How to Use a Chair as a Prop in Yoga
As we age, we often become increasingly stiff and our flexibility decreases. This is NOT a reason to forgo exercise, especially yoga, but is all the more reason that we need to bite the bullet and stretch and move. However, if the prospect of doing yoga exercises seems overwhelming and prohibitive, you can tailor the postures to your needs. If you have physical limitations that prevent you from getting on the floor, sit on a sturdy, armless chair while executing some of these yoga postures. Furthermore, if you’re at work and need to stretch but can’t get down on the floor, you can still get a mini workout while sitting in your office chair.
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Instructions
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Sit sideways in your armless chair, with the back of the chair either to your left or right side. Grab the back of the chair with your hands while keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground, and gently twist your upper torso to the right or left. Your knees shouldn’t move and should remain facing front. Your head should turn in the direction that your torso is turning. Note the stretch in your neck and upper back.
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Get up and sit down on the other side of the chair so that you can reverse the above process. If you were turning to the left the first time, turn to the right.
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Sit facing front in your chair, with your legs slightly apart, and gently bend forward. Drop your head and clasp your forearms directly below the back of your head, letting both your head and clasped arms dangle. Feel the elongation that is occurring in your back and spine.
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Face front while sitting in your chair and do shoulder rolls. Place your hands on the seat of the chair and rotate your shoulders backward in a circular motion and then forward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. This is an exercise that you can easily do while sitting in your office chair. It will relax your tense shoulders and increase your circulation. It can also help relieve headaches.
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Press your elbows back and toward each other while sitting on the edge of your chair with your feet on the floor. Leaning back in your chair, with your chest arched forward, rest your shoulders against the back of the chair. The small of your back will not touch the back of the chair.
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Tips & Warnings
Always do your yoga breathing when executing any yoga posture.
Resources
- Photo Credit http://images.ethangka.com/books/office_yoga_tackling_tension_with_simple_stretches_idd248.jpg
