How to Do Yoga in a Chair
Choose a stable chair., Sit at the front of your chair., Keep your feet flat on the floor., Roll your shoulders up and back.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose a stable chair.
You don't necessarily need a special chair to do yoga in a chair, but the chair you use shouldn't be one that can move easily.
Office chairs with wheels typically aren't going to provide the stability you need.The seat of the chair should be relatively flat, the legs even and stable.
Chairs that spin generally won't work as well for twisting yoga poses.
A folding chair or stationary four-legged chair such as a dining room chair probably will work best.
A padded chair is fine, but you generally don't want to use something too soft, as it might not provide you the stability you need. -
Step 2: Sit at the front of your chair.
Stability is important while doing chair yoga.
Move to the front of the chair and adjust your hips so that you are resting on your sitting bones, not your tail bone.Your chest should be in line with your pelvis, your back neutral.
Draw your tail bone in and sink into your sitting bones, taking care not to arch your lower back.
If you need help or support to stay in this position, you might want to roll a blanket or towel and place the roll just behind you.
Your thighs should be flat against the chair.
If your feet don't fully reach the floor, lower the chair (if possible) or use hardcover books or yoga blocks to rest your feet.
Your feet should be roughly hip-width apart, your thighs straight, knees in line with your ankles. , When doing chair yoga, think in terms of right angles.
Your back should be perpendicular to your thighs, your shins perpendicular to the floor.
Press all four corners of your feet firmly into the floor.If you can't rest your feet flat on the floor from a seated position in the chair, try moving more forward in the chair.
If your feet still don't reach the floor, choose a lower chair or use yoga blocks or other hard objects to rest your feet upon.
If you're resting your feet on two objects, such as books, make sure they are the same thickness and that they support your entire foot. , Bring awareness to your shoulders not only when you're doing yoga in a chair, but throughout your day by moving your shoulders into alignment with your spine.Your shoulder blades should be lined up along your spine and tucked against your back.
You will probably notice an immediate change of feeling in your neck and shoulders.
Particularly if you work in an office, you probably spend a good deal of time hunched over a computer.
Take a moment periodically to check in with your shoulders and drop your shoulder blades if you find you're crunching your shoulders forward. -
Step 3: Keep your feet flat on the floor.
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Step 4: Roll your shoulders up and back.
Detailed Guide
You don't necessarily need a special chair to do yoga in a chair, but the chair you use shouldn't be one that can move easily.
Office chairs with wheels typically aren't going to provide the stability you need.The seat of the chair should be relatively flat, the legs even and stable.
Chairs that spin generally won't work as well for twisting yoga poses.
A folding chair or stationary four-legged chair such as a dining room chair probably will work best.
A padded chair is fine, but you generally don't want to use something too soft, as it might not provide you the stability you need.
Stability is important while doing chair yoga.
Move to the front of the chair and adjust your hips so that you are resting on your sitting bones, not your tail bone.Your chest should be in line with your pelvis, your back neutral.
Draw your tail bone in and sink into your sitting bones, taking care not to arch your lower back.
If you need help or support to stay in this position, you might want to roll a blanket or towel and place the roll just behind you.
Your thighs should be flat against the chair.
If your feet don't fully reach the floor, lower the chair (if possible) or use hardcover books or yoga blocks to rest your feet.
Your feet should be roughly hip-width apart, your thighs straight, knees in line with your ankles. , When doing chair yoga, think in terms of right angles.
Your back should be perpendicular to your thighs, your shins perpendicular to the floor.
Press all four corners of your feet firmly into the floor.If you can't rest your feet flat on the floor from a seated position in the chair, try moving more forward in the chair.
If your feet still don't reach the floor, choose a lower chair or use yoga blocks or other hard objects to rest your feet upon.
If you're resting your feet on two objects, such as books, make sure they are the same thickness and that they support your entire foot. , Bring awareness to your shoulders not only when you're doing yoga in a chair, but throughout your day by moving your shoulders into alignment with your spine.Your shoulder blades should be lined up along your spine and tucked against your back.
You will probably notice an immediate change of feeling in your neck and shoulders.
Particularly if you work in an office, you probably spend a good deal of time hunched over a computer.
Take a moment periodically to check in with your shoulders and drop your shoulder blades if you find you're crunching your shoulders forward.
About the Author
Daniel Rodriguez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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