Join our Chair Yoga!

Chair Yoga is adaptive for all! It can also be challenging in different ways that may be unexpected!

Chair yoga can be solely practiced within a chair. However, our yoga practice will also use a chair as a prop to help with balance and strength building and stamina or help with transitioning in and out of postures. Using chairs as supportive tools in standing postures can help provide ease and accessibility to postures that may otherwise be intimidating or inaccessible. Some standing sequences may be more accessible than seated ones.

Chair yoga is an accessible and beneficial form of exercise that offers a wide range of advantages for people of various ages and abilities. Here are some key reasons to explore chair yoga:

1. Accessibility
Ideal for All Ages and Abilities: Chair yoga is perfect for seniors, individuals with physical limitations, or those recovering from injury, as it offers a way to enjoy the benefits of yoga without needing to get on the floor.
Accommodates Mobility Issues: People with joint pain, arthritis, or limited flexibility can perform many yoga poses from a seated position, making it easier to participate in yoga without risking injury.

2. Improved Flexibility
Stretching: Even from a chair, you can perform stretches that increase flexibility in your arms, legs, neck, and back.
Gentle Movements: Chair yoga allows you to move your body in a controlled, gradual way, which can help lengthen muscles and improve overall mobility.

3. Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Relaxation Techniques: Breathing exercises and mindfulness practices commonly used in yoga can help reduce stress, lower heart rate, and promote a sense of calm.
Focus and Balance: Chair yoga encourages mindful movement and focus on breath, which helps in reducing anxiety and creating mental clarity.

4. Enhanced Strength and Muscle Tone
Strengthening Muscles: Regular practice of chair yoga helps to tone muscles, especially in the core, arms, and legs, through seated poses that target various muscle groups.
Low Impact: The low-impact nature of chair yoga makes it suitable for people with conditions that make more intense exercises difficult or painful.

5. Improved Posture
Postural Alignment: Many chair yoga poses focus on strengthening the muscles around the spine and promoting good posture, which can alleviate back and neck pain.
Better Body Awareness: It helps increase body awareness, which can be helpful for maintaining better posture throughout daily activities.

6. Increased Circulation
Blood Flow: Chair yoga can encourage better blood circulation, which is particularly beneficial for people who spend long periods sitting or have circulatory issues.
Lymphatic Drainage: Some movements in chair yoga can help stimulate the lymphatic system, promoting detoxification and immune function.

7. Boosted Mental Health
Mind-Body Connection: Like traditional yoga, chair yoga encourages a deeper connection between mind and body, which can lead to improved mental clarity, reduced mental fatigue, and better emotional balance.
Increased Energy: Many chair yoga practices involve deep breathing, which increases oxygen flow to the brain and helps to enhance energy levels.

8. Improved Balance and Coordination
Stability: Chair yoga poses can improve balance and coordination by engaging muscles that help with stability, which is especially helpful for older adults or anyone with balance concerns.
Building Confidence: As strength and stability improve, confidence in daily movements and activities may also increase.

9. Convenient and Easy to Practice
No Special Equipment Needed: You can practice chair yoga anywhere with just a sturdy chair, making it easy to incorporate into daily routines at home, work, or even in a travel setting.

10. Social and Group Benefits
Community Connection: Chair yoga is often practiced in group settings, making it a great way to meet others, connect with a community, and encourage a social aspect to well-being.
Supportive Environment: The environment is typically non-competitive and supportive, which encourages participation regardless of skill level.

11. Recovery and Rehabilitation
Aid in Recovery: For those recovering from surgery, injury, or chronic conditions, chair yoga can be a gentle way to rebuild strength, regain mobility, and prevent further injury.
Pain Management: Many people find relief from chronic pain (e.g., back pain, joint pain) by using chair yoga as part of their rehabilitation.

12. Encourages Mindfulness
Focus on Breath: Like other forms of yoga, chair yoga emphasizes mindful breathing, which can improve focus and help individuals stay present during their practice.
Holistic Well-being: The emphasis on mindfulness and holistic health can encourage a more balanced approach to physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Chair yoga offers a gentle yet effective way to enhance physical health, mental well-being, and quality of life, regardless of age or fitness level.

The use of a chair deepens our connection with our bodies and hearts. Chair yoga can be explored in a variety of ways, that’s what makes it so fun and accessible. There is endless room for exploration and change.
We will also use other props to go along with the chair, such as blocks, straps, bolsters, blankets. Breathwork and relaxation techniques are also incorporated.

Guided by Ellie who is trained in adaptive yoga, these practices offer none-judgmental, supportive and inclusive space for you to explore on all levels.