Get Started with Chair Yoga: Practice Yoga Anywhere
It’s easy to get started with chair yoga. All you need is your body, your breath, your willingness to practice—and, of course, a chair! Chair yoga is the perfect solution for those of us who spend extended periods of time sitting. Physical inactivity increases health risks, which is why it’s so important to do what you can to add movement to your day. Physical activity improves your health!
Are you living a sedentary life? Do you get out of bed in the morning only to sit down and eat breakfast, sit in a car, bus, or subway on your way to work, then at a desk all day? Do you then sit on your commute home, at the table for dinner, and on the couch while you watch TV or browse the Internet? This may be an exaggeration, but if it sounds even a bit like you , it may be time to get started with chair yoga!
It’s impossible to escape chairs completely. We all need to rest our feet from time to time, but the balance has tipped. While our early ancestors spent most of their time standing and working, modern humans spend most of their time sitting. As humans, we are designed to move. With our modern-day luxuries and the invention of television and computers, it’s much too easy to spend most of our days parked on our rear ends.
Why Get Started with Chair Yoga?
If you find it difficult to fit movement into your day, think of all the places you can do chair yoga. You can do it at work, in waiting rooms, and on public transportation. You can practice when you get home from a long day. Wherever there’s a chair, there’s an opportunity to do yoga!
If you can sneak chair yoga into your day while you’re sitting, you’ll start to feel better immediately. You’ll also sleep better, eat better, and have more focus, energy, and stamina.
Start with The Breath—And a Chair!
It will be much easier to get started with chair yoga once you learn how to connect your mind and your breath. Always keep your breath in mind and let it be your guide for each pose or movement. You can learn more about how to do that in my book.
Some days you may find you need a little extra TLC for your wrists. Other days, you’ll need to stand up and get your blood flowing. Yes, there are standing poses in chair yoga too!
I wrote Chair Yoga to help you move more. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, what kind of chair you’re sitting in, or where you are. The art of yoga is the ability to be present anywhere and tap into our vital life force. Give chair yoga a try and see for yourself!
Kristin McGee is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. She is currently teaching yoga with Peloton. She is the star of over 100 videos, seen in several magazines and tv shows and is a spokeswoman for many brands and causes she believes in. A proud mom to three, she sure keeps herself busy!
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