The Case for Chair yoga

Yoga is available to all of us

Yoga is accessible to everyone, including those who may benefit from using props like a chair to practice asanas, or postures. Incorporating a chair allows for safe practice, focusing on deeper muscles and inner connections, and serves as a starting point to build strength and flexibility, enhancing standing poses for greater effectiveness and enjoyment.

Don't dismiss it—sitting or using a chair doesn't diminish the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits of yoga. Personally, I focus on bone density and osteoporosis in my yoga practice. Using a chair for support, whether lightly touching it or grasping it, provides tactile cues that help maintain balance and posture—known as proprioception, a key element in balance maintenance.

Before I trained to teach Dr. Fishman's yoga for osteoporosis, I primarily used props like blocks for flexibility. However, during the training using a chair in tree pose I discovered that the chair helped me achieve better balance and focus on refining the pose, activating deeper hip muscles crucial for bone strength and density.

Tree pose enhances leg bone density and core strength. By engaging deep hip rotators intentionally, you maximize these benefits.

Interested? Body in Tune welcomes collaboration to discover your ideal movement practice.

Why is deep hip strength crucial?

Focusing on deeper muscles and inner connections improves coordination between stabilizing muscles, enhancing mobility, balance, and reducing outer hip pain common in post-menopausal women.

After menopause, neglecting deep muscles can strain larger, global muscles, leading to discomfort and stiffness. Balancing their use through yoga helps prevent arthritis and promotes bone health.

Great news! Body in Tune is eager to support you in developing a yoga practice that enhances your life off the mat.

So, what does chair yoga have to do with this?

Using props like a chair removes the challenge of balancing, allowing you to concentrate on muscle engagement. Initially relying on joints and larger muscles, as you progress, you'll develop greater awareness and sensation. Placing your foot on a chair seat, rather than against your leg, emphasizes deeper muscles and energetic aspects of the pose, enhancing strength, coordination, and bone stimulation—ideal for osteoporosis.

In yoga for osteoporosis, chairs are often recommended to minimize fall risk for those with osteoporosis or previous fractures. Seated poses like warrior II or extended side angle refine deeper hip rotation, trunk alignment, knee position, and breath, with the support of a chair.

Similarly, seated twists maintain spinal alignment without hamstring tension, crucial for safe, effective posture practice and bone building.

Concerned about balance?

While standing poses are beneficial, seated poses in chair yoga help build muscle strength, joint awareness, and alignment, promoting stability.

Flexibility is also key. Seated poses use reciprocal inhibition to improve flexibility, allowing muscles to relax and lengthen for better alignment and balance.

Exploring chair yoga can improve strength, flexibility, and agility, benefiting overall physical and mental health. Let's challenge you to try a few chair yoga poses and deepen your practice. I practice yoga for holistic health—what about you?

Body in Tune, LLC believes in enhancing quality of life through physical and life balance. We're here to support your muscles, joints, bones, and osteoporosis journey, helping you feel confident to enjoy life's activities.