Chairs aren’t just for sitting

Are you sitting in a chair now? Slouching or hunching in your chair, couch, or car will cause you to put an additional couple of hundred pounds of pressure on your spine and digestion (that’s another discussion).  So what can be done?  Sit on the edge of your chair, feet flat, sit tall with your rib cage directly above your hips, lengthen the neck, and slide chin in lightly. Voila! You are starting to strengthen your back. If you are in a car, put a towel or a wedge in the bottom back part of your seat to level out your knees and your hips.  Okay, I heard the Mom voice too, “Sit up straight”!

Now that Mom has left the room…actually bring your Mom with you to yoga and find new ways to use your chair.  Using a chair in yoga makes the practice more accessible to people of all ages (teenagers to triple digits) and abilities.  A simple folding chair can be used for balance, alignment, and support.

When I first started using chairs in yoga, it was out of necessity, as I was unable to get up and down off of the floor due to a spinal surgery.  So I used the chair for support and balance.  Instead of over-stretching and harming my lower back trying to touch my toes, I could stand in front of the chair and bring my hands to the seat, ahhh. Well, it continued from there. Put a blanket over a flipped chair, rest hips on a pillow and now I have a restorative inversion.  Change the props a little bit and it turns into a supported back bend.  How about a head hammock? You will have to come to class for this one—your neck will thank you! All of a sudden “simple” poses had greater alignment and stability and “challenging” yoga poses became available to myself and so many others.

Some people may be in a chair, while the person next to you is standing. Remember that the practice of yoga is unique to you. Learning to balance your mind, body, and breath will bring greater strength and clarity to your day to day life.