Skip to main content

Take a Seat - try Chair Yoga!

This week I started to experiment in one class with chair yoga, then even more in another class, and so next week I declare to be Chair Yoga week. You can get a surprisingly good workout EVEN IN A CHAIR doing yoga. It affords you the opportunity to take balance issues out of the equation (for the most part) and focus on alignment, creating space, engaging the abdomen, and breathing above and beyond all. For those that have injuries, physical limitations, arthritis, are pregnant or just want to try something different, having the chair nearby brings the floor closer to you (or you closer to the floor, however you perceive it) and may offer a little more security, as well as a multitude of modification options.

We worked Warrior 1, 2 and 3 using the chair (virabhadrasana series). We did spinal flexion and extension (uttanasana, anuvatasana), forward, back and side. We used the chair to make reaching the floor not even a concern in Triangle Pose (trikonasa) and Half Moon (ardha chandrasana), and we used the chair to support us getting into and out of wide legged forward bend (prasarita padottansana). We were able to focus on hip alignment, spinal alignment, and hold poses for MUCH longer using our little friends, our foldable chairs. We even did a variation of boat pose (navasana) in our chair, just for grins.

I think the best part was our savasana with our legs supported on the seat of the chair, with eye pillows in our hip creases to help release our femurs into the hip sockets. For those with shorter legs we lined up soft bricks (but multiple blankets or bolsters would do the trick as well).

I encourage you to experiment with chair assisted poses at work, at home, or even in (esp.) in class for a different type of challenge. Here are some links to explore:

http://www.livingwordsofwisdom.com/chair-yoga.html

http://yoga.about.com/od/typesofyoga/qt/Chair-Yoga.htm
http://getfitwhereyousit.com/about_chair_yoga_fitness_exercise.html
http://www.sunlightchairyoga.com/

We'll be dabbling in this genre more this week, so please join me Tuesday Evening at 7:30, or Thursday morning at 9:30 at 6660 cowles mountain road, san diego.

Remember, it's your day....so make it YOUR yoga (BYOC!!!)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Yoga at the Allied Gardens SDPL branch

http://www.facebook.com/events/154090101397932/ Please note that they will only be able to accomodate 18 people per class. Class attendance is first come, first served. Join us Wednesday evenings 6:30-7:30 for "Hatha Yoga for Adults." Aryn Rannazzisi leads a gentle paced class combining breath work and postures (asanas) to promote strengh, flexibility and balance. This all-level class will include inversions, backbends and sun salutations. Please bring a mat or large towel and a hand towel or strap to class. *Brought to you by the Friends of the Benjamin Branch Library*

Those Mysterious Hand Gestures - The Mudras! a link to a post by Blissful Body Yoga

From blissfulbodyyoga.com I love mudras. They are one of my earliest discoveries of yoga, dating back to my childhood when I would "play" with my hands. Bend them, press them together, make them soar like wings. I let my hands dance as the true expression of my anahata (heart) chakra that they are. As I grew into an artist, yoga teacher and healer, the magical emanations of energy from my hands became an even deeper part of my practice, and how I share healing with others.  The Kripalu tradition is part of my lineage as a yogi, and Swami Kripalu, like many yogis, was known to have eruptions of spontaneous mudras while deep in meditation. Mudras create powerful energetic "circuits" in our system on many levels, in all of our koshas (energetic sheaths.) They hold energy, heal, protect, enlighten and express. Over the years I have learned mudras from my teachers, but many, many more have simply come through my hands in a natural way. This is the point I want most to s...

IBS oh my

I'm slowly but surely coming to the conclusion that what I have is in fact a form of IBS. Which means far more careful attention to exactly what I put into my body, from the kind of fiber to the amount of sugar, dairy, wheat, and carbonation (I'm a sucker for sparkling water). While I try to sort out what is best for me, I wanted to share with you some information on IBS, the symptoms, and how yoga can help alleviate the complications. Help For IBS . Enjoy whilst I go and fetch myself some enteric coated peppermint capsules, soluble prebiotic fiber and some fennel tea. We'll chat later :)