Yoga is a system of exercises that practitioners use to stretch muscles, strengthen the body core and improve overall health. Although yoga started as a way to prepare for spiritual enlightenment, in the Western world people practice yoga for toning, relaxation or stress relief. Yoga exercise --poses or asanas -- vary depending on the style of yoga, many of which have evolved from the original style, hatha yoga. Chair yoga is one such modification of traditional poses; it lets you adapt yoga poses to physical limitations. It also provides a way to get a quick yoga workout at work or other places where it is impossible to unroll your mat and get down on the floor. Check with your doctor before you start a chair yoga practice.
History
Yoga poses are challenging for many people, especially seniors, people with physical handicaps and overweight people. In 1982, one kripalu yoga practitioner and teacher, Lakshmi Voelker, decided to adapt yoga poses to fit the needs of people who could not perform the mat exercises without difficulty. She combined some Western fitness exercises and yoga asanas to create routines that you perform while seated in a chair. Her original program now has variations created by other yoga teachers and fitness coaches, with exercises that meet the needs of specific populations.
Features
Yoga poses help you increase your flexibility or range of motion, but achieving this goal might be challenging if you have limited mobility or difficulty with completing asanas on the floor using a yoga mat. Lakshmi Voelker's website offers an introduction to her trademarked chair yoga program that can help you get started. She teaches chair yoga classes in California and offers employer-sponsored workplace classes, but if that is not convenient, use the links on her Get Fit Where You Sit website to find certified chair yoga instructors. Her CD, DVD and tutorial booklet provide detailed instruction for chair yoga exercises that you do on your own.
Poses and Exercises
The objective of chair yoga is to allow you to benefit from yoga breathing, stretching and core strengthening exercises with minimal risk of injury or muscle stress. It accommodates decreased flexibility and body strength by using a chair as support for modified yoga poses. Voelker's chair yoga program includes poses that require one or two chairs, poses that you complete with a partner and exercises that use weights while you practice yoga asanas. She says you can do all but a few basic and intermediate yoga poses with a chair for support.
Learning Resources
The University of California Television website's video provides a 53-minute introduction that will help you decide whether chair yoga practice is beneficial before you invest in a book or DVD. The Scholastic website for teachers also has instructions for quick chair yoga exercises for the classroom or office.
References
- Yoga Journal; Not All Yoga Is Created Equal; Jennifer Cook
- Get Fit Where You Sit: About Chair Yoga Fitness Exercise
- Get Fit Where You Sit: Chair Yoga Video Preview
- Scholastic "Instructor"; Take a 5-Minute Yoga Break; Barbara Sroka; October 2004
- University of California Television; Yoga Is for Everyone: An Introduction to Gentle Chair Yoga; September 2010
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