bring your awareness to your toes, inhale curl them or crunch them up much like you would do with your hands when you want to grab something, exhale release them our straight. Do this as many times as you would like. I recommend about ten. When done with the right, inhale, exhale the leg lowers. Repeat on the opposite side to complete the set.
- Ankle bends
- From a nice neutral seat, inhale the right leg out straight, exhale I invite you to bring your awareness to your ankle and foot, inhale point the foot forward, exhale the foot back to neutral. Do this as many times as you would like. I recommend about five to ten. When done with the right, inhale, exhale the leg lowers. Repeat on the opposite side to complete the set.
- Ankle Rotations
- From a nice neutral seat, inhale, exhale the right leg out straight, inhale rotate the foot from in toward the body, exhale rotate the foot outward. Do this as many times as you would like. I recommend about five.
- Then to balance the movement, inhale rotate the foot outward away from the body, exhale rotate the foot inward toward the body. Do this as many times as you would like. I recommend about five. When done with the right, inhale, exhale the leg lowers. Repeat on the opposite leg to complete the set.
- Knee movements
- From a nice neutral seat, inhale the right leg out straight, exhale lower the leg. Do this as many times as you would like. I recommend about ten. Repeat on the opposite side to complete the set.
- Toe Crunches
- Seated Hand, Arm, and Shoulder Movements
- Hand Clasps
- Holding the arms out straight at shoulder level, inhale stretch out the fingers as much as comfortable, exhale clasp them with a moderate tightness, repeat as many times as you would like, 10 to 5 recommended. Lower the arms and give them a break.
- Wrist Bends
- Holding the arms out straight at shoulder level, clasp the hands if comfortable, inhale the hands up so that the wrist is bending back, exhale the hand straight with the arm, repeat as many times as you would like, 5 recommended.
- Inhale the hands down so that the wrist is bending forward, exhale the hand straight with the arm, repeat as many times as you would like, 5 recommended. Lower the arms and give them a break.
- Elbow Bends
- Holding the arms out straight at shoulder level, turn the palms up, inhale bend at the elbows so that the fingers touch the shoulders, exhale arms out straight, repeat as many times as you would like, 10 to 5 recommended. Lower the arms and give them a break.
- Shoulder Rotations
- Holding the arms out straight at shoulder level, turn the palms up, touch the fingers to the shoulders, inhale roll the shoulders down an back, shoulder blades draw near, exhale roll them up and forward, elbows draw near, repeat as many times as you would like, 5 recommended.
- Inhale roll the shoulders forward and up, inhale roll them back and down, reversing the movement, repeat as many times as you would like, 5 recommended. Lower the arms and give them a break.
- Hand Clasps
- Seated Neck Movements
- Forward to Back
- Keeping in mind how are neck feels today, and if we have any history of neck injury, moving to our own degree or resting in a neutral seat focusing on the breath. Let's begin the first movement. Drop the chin to the chest, inhale raise the gaze to the ceiling, exhale drop once again. Moving in a relaxing and awakening manner, balancing out these two states. Repeat this movement as many times as you would like, 10 to 5 recommended. Returning gaze neutral and forward when done.
- Side to Side
- Inhale then turning the gaze to the right, exhale middle, inhale left, exhale middle. Moving in a relaxing and awakening manner, balancing out these two states. Repeat this movement as many times as you would like, 10 to 5 recommended for each side. Returning gaze neutral and forward when done.
- Tipping
- Inhale draw the right ear near the right shoulder, exhale head middle, inhale draw left ear near left shoulder, exhale middle. Moving in a relaxing and awakening manner, balancing out these two states. Repeat this movement as many times as you would like, 10 to 5 recommended for each side. Returning gaze neutral and forward when done.
- Rotation
- Dropping the chin to the chest, inhale rotate the head and neck to the left and down, exhale right and up. Moving in a relaxing and awakening manner, balancing out these two states. Repeat this movement as many times as you would like, 5 recommended.
- Inhale rotate the head and neck to the right and down, exhale left and up. Moving in a relaxing and awakening manner, balancing out these two states. Repeat this movement as many times as you would like, 5 recommended. Returning gaze neutral and forward when done.
- Forward to Back
- Savasana, Final Relaxation
- I recommend that you try to transition to lying on the floor or sitting against the wall if possible as this is safest when the possibility of falling asleep and out of a chair exists. If you are unable to I recommend a shorter time in final relaxation.
- Once in the pose that suit you the best begin to let go (not of the chair if you are seated in a chair) “Feel the body, experience the breath, allow the mind to drift by.” Stay here as long as you feel comfortable and safe.
- When you are ready to do so begin to transition to wakefulness with small movements in the body. Stretch a bit. Then take a seat if you are not seated already. Draw awareness to the spine. See if you can help it into a nice upright position, shoulders rolled down and back, chest slightly elevated and expanded, sit bones rolled up and forward. Take a nice full breath in and out.
- Pressing hands together, bowing the head, I invited you to say a word that means my inner light honors your inner light, this word is Namaste. I invite you to say this now. … Thank you for Practicing with me today :-) Truly you bless not only yourself but all other living beings when you practice for health and happiness, mobility and stability :-) We are all connected through this life, the things we eat, Earth we live on, and air we breath :-) When we do our best to be healthy and happy all these things we share become that much more pure and good :-) Thank you, dear soul, Godbless you and Namaste :-) Have a great day :-)
Have a wonderful day, my friend! Thank you so much for being wonderful you! I hope that you enjoyed “Thank You Yoga! For Help with Mobility! (Chair Yoga 2.0) :-)” May all living beings rise again and again to a life beyond suffering :-) Happy Easter to you with Faith, Hope, and Love, Aaron :-)