Chair yoga is an accessible form of yoga. It takes out the faff of getting up and down from the floor. By choosing to use a chair, our yoga experience can in many ways be deepened. We are more supported, allowing us to really feel into aspects of a pose which might otherwise be lost as we try to stay upright or maintain our balance.
Depending on the individual needs and mobility of students; chair yoga can be taken entirely seated or we can choose to use the chair as support and stability for standing postures. As with mat based classes, we may also choose to use other props such as blocks and straps. If I want to use a prop for a teaching purpose, I will always provide it. However, if you like to have the option of using additional props as you desire, I would encourage you to invest in your own.
We are all difference heights with different leg lengths. & chairs are different sizes too. If your feet do not easily reach the floor, I would again encourage you to invest in yoga blocks or something similar. Being able to feel our feet supported allows us to ground our energy and is particularly calming for the nervous system.
Chair yoga is a great alternative to mat based yoga for anyone who has reduced mobility, a physical limitation or is recovering from surgery. Those who suffer with any of the following may be well suited to a chair yoga class:
arthritis
difficulty kneeling
back pain
dizziness or vertigo
desk based workers
those in hospital
wheelchair users
retirement home residents
Chair yoga is safe. I sometimes want to say "Chair Yoga - Surprisingly Hard!". I often find that people think that chair yoga is a soft option. Chair yoga is accessible. Chair yoga is safe. But chair yoga can challenge you. You may often find that you feel like you have done some work, work that you might feel the following day or even the day after. & yes, I feel it too. Indeed there are quite a few poses that I feel are harder in a chair than they are in a mat based class!
There will be options and choices throughout the class to help you personalise your practice. Simple seated sequences that you can then repeat, add on for choose to take standing. & like a mat based class you can always do as much or as little as you like. Listen to your body and rest whenever you wish to but equally be open to the opportunity for your body to surprise you with what it can do. Most of us are far stronger and more resilient than we believe.
Should you choose to rest, please remember that a yoga class doesn't require you to always be in an asana (pose). Take the time to simply be. Breathe mindfully. Soak up the atmosphere. Be content to be present in the room. Showing up is enough.
I hope to welcome you to a Chair Yoga Class in Southampton or Chandler's Ford soon. Remember your first class is half price with coupon code FIRSTCLASS
Comments