Yoga is a wonderful method to preserve your physique match and thoughts sharp. Chair yoga specifically could be useful for these with restricted mobility because it helps them stay lively for longer intervals of time.
Beginning is straightforward. Select a chair with an upright again that encourages good posture, and ensure it is huge sufficient so that you just really feel snug and safe whereas utilizing it.
Day 1: Chair Twist
Chair yoga is a perfect method to tailor your apply to fit your physique and targets. It is appropriate for all ages and skills, with explicit advantages for older adults with restricted mobility or missing energy and self-belief.
This 28 day chair yoga for seniors sequence may help strengthen your decrease again, legs and hips whereas growing flexibility and bettering posture.
Start by sitting up tall in a chair together with your again straight and hips degree, arms relaxed. Swivel round in order that one leg is on the chair.
Place your proper arm on the again of the chair and your left in your proper thigh, protecting each arms relaxed. Maintain this place for a couple of breaths earlier than switching sides.
Day 2: Chair Aspect Bend
Chair facet bend is a wonderful train for seniors to enhance their posture and suppleness, in addition to strengthen the arms and core muscle tissue.
Repeat these three counts till your head and higher physique have come again down towards the ground, stretching your higher traps. Maintain for a couple of seconds earlier than returning to your beginning place.
That is a straightforward train you are able to do from any chair. It strengthens the arms, core muscle tissue, in addition to the higher traps.
Sit in a chair together with your ft flat on the bottom and shoulders rolled again. Hinge out of your waist and decrease your physique ahead so far as attainable, permitting your chest to really feel a stretch. Do two units of 10 reps twice every day.
Day 3: Chair Eagle Pose
Garudasana, or eagle pose, is a troublesome stability pose typically utilized in yoga courses. Not solely does it construct energy and focus but it surely additionally offers deeper stretches to the arms, legs, and hips.
Train also can enhance posture by making a holistic consciousness of the backbone and strengthening neck, shoulders, chest and higher again muscle tissue.
It may be carried out both sitting down in a chair or standing. Not solely is that this pose difficult and requires nice stability and core energy, but it surely’s additionally an extremely stress-free and refreshing method to unwind.
Day 4: Chair Lunge Pose
Chair Lunge Pose is a perfect pose for seniors with low again ache or stiffness, because it strengthens the legs and improves posture.
Begin together with your ft flat on the ground about hip-width aside and toes identified barely. Inhale as you straighten your legs, bending the knees till they really feel snug; exhale and bend as soon as extra till your thighs are parallel with the ground.
Seize the chair again together with your proper hand, or wrap the left arm round the precise leg if that feels extra snug. Take a number of deep breaths earlier than releasing the pose and returning to seated.
Day 5: Chair Upward Going through Canine Pose
This part of 28 day chair yoga for seniors focuses on Urdhva Mukha Shvanasana, a full stretch that helps enhance posture, strengthens the gluteus maximus muscle group, and will increase vary of movement.
Begin in a cushty sitting place, together with your again straight and aside from the chair’s again. Inhale deeply and lengthen your arms at an angled low and huge angle if attainable; alternatively, attempt doing it with one leg throughout the chair if it feels extra snug for you.
Together with your chair as assist, carry your left foot up as excessive as you’ll be able to in direction of your proper leg with out touching the knee. Maintain for 3-5 breaths after which repeat on the opposite facet.
Day 6: Chair Arms Out Pose
Chair Arms Out Pose, generally generally known as Utkatasana, is a perfect posture for seniors to include into their common yoga apply. This pose strengthens arms, thighs and ankles.
Follow this pose often is important for growing energy and stamina, in keeping with Valerie Verdier, a yoga teacher and Lululemon ambassador. “Working towards this pose often is not going to solely assist enhance your stability,” she provides.
To return into this pose, stand tall in your mat and sweep each arms up over your head whereas concurrently bending your knees and sending your sitz bones again. Subsequent, attract your shoulder blades down your again, reaching your tailbone in direction of a degree between the heels of each ft.
Day 7: Chair Aspect Bend Pose
Chair facet bend is an efficient pose for creating house within the backbone, in addition to bettering blood circulate and digestion.
You may apply this pose from a sitting or standing place, or begin by crossing one leg throughout your chair together with your torso turned ahead. Should you really feel uncomfortably on this pose, swap to the alternative leg and repeat.
This facet bend is an efficient train to assist stability Vata dosha’s cyclic power with Pitta dosha’s lively part. Moreover, it promotes simplicity and bliss.
Day 8: Chair Eagle Pose
Chair Eagle Pose is a standing stability pose that brings the practitioner’s focus into the current second. It additionally stretches and strengthens hips, shoulders, core, legs and ankles.
Step One: Sit comfortably in a chair. Inhale, spherical your again, and push into your sit bones as you exhale.
Subsequent, elevate your proper leg over your left thigh and safe its toes firmly into the mat. Subsequent, wrap your proper foot beneath the calf muscle of the left leg and squeeze them collectively earlier than sitting decrease in a chair together with your proper arm beneath your left.
Attempt to preserve your arms encircled as you bend them on the elbows and produce your palms collectively (or greedy fingers in your left hand together with your proper). Doing this may help relieve pressure within the higher again and shoulder blades whereas strengthening muscle tissue round wrists, forearms, and arms.
Day 9: Chair Twist and Fold Pose
Chair twist and fold pose is an efficient method to detoxify the liver, heat up your legs, stretch again, and strengthen the backbone. Moreover, it might assist alleviate knee ache.
Begin by inserting each of your ft flat on the ground, heels beneath your knees. If it is troublesome so that you can bend your proper leg, use a strap or block as assist.
Exhale as you shift your weight ahead and slowly stand up right into a standing place utilizing solely your legs’ muscle tissue.
Maintain this symmetrical hamstring and low again stretch for roughly one minute, then pause in Dandasana earlier than progressing to the subsequent pose. You might discover it useful to make the most of a strap, belt or leash whereas on this posture for additional assist.
Day 10: Chair Lunge Pose
Chair Lunge Pose is a perfect train for seniors who need to stay lively with out having to rise up from their chair. It strengthens thighs, legs and ft whereas stimulating wholesome lung and coronary heart perform.
Inhale deeply and lift your arms straight up in direction of the sky, touching your palms collectively. Exhale to carry your knees as near parallel as attainable.
Proceed to breathe for a number of breaths, sustaining a slight spinal twist to launch pressure in our shoulders, neck and low again.
From a standing place in entrance of your chair, take one foot again and place it in order that it faces barely outwards. Raise your arms up parallel to the bottom, bend your entrance knee, and look ahead. Swap sides and repeat these steps on the opposite foot.