Chair Yoga: Accessible, Gentle and Great for Every Body

{"slug":"chair-yoga-practice","recentPosts":[{"id":"cldixctfr0tox09k7rfoglac8","slug":"yoga-for-bodybuilders","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"10 Effective Yoga Poses for Bodybuilders (Complete Guide)","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga for bodybuilders can help you build more muscle, reduce your chances of injury, improve flexibility and mobility, and lower inflammation.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn the best poses for bodybuilders to improve overall physical health.","tags":[],"createdAt":"2023-01-30T14:47:12.900063+00:00","coverUrl":"b8qfyhfhved6qjzxviyd.jpg","content":{"text":"If you’re a bodybuilder, or competitive weightlifter, chances are yoga is not part of your overall fitness routine. After all, yogis are known for long, lean muscles — which is the opposite of what bodybuilders work so hard to create. But contrary to popular belief, incorporating yoga into your weight lifting routine won’t detract from your gains, and it will compliment your efforts in the gym.\\n\\nWhy Bodybuilders Need Yoga\\n\\nIntense weight lifting can put enormous stress on your joints, increasing your risk for injury and inflammation. By increasing your flexibility, lowering inflammation, and improving mobility in your joints, you can counteract any negative effects for better health. Yoga can also prevent you from developing arthritis that could potentially be caused by years of repetitive movement, and reduce any stiffness you might feel after a heavy day at the gym.\\nAlong with improving your range of motion and overall flexibility, yoga can also help improve your posture. From a competition perspective, this can imprtove your performance and potentially level up your chances of doing well.\n\\nYoga can help add to your bodybuilding efforts by toning and strengthening smaller muscle groups that may get neglected through classic weight lifting routines. Yoga postures isolate those minor muscle groups, giving your whole body the workout you never knew you needed. A regular yoga practice can also improve your balance — which will make you more stable and less prone to injury.\n\\nPracticing Yoga for Bodybuilding\\n\n\\nBefore you get started with your own yoga practice, there are a few things you should consider. There are many styles of yoga to choose from, and if you’re just starting out it’s important to start slow at a beginner level. When your body is already a fine-tuned machine, that may be hard to hear. But yoga involves holding postures with very specific alignment — practicing incorrectly can actually cause injury.\\nStart by working with a certified yoga instructor. At \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, you can enroll in online courses from the comfort of your very own home. You can also sign up for private lessons where your instructor can design your course to cater to your unique needs.\n\\nWhile practicing yoga, it’s also important to pay attention to how your body feels. This should come easy to most bodybuilders, who already have a high degree of body awareness. If a yoga pose causes pain or discomfort, take a break from the posture or use a modification like a yoga block, strap, bolster, or blanket. Developing increased flexibility takes time, and it’s wise to take it easy and slow.\\n\n\\n10 Effective Yoga Poses for Bodybuilders -\\n\n\\nYou can get started with your yoga practice by incorporating the following 10 poses into your weekly workout schedule. Try performing these yoga stretches after your weight lifting routine, or on rest days in-between.\n\\n1. Downward Facing Dog Pose\\n\\n\\nThis classic primary pose is essential to any yoga routine, and there’s a reason why — it efficiently stretches your torso, hamstrings, calves, and lower back, while strengthening your shoulders.\\n\\nWith your hands and knees on the floor, push your hips upward until you are balancing on your hands and feet, and your body resembles an inverted “v” shape. Reach your heels toward the floor, stretching your hamstrings and activating your thighs. Keep your head between your arms, lengthening your side-body as you stretch. Stay here for several breaths.\\n\n\\n2. Low Lunge Pose\n\\n\\nThere’s a chance you’ve already been practicing this pose before performing squats, since it opens up your hips and stretches your glutes.\n\\nFrom Downward Dog, you can transition into Low Lunge by bringing your left foot forward and bending your left leg at the knee. With your right leg behind you, gently kneel on your right knee. Inhale as you reach your arms up over your head, parallel with your ears. Expand your chest, lengthen your spine, keep your chin level and your gaze focused forward in front of you. Repeat on the other side.\\n\n\\n3. Standing Forward Fold Pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nThis pose also stretches your lower back, hamstrings, and calves — and it’s a great posture for lowering your blood pressure and encouraging your body to relax.\\n\\nStand at the front of your mat, feet hip distance apart. Exhale and bend forward from the waist, with your knees slightly bent and touching your hands to the floor in front of your feet. Inhale and exhale, allowing your torso to extend without rounding your back. Lengthen and soften your neck, and let the muscles of your thighs and lower back open and release any built-up tension. Hold the pose for 1-2 minutes.\\n\n\\n4. Cat-Cow Pose\\n\\n\\nWhile this yoga move may seem incredibly simple, it’s a staple for increasing flexibility in and around your spine, torso, neck, and lower back.\\n\\nStart in a tabletop position with your hands and knees on the floor. Inhale and look up, lifting your chin and gently arching your spine. As you exhale, drop your chin and look down toward your naval as you curl your spine forward. Continue this movement 5-10 times.\\n\n\\n5. Cobra Pose\\n\\n\\nAfter an intense ab workout, Cobra pose is your best friend. This subtle backbend stretches the abdominal muscles to reduce stiffness, soreness, and decrease your body’s inflammatory response.\\n\\nStart by laying down on the floor on your stomach with your legs straight and your arms folded under your head. Place your palms on the mat parallel to your chest. Slightly lift your head off the mat, keeping your head and back aligned, and press your thighs together. Now, steadily pull your elbows towards your rib cage keeping your hands underneath your shoulders. With a deep inhale, press your hands into the mat, curl your shoulders backward, and lift your upper body off the mat, arching your back. Hold this position for a few breaths and then rest.\\n\n\\n6. Bridge Pose\n\\n\\nYou can continue to stretch the muscles in your chest, neck, hips, and spine with Bridge pose. This posture also calms the body while stimulating your digestive organs for a more regulated metabolism.\n\\nStart by lying on your back with your knees bent. On your next exhale, tuck your chin and lift your hips, being careful not to allow your knees to splay outward. Interlace your fingers on the floor underneath you and lift your hips higher, while staying in the pose for 5-10 breaths.\n\\n\\n7. Plank\n\\n\\nThis is another pose you may already be familiar with. Plank pose builds strength in your core and lower back, and works to improve your balance and stability.\\n\\nLie face down on your mat, and using your palms to push up from the floor, lift your body until you are balanced on your palms and the toes of your feet. In this pose, your body should be positioned in a straight line, with your gaze directed at the floor in front of you. Hold for a few breaths, or for 30-60 seconds if you are feeling strong in this pose.\\n\n\\n8. Locust Pose\n\\n\\nSciatica pain is quite common among bodybuilders, since the sciatica nerve can easily become stressed when lifting heavy weights. Locust pose alleviates sciatica pain, increases strength, and stretches your abdominal muscles simultaneously.\n\\nLie face down on your mat, resting your forehead on your forearms and your legs stretched straight out behind you. With an inhale, extend your arms to your sides and lift your lower legs off the mat, keeping your upper legs (thighs and core) flat on the mat. Engage your glutes and press both of your legs together while holding them up. Hold this pose for 5-6 breaths.\n\\n9. Boat Pose\\n\\n\\nFor increased core strength, balance, and overall stability, there are few better poses to perform on a regular basis than Boat pose. Use this posture to compliment your ab workout.\\n\\nStart by sitting on your yoga mat with your legs stretched out in front of you and your arms at your sides. Lean back slightly so that your weight is evenly balanced on your sitting bones. Inhale, engage your core, and as you exhale lift both your legs to a 45 degree angle, and extend your arms straight out alongside your legs. If this pose feels too difficult, try bending your knees and bringing your hands behind your knees for support. Keep your spine long and your core engaged as you hold this pose for 30-45 seconds.\n\\n10. Corpse Pose\\n\\n\\nIf you’re asking what could be gained by simply lying down flat on your back and remaining still for several minutes, the answer might surprise you. Corpse pose is one of the most important postures in yoga, since it gives your body an opportunity to integrate all of your stretching and strengthening work. It also calms the mind and body, reduces stress responses, lowers your blood pressure, and reduces inflammation.\\n\\nSit on your yoga mat and lower your body to the floor, relaxing your legs and letting your arms rest on the floor at your sides, palms up. Keep your eyes closed and focus on your breathing. Relax the muscles in your face and neck, and visualize every part of your body letting go of all tension. Hold this pose for 5-7 minutes.\\n"},"category":["fitness"]},{"id":"cldebisqj8am10bk2riasiyyy","slug":"self-love-yoga-event","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Self Love Yoga & Meditation Event: Empower Yourself This Valentine’s Day","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Empower yourself this Valentine's Day with our Self Love Yoga & Meditation Event. Find inner peace and self-acceptance through yoga and meditation practices","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":[],"createdAt":"2023-01-27T09:24:55.671424+00:00","coverUrl":"rvpz4az7wyk8pdo4fvyg.png","content":{"text":"Announcing our free Self Love Event February 13-14!\\n\n\\nEmbrace yourself and practice self love this Valentine’s Day and every day with the help of MyYogaTeacher’s expert yoga teachers.\\n\\nYoga has been a powerful tool for self-improvement and personal growth for centuries, and self-love yoga is no exception. Unfortunately, many of us struggle with self-doubt, self-criticism, and negative self-talk. Self-love yoga can help to change that by promoting self-acceptance and self-compassion.\\nThis special yoga and meditation event\\n focuses on building self-acceptance, self-worth, and self-compassion through a combination of physical postures, breathing techniques, and mindfulness practices.\\nSelf-love is the foundation of all healthy relationships, including the relationship with ourselves. Without self-love, we cannot truly love and accept others!\\n\n\\n\\nHow to join the Yoga for Self Love Event:\\n\n\\nMembers\\nJust click the links below to one or all of the classes you’d like to attend and register as you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\n\n\\nNon-Members\\n\\nClick this link to sign up for your free two week trial\\n to get access to this incredible event! No credit card required.\\n\n\\nAre you a nonmember who signed up for a trial in the past but it’s lapsed?\\nIf you’re not a member but signed up for a free-trial in the past, and it has expired, just reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to let us know!  We'll reset your trial and give you full access to the event.\\n\n\\nMake this event the start of something wonderful for your mental, emotional, and physical health! So you, too, can be happier, more self-confident, and more productive!\\n\\n\\nNurturing Relationships Through Self Love \\n\\nMonday, February 13 at 5 pm PST/ 8 pm EST\\n\n\\nSelf love isn’t selfish! It’s critical to creating deeper, more meaningful relationships and becoming the best version of yourself you can be! Join us in this discussion based self love class with a guided meditation and walk away prioritizing your health and happiness!\\n\n\\n\\nEmbrace Yourself: Balancing the Heart Chakra\\n\\nTuesday, February 14 at 5 pm PST/ 8 pm EST\\n\\nReady to love yourself (and others) more and better? Need more compassion and kindness in your life? Join this yoga for self-love class designed to open your heart chakra and help you walk away feeling empowered to have more meaningful relationships and showing more love\n\\nThis special event will offer a unique opportunity to nurture yourself and discover the power of self-love.  Don't miss out on this transformative experience. Sign up today and awaken your inner strength and self-love.\\nAnd don’t forget to check out other yoga classes MyYogaTeacher offers as a part of your membership or free trial! Or reach out to the yoga instructors below offering 1-on-1 sessions to address specific issues!\n\n\\n\\nAnnelise Piers\\n\\n\\nShika Sood\\n\\n\\nSwati Dalvi\\n\\n\\nAbhishek Bodhi\\n\\n\\nPreeti Goswami\\n\\n\\nRohan Shroff\\n\n\\n\\nAnd remember: If you’re a nonmember who’s two-week free trial has ended, reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to have your trial reset so you can easily sign up for these awesome classes!\\n\n\\nWelcome to MyYogaTeacher’s Self Love Event!\\nSee you soon!\\n"},"category":["myYogaTeacher"]},{"id":"clda2r496083c0ak7xfyb3sqr","slug":"beginners-guide-to-shakti-yoga","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What is Shakti Yoga? Beginner’s Guide to Shakti Yoga","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Shakti yoga is an energizing, dynamic yoga routine that awakens your inner feminine power for greater vitality, awareness, and focus.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn about Shakti yoga, and what you can expect from a typical class.","tags":[],"createdAt":"2023-01-24T10:08:22.599414+00:00","coverUrl":"j6pbujfzshx7tpqftipc.jpg","content":{"text":"Maybe you’ve seen it offered at your local yoga studio or online, but you haven’t tried it because you’re not quite sure what it is. Shakti yoga, or Shakti yoga flow, is a dynamic, energizing form of yoga that isn’t as commonly known as other types of yoga — like Kundalini, Vinyasa, Flow, or Power yoga.\\nIt can be intimidating to learn a new kind of yoga you’re unfamiliar with, but if you’ve never given Shakti yoga a try, we recommend giving it a chance. Shakti yoga not only increases your energy levels, but it also improves your awareness, focus, and awakens your inner god or goddess. We’ve put together a beginner’s guide to help you know what to expect from your first class, and the benefits that come from this powerful practice. \n\\nOrigin of Shakti Yoga\\n\\nThe root of Shakti yoga lies in Hinduism, where Shakti is revered as a female goddess that embodies divine feminine power, known as The Great Divine Mother. We can think of Shakti as a goddess, but to gain a deeper understanding of the power of Shakti, it’s helpful to consider her as an essence that lives inside all of us — regardless of our gender identity. \n\\nShakti is formless and yet can take on any form — different goddesses, energies and personalities — and she can activate other Hindu gods. Think of Shakti as a limitless, boundless energy that can be called upon through mantras, chants, breath work, meditations, and yogic movement. Her energy lives coiled at the base of your spine, and you can gain access to it through Shakti yoga flow.\\n\\nWhat is Shakti Yoga?\\n\\nParticipating in Shakti yoga can awaken this energy and move it up your spine, channeling it through your chakras. Like a Vinyasa class, Shakti yoga utilizes dynamic, flowing movement in a yogic dance that facilitates the build-up of your Shakti energy and releases it throughout your chakras and your body.\\nWhile Shakti yoga classes may vary depending on your instructor and the structure of the class, generally you can expect flowing movement that is rooted in spirituality and connected to your breath. Shakti yoga also commonly utilizes specific chants designed to encourage the movement of this powerful energy flow. \\n\\nWhat are the Benefits of Shakti Yoga?\\n\\nSo, how does the channeling and release of Shakti energy benefit you as the practitioner? There are many ways in which Shakti yoga can bring a welcome dose of feminine vitality to your daily life. \n\\nOn a spiritual level, when you take a Shakti yoga class, you can expect to come away with an increased felt sense of vibrancy in your being. Your consciousness will be enlivened and you’ll feel a greater connection with your body, your spirit, and all living things.\n\\nShakti yoga also increases your energy reserves. If you’ve been feeling tired, depressed, and like your internal battery is running low, a Shakti yoga session can animate you physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can improve your circulation, recharge your nervous system, build strength and flexibility, and increase your sense of self-awareness. \n\\nSince the goal of Shakti yoga is to awaken this powerful energy, you may come away feeling like the goddess herself, as you’ve taken on her all-encompassing and healing spirit within your own body. If this sounds amazing, that’s because it is — Shakti energy can make you feel as if you are buzzing with vitality and like you’re glowing with endless light.\n\\nShakti Yoga Routine\\n\\nA typical Shakti yoga session utilizes the same kinds of Hatha yoga poses you’d find in a Vinyasa or Power yoga class. Since this type of yoga is meant to invigorate your body and soul, expect standing and strength building poses that may be somewhat challenging. Asanas like Warrior I, II and III, Dancer’s pose, Sun Salutations, Plank, Downward-Facing Dog and Upward Facing Dog are a few common poses in most Shakti yoga classes.\\nEach pose will be linked together with dynamic movement in conjunction with your breath. While performing Shakti yoga, continuous chanting — or mantras — harnesses your kundalini energy and channels it up your spine and through your chakras. If you already have experience practicing Hatha yoga, the poses will feel familiar to you, and if you’ve been to a Vinyasa or Flow yoga class, the Shakti movement will provide a similar experience. Don’t worry if you stumble a bit with some of the chants — as you repeat them throughout the class, you’ll become accustomed to the Sanskrit words, even if they feel a little foreign at first.\n\\n5 Beginner Shakti Yoga Poses :\\n\\nYou don’t have to wait for the next Shakti class to show up on your yoga studio’s schedule. You can start practicing this divine form of yoga at home by performing the poses below in a flowing manner.\\n\\n1. Sun Salutation Pose\n\\n\\nStart by standing at the top of your mat in Mountain pose with your hands in prayer position. Inhale deeply and sweep your arms above your head into Upward Salute. Exhale and fold forward into Standing Forward Bend. Inhale and lengthen your spine as you shift into Extended Forward Fold. Exhale, bend your knees, step backward with your right leg to perform a lunge. \\nInhale, plant your palms on the mat, and step your left leg back to join your right leg in High Plank pose. Exhale and sink into Low Plank, or Chaturanga Dandansana. You can modify this to Four-Limbed Staff pose if needed. Inhale and dynamically flow into Upward Facing Dog. On your next exhale, lift your hips into Downward Facing Dog. \n\\nInhale and step your right foot forward to perform a lunge on the opposite side. As you exhale, step forward into Standing Forward Fold. Return to Mountain pose by inhaling and rolling yourself upward to standing position, one vertebrae at a time. Press your palms together in prayer position to finish the sequence. Repeat at least 2 more times. \n\\n2. Dancer’s Pose\n\\n\\nStand in the middle of your mat with your weight evenly balanced on both feet. Shift your weight onto your left foot, while bending your right knee and grabbing your right foot with your right hand. Lift your left arm up toward the ceiling. Bend at your waist and slowly lean forward, lifting your right leg and engaging your core. For better balance, keep your gaze on a fixed point in front of you. Hold for 3-5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.\n\\n3. Warrior I Pose\\n\\n\\nStart in Downward Facing Dog and step your right foot forward. Keep your toes angled toward the front of the mat, and your front leg knee bent at 90 degrees, while strongly engaging your back leg. Your back foot should be slightly angled. Inhale and bring your arms to either prayer position, or in an Upward Salute position above your head. Extend the front side of your body allowing your back to softly bend. Stay here for five to ten breaths.\n\\n4. Warrior II Pose\\n\\n\\nStep your right foot forward on the mat with your toes pointed forward and your right knee bent. You left foot will stay behind you, parallel to the mat. Keep your hips squared and arms stretched over your front and rear legs, distributing your weight evenly between both legs. Stay in this pose for 5-6 breaths.\n\\n5. Warrior III Pose\\n\\n\\nStart in Mountain pose, with your feet hip distance apart. Step your left foot back, turned at a 45 degree angle, and bend your right knee, keeping your right foot pointing forward at a 90 degree angle. Your torso and pelvis should be squared with the front of your mat. Shift your weight to your right (front) foot, lifting your left (back) leg off the ground, extending it straight back behind you, and straightening your right leg. \\nKeep your standing knee slightly bent and avoid locking it. Extend your arms forward above your head, so that your entire body is positioned in a straight line, parallel to the floor. Engage your core, extend your body from your fingertips to the toes of your lifted foot, and focus your gaze on the floor in front of you. Hold for a few breaths and repeat on the other side.\\n\n\\n2 Powerful Shakti Yoga Mantras :\\n\\nTo deepen your Shakti yoga practice, try incorporating mantras with your routine. Even if you don’t know the meaning of every word, the sounds and syllables are designed to awaken your Shakti energy. Repeat as often as you can during your practice.\n\\n1. Adi Shakti Mantra\\n\\nAdi shakti, adi shakti, adi shakti, namo namo\\nSarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, Sarab Shakti, namo namo\\nPritham bhagvati, pritham bhagvati, pritham bhagvati, namo namo\\nKundalini mata Shakti, mata Shakti, namo namo\\n\n\\nTranslation:\\n\n\\nI bow to the primal power\\nI bow to the all-encompassing power\\nI bow to the creative power at the beginning\\nI bow to the divine mother of all peace\\n\n\\n2. Maha Shakti Mantra\\n\\nYa devi sarva bhuteshu\\nShakti rupena samsthita\\nNamastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaha\\nYa devi sarva bhuteshu\\nChetanetyabhidhiyate\\nNamastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namaha\n\\nTranslation:\\n\n\\nOh Goddess, who lives within everything in the form of power,\\nSalutations to you, salutations to you, salutations to you\\nOh Goddess, whom we name with the word awareness,\\nSalutations to you, salutations to you."},"category":[]},{"id":"clczdmysytyzn0ak616x0ikhn","slug":"yoga-for-fitness-event","author":null,"title":"Join the Yoga Movement: Free MyYogaTeacher Yoga for Fitness Event for Everyone!","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Join MyYogaTeacher's new free Yoga for Fitness Event starting soon and get fit faster with yoga!","readTime":null,"excerpt":null,"tags":["Fitness","HathaYoga","Ashtanga","Yoga","Vinyasa","Hatha"],"createdAt":"2023-01-16T22:27:36.746406+00:00","coverUrl":"fegu2jin0qfhgaefpml6.png","content":{"text":"Are you ready to get fit, flexible, and unleash your inner radiance?! Don’t miss our 3-day FREE Yoga for Fitness Event January 29-31!\\nYoga is a great way to improve your flexibility, strength, and balance, as well as reducing stress and promoting relaxation. This event will feature a variety of yoga styles and levels to suit everyone from beginners to experienced yogis.\\nOur authentic, expert yoga instructors from India will guide you each day through sessions focused on improving your physical fitness and overall well-being. Plus, the even is completely free, so there’s no excuse not to come give it a try!\\nHow to join the Yoga for Fitness Event:\\nMembers\\nJust click the links below to one or all of the classes you’d like to attend and register as you would any other group class! Simple as that.\\nNon-Members\\n\\nClick this link to sign up for your free two week trial\\n to get access to this incredible event! No credit card required.\\nAre you a nonmember who signed up for a trial in the past but it’s lapsed?\\nIf you’re not a member but signed up for a free-trial in the past, and it has expired, just reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to let us know!  We'll reset your trial and give you full access to the event.\\nDiscover all the best ways yoga can help you get fit fast. So you can live your life to the fullest and move with more ease.\\nWe've put together an entire schedule of yoga for fitness classes dedicated to helping you relax and sleep better.\\nCheck out the educational, inspiring, and exciting event classes and expert yoga instructors making this event happen!\\n(Click the class links to register for any or all of these amazing sessions!)\\n\\n Hatha Yoga for Physical Fitness with Ankit\\n\\nSunday, January 29 at 6:00 am PST/ 9:00 am EST\\n\\n\\nHatha yoga is focused on the physical practice of yoga and is perfect for helping you build strength, get fit, and improve flexibility. Bonus? You’ll feel more relaxed and rejuvenated after this hatha yoga class! Join us for asanas, Sun Salutations, and other strength building poses!\\n\\nFind Fitness in Flow: Vinyasa Yoga with Monica\\n\\nMonday,  January 30 at 5:00 pm PST/ 8:00 pm EST\\n\\n\\nReady to get fit while finding your flow? The fluid movement of this challenging vinyasa yoga class is perfect for building up a sweat, improving flexibility, and building strength, making it a perfect class for overall fitness! Join us!\\n\\nAshtanga Yoga for Increased Fitness with Sujit\\n\\nMonday, January 31 at 5:00 pm PST/ 8:00 pm EST\\n\\n\\nDo you like structure in your yoga class? Need a workout focused on building strength through muscle training? This is for you! Join the ashtanga yoga class designed to help you get fitter and stronger faster!\\nWhether you're looking to improve your physical fitness, reduce stress, or simply try something new, our free yoga for fitness event is the perfect opportunity. So come and join us, and discover the many benefits of yoga for yourself!\\nExperience getting fit in a way that works for you and \\nwith\\n you! We’re here to support you on your journey now \\nand\\n when the event is over!\\nSo join us for this free event! And don’t forget to check out other fitness related yoga classes MyYogaTeacher offers as a part of your membership or free trial! Or reach out to the yoga instructors below offering 1-on-1 sessions to address specific issues!\\n\\n\\n\\nShweta Jain\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nMonica Agarwal\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nArchana\\n \\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\nAnd remember: If you’re a nonmember who’s two-week free trial has ended, reach out to \\ncare@myyogateacher.com\\n to have your trial reset so you can easily sign up for these awesome classes!\\nWelcome to MyYogaTeacher’s Yoga for Fitness Event!\\nSee you soon!\\n"},"category":[]},{"id":"clct2nkfx04xw0bk3fr4lrcjp","slug":"yoga-poses-for-osteoporosis","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"8 Yoga Poses for Osteoporosis: Maintaining Bone Health","subTitle":null,"seoTitle":null,"seoDescription":"Yoga can prevent and in some cases reverse osteoporosis and osteopenia by stretching and strengthening muscle tissue to rebuild and maintain bone density.","readTime":null,"excerpt":"Learn how to prevent osteoporosis with a few simple yoga poses.","tags":[],"createdAt":"2023-01-12T12:33:31.959847+00:00","coverUrl":"pmkhkhuxo5s9dq2qkevm.jpg","content":{"text":"Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis with Yoga\\n\n\\nIf you suffer from the painful symptoms of osteoporosis, or if you are at risk of developing this limiting disease, there is help (and health) in starting your own regular yoga routine. In fact, doctors are now prescribing yoga as treatment and prevention for osteoporosis and osteopenia, making it an important part of maintaining physical health and wellness throughout your 50s and 60s — and beyond.\\n\\nOsteoporosis and osteopenia are conditions that commonly emerge throughout our later years, and if left untreated they can affect your mobility, bone density, and even your ability to remain self-sufficient. These conditions cause bones to be come weak and brittle, and over time more vulnerable to fractures and even breakage. \\n\\nBut a recent\\n \\n2016 study\\n discovered that yoga can be used in conjunction with other treatments to prevent the loss of bone density and in some cases reverse early onset of osteoporosis. Plus, as an added benefit, yoga is also a low-cost and low-risk treatment option, meaning there is little to lose by giving it a try.\\n\\nHow Yoga Can Treat Osteoporosis\\nThe process by which yoga treats and prevents osteoporosis is simple — through stretching and strengthening your muscle tissue you can build bone density and prevent fractures. Yoga postures exert subtle force upon your bones, prompting them to build up density and become stronger.\\n\\nYoga also improves your balance, which can help prevent falls — which may result in fractures or breakage. Along with building strength and flexibility, yoga also increases your mobility, endurance, and energy levels, helping you stay active no matter your age.\\n\\nIt should be noted that yoga may not cure osteoporosis on its own, and for some advanced cases it may not be effective in reversing this disease. Results vary on an individual basis, depending on your age, bone density, and other factors such as weight and co-existing conditions\\n\\nPracticing Yoga for Osteoporosis\\nIf you’re thinking of starting your own yoga regimen to prevent or reverse osteoporosis, there are a few things you should know. It’s important to first consult your doctor before practicing yoga for osteoporosis or osteopenia, to find out if there are any specific precautions you should be taking and whether or not it’s a safe activity for you. \n\\nPatients with advanced osteoporosis who have suffered fractures, breaks, or acute bone loss may need to avoid practicing yoga. If you’ve recently undergone surgery or if you’re still healing from an injury, you should wait until you’ve fully recovered before getting started.\n\\nMost importantly, you should take care to listen to your body when practicing yoga for osteoporosis. If a particular yoga pose causes pain or strain on your bones or joints, stop for a moment and take a break. Or, try using a modification like a bolster, block, or yoga blanket if applicable.\\n\\nIn their 2016 study, scientists found that the best results for using yoga as treatment for osteoporosis came from regular practice. Try performing yoga poses at least 3-4 times per week, or daily if you can. The more regularly you practice, the more bone density you’ll build, and the more strength and balance you’ll develop in your body.\\n\\n8 Yoga Poses for Osteoporosis:\\nIf you’ve been cleared by your doctor to practice yoga and you’re ready to get started, there are some simple yoga poses you can do at home to help prevent osteoporosis. You can also try taking a yoga class specifically designed for patients with osteoporosis. Here at\\n \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n, certified instructors can help you stay safe and injury free while giving you the independence to practice yoga in the comfort of your home.\\nReady to get started? \\nFollow the steps below to begin your own personal yoga journey.\\n\\n1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)\\n\\nThe foundation of all balance poses, Mountain pose helps you find stability and improve your posture.\\nStart by standing at the front of your mat. Keep your feet hip distance apart, and you can rest your arms at your sides or bring your hands together in prayer formation. Inhale and feel your chest opening and your collar bones widening as you focus on balancing your weight proportionally on both of your feet. Gaze straight forward and maintain this pose for 1-2 minutes.\\n \\n2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)\\n\\nFrom Mountain pose, you’ll begin to transition into Tree pose to further improve your balance and stability.\\nBring your awareness to your left foot and firmly ground it into the mat. Begin to shift your body weight to your left foot, while gently lifting your right foot. Depending on your ability to balance, you can place the sole of your right foot on your left calf or thigh. As you do this, be sure to keep your pelvis aligned, your spine straight, and your gaze focused forward. Give yourself a moment to steady yourself, and then, if you feel comfortable, press your hands together in prayer formation. Hold for 5-6 deep breaths and repeat on the other side, then return to Mountain pose.\\n \\n3. Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana 2)\\n\\nThis standing pose also improves your balance and builds strength in your legs and core. If you have trouble balancing and wish to modify this pose, try practicing it next to a wall or with a chair.\\nMove to the back portion of your mat and step your right foot forward. Your right toes should be pointed forward and your left (back) foot should be kept parallel with your mat. Bend your right knee at 90 degrees, taking care not to overextend. Your right knee should not move forward past your toes. With your hips evenly squared, stretch your arms out to both sides, so that your right arm extended out in front of you and your left arm behind you. Open your chest and focus on activating your legs so that you are grounded into your mat. Hold this pose for 5-6 breaths and repeat on the other side.\\n \\n4. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)\\n\\nThis pose also requires strength and balance, and can be modified by performing it next to a wall. You can also place a block next to your front foot for easier hand positioning. \\nJust like with Warrior II, step your right foot forward for Triangle pose, keeping your left (back) foot parallel with your mat. Inhale and stretch out both your arms the same as in Warrior II, but keep your right leg straight with a slight, soft bend in your knee. As you exhale, hinge at your hip  and bend forward, placing your right fingertips on the floor, or you can place your hand on the block positioned next to your right foot. Turn your upper body and reach your left hand toward the ceiling, and either turn your head to gaze up at your hand, or keep your eyes focused straight ahead. Hold for 3-5 breaths and repeat on the other side.\\n \\n5. Cat-Cow Pose (Chakravakasana)\\n\\nThis pose is excellent for increasing mobility in your spine and hips.\\nMove to a tabletop position on your mat, with your hands and knees on the floor. Inhale and look up, lifting your chin and gently arching your back. Feel the stretch in your chest and abdomen. As you exhale, drop your chin and look down toward your naval as you curl your spine forward. Continue this movement 5-10 times.\\n \\n6. Locust Pose (Shalabhasana)\\n\\nLike Cat-Cow, Locust improves your spinal mobility with a soft backbend, but in this pose you will also be working your core muscles, glutes, and shoulders.\\nFrom Cat-Cow, lower yourself onto the mat so that you are lying face down on your stomach with your legs extended straight and your arms at your sides. On your inhale, strengthen your core and lift your head, legs and arms at the same time, balancing your body on your lower abdomen, pelvis and upper legs. Engage your glutes and press both of your legs together while holding them up. Hold this pose for 5-6 breaths, and then relax back onto your mat.\\n \\n7. Child’s Pose (Balasana)\\n\\nAfter the strengthening work of Locust pose, give your body a rest with Child’s pose\\nAfter Locust you’ve likely returned to lying face down on your mat. Press your palms and knees into the floor as if you were rising back into tabletop position, but this time bring your hips back so that your buttocks are resting on your heels, and your big toes are touching each other. Extend your arms forward so that your palms are resting on the mat in front of you, and bring your forehead to the mat. Breathe gently and allow your body to fully sink into this pose, supported by the floor. Hold for 5-6 minutes.\\n \\n8. Corpse Pose (Savasana)\\n\\nAfter practicing the above stretching and strengthening poses, it’s important to let your body fully digest the movement by resting in Corpse pose. \\nCome to a seated position on your mat. Slowly lower your body to the floor, so that you are lying flat on your back with your legs extended straight and your arms at your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes and bring your focus inward. Bring your awareness to your body and check in with each and every body part, noticing if you feel any tension and allowing yourself to fully relax. Soften your face, neck, and shoulders, and let yourself melt into your mat while visualizing any tension leaving your body. Rest in this post for 5-7 minutes."},"category":["pain_management"]}],"randomPosts":[{"id":"clabcglv4n3fc0ais6yxjyhtq","slug":"yoga-before-and-after-workout","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yoga Before and After Workout: When is yoga best for you and your body?","createdAt":"2022-11-10T17:28:47.493944+00:00","coverUrl":"dirnebto7s5zxueovsfw.jpg","content":{"text":"Yoga has so many benefits for the body on its own. But if you’re trying to kick your routine into high gear, consider adding yoga onto your other workouts for an extra bang for your buck. If you’re new to yoga and wondering how adding it into your workout routine can benefit you, no worries! We’re here to help! We'll help you figure out where to schedule yoga into your routine.\\n\\nBenefits of Adding Yoga to your Workout:\\n\\n1. Flexibility\\nIf flexibility is one of your fitness goals, yoga is a great way to achieve more physical flexibility. It’s also great to take the place of your stretching routine pre or post workout. Yoga can increase range of motion and help in muscle recovery. \\n\\n2. Conditioning\\nLove HIIT? Yoga is a great way to step up your fitness intensity by helping you condition your body with more stamina and longer breathing patterns for increased cardio abilities. It’s also proven to increase coordination. \n\\n3. Strength\\nLove to go to the gym for cardio but hate to hit the weight rack? No worries, yoga can take the place of strength training by just using your body weight. Through repetition yoga builds muscle and endurance for strength. No weights required!\\n\\n4. Mental Clarity\\nFor most people, working out is a great way to increase endorphins and reduce stress. However, if your workout leaves you too tightly wound or doesn’t do the job of lifting your mental load, a slow flow can help bring you down and help you rebalance. \n⁠\n\\nWhy You Should do Yoga Before Workout? (Pre Workout) \\nIf you’re strength training, or going for an easy walk on your rest day, yoga is great for before your workout. Do you like to get up with the sun and start your day with a workout? Well, starting your day with yoga will bring you clarity and get your body ready to move. \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n is a great place to start your practice and your day. Even if it's gross outside you can still get your practice in. You can pull up our app on your phone or our website right on your computer for 24/7 access to live classes with expert Indian instructors.\\n\\nYou can also use yoga as your warm up! If you’re just waking up or it’s a cold weather season, yoga will help you keep your muscles strong and flexible. If you’re going to the gym for targeted strength training, it can help you focus on balance and alignment to keep your body in check through your workout. Yoga will help you stay balanced and avoid injury by increasing mobility in the body. And finally, Yoga puts your mental health in check. Adding in a moving meditation or some breath work before your workout will keep your body calm, help you align with your goals and avoid the flight or fight symptoms that can come on during an intense or tough workout. \n⁠\\n\\n5 Yoga Poses to Practice Before Your Workout:\n⁠\\n1. Child's Pose\\nThis pose will help you open your hips and reduce injury on core or leg days.\\n\\n\\n2. Cat Cow Pose\\nMoving through your spine slowly with these stretches will help increase mobility in the back. \\n\\n\\n3. Downward Dog Pose\\nPushing up into a downdog to start your day will stretch your entire lower body from your toes to your hips.\\n\\n\\n4. Forward Fold Pose\\nFolding forward increases the blood flow in the body and helps us maintain spine and core stability. \\n\\n\\n5. Mountain Pose\\nThis pose helps us to establish alignment and increase body awareness before a workout! \\n\\n\\n\\nYoga Classes to Try Before your Workout \\n\\nRise and shine 30 min flow\\n : Start your day with this quick flow. This class is meant to increase your physical fitness and help build your stamina so you can workout longer!\\n\\nHatha Vinyasa\\n : Gain mental clarity at the beginning of your workout with this traditional hatha flow. \\n\\nSlow Flow Vinyasa\\n : Start your day slow and steady for your mind and body. The slow pace of this class allows us to connect with our bodies and minds as we focus on our breath and alignment. This class helps to build strength, improve flexibility and stability. \n\\nWhy you should do yoga post workout ?\\nIf your workout is more high energy like kickboxing, zumba, cycling etc, yoga after may be best for bringing your body back to homeostasis. Yoga naturally brings down heart rate and reduces stress on the body and mind . You can use Yoga as a cool down or stretching portion of your workout to bring muscles into recovery while extending your burn a little longer. Are you a nighttime warrior? If you tend to work out at night, ending your routine with yoga will help you get a better night’s sleep. \\n\\n5 Yoga Poses to Practice After your Workout:\\n\\n1. Wide Leg Forward Fold Pose\\nWide leg forward fold releases our lower back. Reaching down towards the floor will give our calves a much needed stretch post workout!\\n\\n\\n2. Pigeon Pose\\nThis pose will help to open tight and tired hips and hamstrings. \\n\\n\\n3. Bound Angle Pose\\nThis hip opener stretches your adductors and quadriceps. Try this pose after a run or cardio workout. \\n\\n\\n4. Seated Forward Fold Pose\\nThis pose provides a full body stretch from your head to your heels! \\n\\n\\n5. Happy Baby Pose\\nThis pose helps to alleviate or avoid lower back pain post workout. It can also reduce any stress or anxiety caused by your workout. \\n\\n\\nYoga Classes to Try After your Workout\\n\\nBreath and Flow\\n : This full body flow will help stretch and rejuvenate your muscles as well as relax your mind with meditation and pranayama techniques. \\n\\nYoga Fusion for Joints\\n : This conditioning class combines light weights and foam roller stretches for an active recovery post workout. \\n\\nBreath and Meditation\\n : Join this class to slow down the body and refocus your breathing. Ideal for end of the day or transitions. \\n\\nNo matter what time of day you choose to workout, adding yoga 2 to 3 times a week will extend the life of your routine and help you maintain a positive outlook on your fitness goals. You can add yoga to your workout anytime with us here at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n by creating an account, logging in and joining us for class! "}},{"id":"ckfqzo72g02dn0178hovu0m8t","slug":"international-yoga-day","author":{"name":"Jitendra","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":"jitendra1.png"},"title":"International Yoga Day!","createdAt":"2020-06-20T00:00:00+00:00","coverUrl":"int-yoga-day-123.jpg","content":{"text":"We're celebrating International Yoga Day this weekend! \\nSo you'll see a bunch of special classes (for this weekend only)!\\n\\nYou see, the purpose of International Yoga Day is to raise awareness of the benefits of yoga — \\nto bring peace, health and joy to every human being.\\n\\nOn top of the regular schedule, you'll see these special \\nInternational Yoga Day\\n classes.\\n\\nThey're easy to spot because they all have \"International Yoga Day\" in the name. \\nThe one's listed below are all free!\\n\\n\\nSaturday June 20th\\n\\n🧘 \\nCandle-Guided Meditation\\n (7:30 PM PST / 10:30 PM EST)Tratak is a \\nmeditation\\n technique in the practice of yoga to help concentrate on the visual stimulus of a candle flame in order to bring the mind to focus. In addition, it also cleanses the eyes, strengthens the eye muscles, and improves vision, concentration, and memory. It even helps in improving the quality of sleep. Tratak is practiced in a room with dim lights by focusing on a candle flame and stabilizing the breath. Requirements: candle, matchstick/lighter, table of height almost similar to the height of your eyes when sitting on mat/cushion, a slightly dark room.\\n\\nSunday June 21st\\n\\nYoga for Balancing and Deep Stretch\\n (7:00 AM PST / 10:00 AM EDT)This class offers strength postures that will have you moving, breathing, and sweating.This class focuses on building and engaging your core strength to support you in more advanced postures. Yoga strengthens, balances and exhilarates the body and mind!\\n\\nKids Yoga Party!!!\\n (8:30 AM PST/ 11:30 AM EST)Get ready for some fun challenges, new activities and games!! We welcome you to \\nKids Yoga\\n party for celebrating International Yoga day!!\\n\\n108 Sun Salutations\\n (10 AM PST / 1 PM EDT)During this session, we will work on flowing with the breath and challenging ourselves by working on our physical and mental endurance. We will focus on warmup and kick-start with doing a few sun salutations. Then, gradually we increase to reach our goal of 108 sun salutations!\\n\\n🧘 \\nMeditation & Deep Relaxation\\n (7:30 PM PST / 10:30 PM EDT)In this class, we will begin with a few rounds of breathing, including A Kara chanting & awareness. We will move through A - U - M chants to help us find our peaceful and aware state of Samadhi.\\n\\nAgain, if you'd like to save your spot in any of these special (and free) classes, you can click here now! \\n\\nHope to see you there!\\n\\nAnd happy \\nInternational Yoga Day \\n/ weekend! \\n"}},{"id":"ckpfueo7k9bvg0e86h65gvvrb","slug":"what-is-vinyasa","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"What Is Vinyasa Yoga: Breathe and Flow Your Way to Better Health","createdAt":"2021-06-02T19:08:26.070524+00:00","coverUrl":"ckpfueo7k9bvg0e86h65gvvrbada.png","content":{"text":"What Is Vinyasa Yoga?\\nVinyasa is a flow style of yoga in which you move from one asana or posture into the next in a fluid sequence. While it's related to Ashtanga, Vinyasa poses can vary from class to class while Ashtanga classes follow the same series of asanas each time.\\n\\nVinyasa yoga is a fluid and flowing style of yoga. The classes are fast-paced with an emphasis on connecting the movements with the breath. It's often referred to as \"flow yoga\" and focuses on movement and transitions, rather than spending time in a particular pose.\\n\\nVinyasa comes from the Sanskrit prefix \\nvi\\n, meaning \"in a special way,\" and the suffix \\nnyasa\\n, meaning \"to place.\" So, Vinyasa is understood to mean \"to place the body in a special way.\" This tells us that despite being a fast-paced practice, Vinyasa is about more than just moving your body about in space.\\n\\nInstead, it is synchronized movement between breath and body, done with focus and intent. A moving \\nmeditation\\n.\\n\\nWhere Did Vinyasa Yoga Come From?\\nVinyasa can be traced back to 200 BC when Patanjali began formulating Ashtanga and the \\neight limbs of yoga\\n, but Krishnamacharya is attributed with the creation of the practice, as is Rishi Vamana.\\n\\nSince its first mention in the Vedic Period (the earliest age of yoga), followers have refined the technique into what we know as Vinyasa today, using more movement with breath instead of staying in static poses.\\n\\nBenefits of Vinyasa Yoga\\nVinyasa yoga has several benefits, just like other types of yoga. It can lower stress, improve energy, and improve overall health. Let's explore some of the benefits of Vinyasa yoga.\\n\\nConnecting With Your Breath\\nBreath and breathing are powerful tools. We use breathing to soothe our nervous systems and even combat pain. Vinyasa is a wonderful practice that connects us with our breath and helps us control our bodies’ response to discomfort, pain, stress, and other physical and mental experiences.\\n\\nHeart Health\\nVinyasa classes are often fast-paced. The pace of the movements helps increase your heart rate and improve cardiovascular health. A \\n2013 study\\n in the Journal of Yoga & Physical Therapy found that the quick movements of Vinyasa make it an excellent choice for light-intensity cardio exercise.\\n\\nStrength\\nA regular Vinyasa practice can increase whole-body strength. The poses in Vinyasa are challenging and move quickly, working all parts of your body, so you improve functional strength.\\n\\nStability and Balance\\nThere are several balancing poses in yoga, so it's no surprise that yoga can improve stability and balance. According to one \\n2015 study\\n, people with low vision were able to improve their sense of balance and reduce their risk of falling after a course of Ashtanga-based yoga (like Vinyasa).\\n\\nRange of Motion\\nVinyasa involves your entire body in movements that you probably aren't doing over the course of your daily life. Moving your body in this way improves and expands your range of motion. A better range of motion, in turn, can help you avoid injuries.\\n\\nStress Relief\\nVinyasa classes can be treated as moving meditations. The constant flow of movement combined with breathing can help you calm your mind and soothe your nervous system, relieving stress and anxiety. A \\n2012 study\\n found that women using CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) to quit smoking were able to lower their stress and anxiety—and quit smoking—through the practice of Vinyasa yoga.\\n\\nWhat to Expect in a Vinyasa Yoga Class\\n\\nVinyasa classes tend to offer up a lot of variety when it comes to poses, but you'll probably always find sun salutations.\\n\\nSun salutations are an ancient sequence of asanas used to express gratitude and thankfulness to the sun. Many Vinyasa classes incorporate sun salutations or an abbreviated version at the beginning of the class as a warmup. Sun salutations also provide a basic template that yoga teachers can then build on.\\n\\nDuring a Vinyasa class, you should expect to move from one pose into the next fluidly. And, while most Vinyasa classes have a faster pace, there are slower Vinyasa classes out there. The exact poses, pace, and focus will depend on the yoga teacher and their style.\\n\\nVinyasa classes tend to pull from other types of yoga and some of the most popular yoga styles actually fall under the realm of Vinyasa. So, if you see classes that mention Baptiste, Jivamukti, and even CorePower (and other \\npower yoga classes\\n), you can bet that they're Vinyasa classes and you can expect poses to flow.\\n\\nTo stay safe in a Vinyasa yoga class, you'll want to make sure that you go at your own pace, particularly if you're a beginner. The faster pace of most Vinyasa classes means that there are usually fewer alignment clues given, so be sure to reach out to the teacher before class to make sure the class is right for you. If you're brand new to yoga, you might want to consider a Hatha class to become more familiar with the poses before getting into a slower Vinyasa class and then moving onto a more traditionally-paced Vinyasa class.\\n\\nPractice With myYogaTeacher\\nVinyasa is an incredibly diverse practice that doesn't stick to a single philosophy. Yoga teachers are free to create sequences using any movements they want, leaving a lot of room for them to put their own mark on their classes. Finding a teacher that you really enjoy and resonate with can make for a fulfilling Vinyasa yoga experience.\\n\\nWith myYogaTeacher, you get access to dozens of experienced yoga teachers and more than 35 live online classes each day. If you think you want to give Vinyasa yoga a try, here are just a few of the classes we offer:\\nVinyasa Yoga:\\n Using a series of movements and breathing to energize your body, this class builds strength and flexibility while also creating a sense of wellbeing.\\nBreathe and Flow:\\n An introduction to foundational yoga asanas with a full-body flow to help you stretch, strengthen, and rejuvenate. This class includes pranayama (breathing) and meditation.\\nHatha Vinyasa:\\n A classical style of yoga put together in a dynamic, flowing way to balance your body and mind. Includes breathing techniques to purify energy channels and remove mental blocks.\\nSlow Vinyasa Yoga:\\n This class offers a steady and mindful flow for beginner yogis or those looking for a slower pace while still building strength, improving flexibility, and increasing stability.\\nYoga With Dance:\\n In this non-traditional class, you'll find a mix of contemporary dance, Indian folk martial dance, and yoga. The class is designed to improve body posture and alignment, breathing, flexibility, and strength (and it's perfect for non-dancers, too).\\nWe also have tons of power yoga classes that are built on Vinyasa's fast-based flowing style. No matter what type of yoga you're looking for, myYogaTeacher has you covered. We'd love to offer you a \\nfree two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n. You'll get access to 35+ live online classes every single day, all taught by our experienced and talented Indian yoga teachers. See you on the mat!"}}],"relatedPosts":[{"id":"cla8lbvafc0i70ak9u3yp18ji","slug":"yin-yoga-for-arthritis","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":"will-1","pictureUrl":"will.jpeg"},"title":"Yin Yoga for Arthritis: 10 poses to ease your pain","createdAt":"2022-11-08T19:13:44.482852+00:00","coverUrl":"ipqjb5ugsgcaxzssgbhi.jpg","content":{"text":"When your body is achy and it feels hard to mobilize, you may be suffering from arthritis. This very common inflammation of the joints affects 24% of adults. In a 2019 study on inflammation biomarkers, Research for nursing found that yoga is great for pain intervention, saying “yoga may be particularly effective in reducing inflammation because, unlike exercise or stress reduction alone, yoga has components of both relaxation techniques and exercise.” Yoga can help to ease your pain and help you to go about your day good as new. \\n\\nCommon causes of Arthritis\\nThe most common causes for arthritis are age, genetics, weight gain and previous injury. Even though it can be long lasting, arthritis is treatable with movement therapies like yoga and meditation and lucky for us, Yin combines both!  Building a yoga practice into your routine can alleviate joint pain as well as  improve flexibility and joint function. Yoga can also help you manage the stress caused by pain which will result in better days and less sleepless nights. \\n\n\\nTypes of Arthritis\\nThere are three common types of arthritis. \\n1. Osteoarthritis, which is the most common cause of arthritis and is known as “wear and tear” on the joints. It most frequently occurs in the hips, hands and knees. \\n2. Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is autoimmune disorder and creates inflammation in the hands and feet. \\n3. Fibromyalgia which causes pain all over the body and fatigue. All three of these can be eased by  a yin-yoga practice. \\n\n\\nWhy Yin Yoga for Arthritis?\\nYin yoga is a style of movement based in Chinese medicine. Yin’s specific goal is to rebalance the body and mind. It’s not simply a practice for strength or flexibility but a practice where movement is the medicine. Unlike any other yoga or workout class, yin goes deeper to connect under your skin to your ligaments, deep tissue and bones.\\n\n\\nBuilding your yin-yoga practice online with us at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n is also beneficial because even on days when the pain seems too intense, you don’t need to leave your home to get to your practice. You can pull up our live classes 24/7 with expert Indian instructors who are ready to help you move through your pain.  Our classes are there everyday to help you manage your pain and get in your practice! We make yoga accessible for everyone. A slow yin practice is a great place to start! Yin can relieve pain by reducing physical and mental stress and pressure off the body. Let’s start by finding some moves to get you going! \\n\\n10 Ying Yoga Poses to Ease Your Arthritis Pain\\nWhen practicing these yin yoga poses, it’s best to hold each stretch for 30 seconds to two minutes. These stretches will help bring flexibility into your joints! \\n\\n1. Wide Knee Child’s Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\n⁠This pose is great for lower back pain and your hip flexors. Also great for pain in the sciatic nerve. \n⁠\\n2. Thunderbolt Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\\nThis pose improves blood circulation and posture easing pain in the spine. \n⁠\\n3. Cobra Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\\nThis pose opens the lungs while stretching the spine and shoulders. This will help you open your chest. \n⁠\\n4. Forward Fold Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\\nFolding the body down is known to calm the mind and lower blood pressure. Come to this pose when you feel anxious or stressed and need to slow down. \n⁠\\n5. Side Angle Bend Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\\nSide angle opens the side body and takes pressure off your hips.\n⁠\\n6. Chair Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\\nChair pose makes your legs stronger, giving you more stability in the knees and more flexibility in the ankles. \n⁠\\n7. Pigeon Pose\n⁠\\n\\n⁠\\nThis pose supports flexibility and mobility in the hip joint. If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis, this pose will help target your lower back and hips. \n⁠\\n8. Bridge Pose\n⁠\\n\\n⁠\n⁠This powerhouse pose will improve blood circulation and ease stress while also stretching your neck, chest and hamstrings. Come to this pose when you feel stiff. Move through it slowly. \\n\\n9. Wind Reliever Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\n⁠This pose stabilizes your center of gravity, your pelvis. It also guards you muscles and eases pain along the spine. \\n\\n10. Savasana Pose\n⁠\\n\\n\n⁠Finally, Savasana is so important in your practice. This corpse pose slows down your nervous system while you focus on your breath. It calms the mind and reduces fatigue and anxiety. This is a great place to start or end your yoga practice. \\n\\nOther ways to relieve arthritis pain\\nWant to try other holistic ways to ease your pain? We’ve got you covered! Here are the top five things to add into your routine to feel like your best self!\\nAdd color to your diet! It’s so important to “eat the rainbow” eating lots of fruits and veggies gives you a vitamin boost and helps to naturally fight inflammation. \\nChange up the temp. Adding a hot or cold compress to the affected area is a quick fix when you’re feeling pain. Try a heating pad or an ice pack if you’re short on time. If you have time to relax, try soaking in a warm bath!\\nAdd herbs. Turmeric and ginger can help fight pain and inflammation in the body. Add these herbs to your meals or try ginger tea at night to wake up pain free.\\nAdd more self care to your routine. Book a deep tissue massage or a sauna session so you can relax your body and mind.\\nPractice mindfulness. A meditation practice pairs great with a new yoga practice! You can meditate on your own or get started with us in meditation class! \n\\nTry these classes to get started! \\n\\nStretch and Breath with Shrutika\\n. This class will increase range of motion, control and flexibility in the joints.\\n\\nTotal Body Yin\\n. This slow restorative practice will stretch deep into your joints and facia. This is a great practice to end your day with. \\n\\nYoga for Back Health.\\n This mostly seated class will help you work through any back pain while strengthening your spine and surrounding muscles. \\nIf you’re ready to start your journey to recovery, join us for a practice at \\nMyYogaTeacher.\\n\\nOur expert yoga therapist will help you move through your pain or start a mindfulness practice so you can get back to feeling healthy and pain free! Our 2-Week Free Trial - includes 14 days of unlimited group classes plus 2 complimentary 1-on-1 sessions, that’s a $102 value - for free!\\nThere’s a plan for every yogi! Begin your journey with us today."}},{"id":"ckufqnxdkykgn0b80viodhf9h","slug":"yoga-for-runners","author":{"name":"Will","teacherMytSlug":null,"pictureUrl":null},"title":"Yoga for Runners: How Yoga Helps Runners Perform Better","createdAt":"2021-10-06T16:42:11.672793+00:00","coverUrl":"dgbpmcwawhsmhokutnzw.jpg","content":{"text":"Runners are a whole community of people. They are focused, consistent, resilient, and committed to their craft.\\nThey also tend to succumb to a whole host of physical issues specific to runners. Kind of like how tennis players often get tennis elbow (aka tendonitis) or sprained ankles from their constant change of direction, runners get shin splints, runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, and their own set of ankle injuries.\\nIt’s no surprise to us that yoga for runners is a thing and that runners can seriously benefit from a regular yoga practice.\\nBut yoga might be a new concept to a lot of runners out there.\\nNot necessarily new in the sense they’ve never heard of it, but new in the way they’ve never thought about trying it out as a part of their training and recovery.\\nSo we wanted to discuss how yoga helps runners perform better, prevents injury, and helps their body recover.\\nIf you haven’t checked out MyYogaTeacher yet, we’d love to have you! With a continuously grown variety of classes, we’re confident that there’s a perfect class or two...or three out there for you! \\nYou can get your 2-week free trial here and take as many or as few as you want!\\n\\nYoga for core strength\\nWe’ve talked about it. You’ve talked about it. Virtually every trainer in every possible sport has talked about it. \\nCore strength.\\nAnd what is one huge benefit of yoga? A stronger core, of course!\\nFor runners, having a strong core means better torso stability when they’re running. Core strength allows a runner’s hips, pelvis, and lower back to work together seamlessly. Smoother operation of those areas means less lower back pain and fewer lower back injuries. Having a stronger core also means runners recover from missteps or loss in balance better, which may also help to prevent ankle and foot injuries!\\nPower yoga and vinyasa yoga are awesome choices for runners who are looking to improve their core strength and underused muscles.\\nBreathwork for runners: Yogic breathing\\nRunners are very focused on getting plenty of oxygen when they run. It’s a good thing, right? Right.\\nOne of the benefits of yoga for runners is that their lung function improves! Yogic breathing not only teaches runners how to breathe better, more steadily, and with more control while they’re running, it actually increases their lung capacity and strengthens the breathing muscles.\\nAnd since all yoga practices include some form of breathwork, runners benefit from yoga in an organic way.\\nYoga for runners: Flexibility\\nWe’ve mentioned this briefly in another article you’re welcome to check out titled \\nYoga for Athletes: 5 Reasons Yoga Should Be Included in Athletic Training.\\n\\nFlexibility for runners is important for keeping their overused muscles stretched out. Runners notoriously have tight hamstrings, hips, glutes, and quads. Tightness in these areas, in the long term, can cause postural problems, back pain, foot pain, and a rotated pelvis.\\nThis is where taking a yoga class for runners specifically helps them. Becoming more flexible will help their majorly used muscle groups recover while also helping to prevent injury during their runs and in their future.\\nYoga helps runners recover\\nOne of the most underused training tools in existence is...time. Recovery time, that is.\\nRecreational and hardcore athletes alike don’t spend enough time letting their bodies recover, much less use yoga as a recovery tool.\\nThe truth is yoga is the perfect recovery activity for runners. While a yoga class for runners is particularly helpful, any yoga class that involves passive stretching, such as yin yoga, will help runners release tension and relieve soreness in their muscles.\\nStretching also restores range of motion so runners can perform better after yoga.\\nBetter balance for runners\\nBalance for runners is important, particularly for trail runners, who often don’t run on an even or paved surface. Losing balance is an easy way to sprain or break ankles, incur foot injuries, and even fall, causing other injuries as well.\\nRunners who practice yoga reap more benefits than just the obvious ones. Balancing poses strengthen all the tiny muscles in the ankles and feet, which helps runners maintain their balance on uneven surfaces or regain it with more ease if they do lose it.\\nYoga poses such as tree pose, crescent lunge, extended hand-to-big-toe pose, eagle pose, high lunge, and chair pose are great yoga poses for runners to practice to help with balance.\\nPerfect yoga poses for runners\\nIf you’re a runner, we get that you may be busy or not all that comfortable participating in a yoga class (yet). So we want you to have some specific yoga poses for runners to  use before and/or after your daily run. \\nButterfly pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nHalf pigeon pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nHappy baby pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nDownward facing dog pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nLizard pose\\n\\n\\n\n\\nForward fold\\n\\n\\n\n\\nToes pose\\n\\n\n\\nQuad stretch\\n\\nWe recommend holding each pose for 1-5 minutes on each side, and be sure to come out of each pose slowly. Only stretch so far as you don’t suffer. A bit of discomfort is ok, but if there is serious pain, back off on how far you’re stretching or release the stretch completely. You will feel the difference in your muscles immediately after this series of yoga poses for runners!\\nAre you a runner or a walker? We’d love to see you on the mat here at \\nMyYogaTeacher\\n! There are many classes offered that will improve your performance, help your body recover, and help you prevent injuries common for runners. Not to mention all the other benefits that everyone gets from practicing yoga! \\nGet your free 2-week trial membership here\\n and try any of the amazing group yoga classes taught by expert, highly experienced yoga instructors from the birthplace of yoga, India. \\nSee you there!\\n\\n"}},{"id":"cl74jtlu93yyq0ak0ti37gc8g","slug":"yoga-practice-for-women","author":{"name":"Divya","teacherMytSlug":"divya-1","pictureUrl":"divya-1.jpg"},"title":"The Importance of a Yoga practice for Women","createdAt":"2022-08-22T09:21:21.098639+00:00","coverUrl":"llizejqjzzeaxaxii2ey.jpg","content":{"text":"Why adding Yoga to your routine can make you feel like your most calm and confident self.\\nWe all know women have a lot on their plate. With all the things we have to get done in a day, it’s hard to remember to add taking care of ourselves to the list. We sometimes find time for a trip to the gym, a podcast episode or a quick walk between our to-do list, but the benefits of taking even 10 minutes to do yoga or a meditation can carry us through stressful days, help us sleep better or relieve pain and anxiety. Let’s break down why yoga is so important to the feminine being.\\nYoga is important for your mental health\\nA consistent yoga practice promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety and stress and can aid in mental clarity and a calm mind. Yoga is a great way to end your workday or transition from work back to your home life. If you have a high stress job, or you’re spending your day with kids, taking just five to ten minutes to breathe and stretch can put you in a clearer mindset to switch roles or tasks with ease. For example, Pranayama, the practice of focusing your breath takes only a few minutes and can help you adjust or focus your breathing, mind and heart. Pranayama is the yogic practice of focusing on breath. In Sanskrit, prana means \"vital life force\". In stressful situations, we can always come back to our breath. This is especially a great practice for women, as we tend to be a “lifesource” for our families.\\nLet’s find the right poses to ease your mind!\\nSuggested Poses for stress relief:\\nStanding Forward Fold :\\n\\nThis pose releases tension in the neck and back and is a physical and mental “letting go”\\nEasy Seat :\\n\\n Gentle hip opener, relieves physical and mental exhaustion.\\nChilds Pose : \\n\\nReleases the Nero and lymphatic systems.\\nSuggested Poses for anxiety relief:\\nHead to Knee forward bend :\\n\\nCalms the mind.\\nBridge pose : \\n\\nReduces anxiety and fatigue.\\nCamel Pose : \\n\\nBoost Energy.\\nSuggested Poses to calm the mind:\\nLegs up the wall : \\n\\nLegs up the \\nwall \\nallows your body complete relaxation.\\nCorpse Pose :\\n\\nQuiets your system and lowers your blood pressure\\nCat Pose :\\n\\nHelps to relieve stress and calm the mind.\\nYoga is important for your physical health\\nYou can find little ways to add yoga into your life every day to keep your body in tip top shape! You can add yoga to the end of your workout to lower your heart rate or choose it as a workout on “low impact” days. Believe it or not, yoga can actually take the place of strength training and cardio programs if you take the right classes! \\nMyYogaTeacher has so many options to support your active lifestyle! Yoga can improve flexibility, strength and even help with range of motion. So if you’ve got goals, we’ve got a class to fit them! \\n A normal yoga practice can keep your hormones in check and help with menopause and menstrual symptoms. Not feeling well? Tired? Yoga can also aid in normal digestion or help you maintain a healthy sleep cycle.\\nNow that you know yoga can help your physical body, let's find the right styles for you!\\nFor flexibility – If you’re trying to improve flexibility, you’re in luck! Most styles of yoga are GREAT for stretching and flexibility. If you’re looking to just stretch, we’d recommend a \\nrestorative \\nor \\nyin yoga class.\\n\\nFor Pain relief- If you’re in pain, try a focused Yin Yoga class for your injury or ailment. We have some great choices! Just use the search feature on our website! There are classes that are as specific as \\nyoga for knee pain \\nor yoga for digestion!\\nFor Strength – If you’re a warrior who loves to sweat, Vinyasa is your go to style. Try this low impact style that’s sure to raise your heart rate faster than any treadmill run. Are you a more advanced Yogi?\\n Try a Power Yoga\\n class!\\nYoga is important for your emotional wellbeing\\nMost yogis believe that yoga is a mind, body and soul practice meaning that it’s not just for fitness or for mental clarity, but it’s a life experience that can add joy and comfort to your everyday life. For most of us, the practice of yoga is what we take back to our lives long after we leave the mat.  \\nYoga can improve your energy-\\n A study done by Oxford\\n, found that a yoga practice and yoga breathing can restore your energy better than any other visualization or relaxation practice.\\nYoga helps connect the mind and body- While our mind and body are always physically connected, Yoga makes us stop, think and question that connection. It trains us to concentrate on our breath and connect our thoughts to one body part, or move at a time. Which helps us to increase focus.\\nAnd last, but certainly not least, yoga is great for socialization! Group fitness classes help us to make friends, or find friends who share our common interests or goals. Who doesn’t love taking a class with their friends? And with our site, you can take class together from the comfort of your own homes!\\nReady to fit yoga into your life? Let’s find a way to make it work for you!\\nWhen can you fit in yoga if you have a busy schedule? Unlike a traditional studio or gym, Our website makes it easy for you to fit yoga in when it works for you! Classes run live from 6am to 9pm. And you can take classes at home, on vacation or even at work on your lunch break. You can take your practice anywhere with our \\nvirtual options\\n. Don’t think you can commit to a live class? Watch your recordings later on your own time! \\nAre you a stay-at-home mom? Do you feel like you can’t get away for a workout? Do it with them! Make yoga time a part of your family’s routine to either start or end the day. We even have kid’s classes you can take together! \\nTry one today!\\n\\nNot a fan of group fitness? Maybe you prefer to workout alone or have specific goals you want to meet. Our\\n one on one option\\n is great for deepening your practice or working directly with an instructor to meet your goals on your timeline! \\nSo whichever reason speaks to you, even with all the things you have to do for your family or work, You can always make time for yoga and add more joy to your life with a yoga practice. Where there’s a will there’s a way. All you need for yoga is your body and a commitment to yourself! Make the time to start your practice today! Your body will thank you!\\n\\nReady to get started? Grab a free trial!\\n"}}],"blogContent":{"id":"ckmw44kt43y1k0c8107r78vo7","slug":"chair-yoga-practice","author":{"name":"Gourangi","teacherMytSlug":"gourangi-1","pictureUrl":"Gourangi-1.jpg"},"title":"Chair Yoga: Accessible, Gentle and Great for Every Body","createdAt":"2021-03-30T14:25:43.568064+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-01T06:37:00.305183+00:00","coverUrl":"chair_yoga_ckmw44kt43y1k0c8107r78vo7.png","seoDescription":"Did you know chair yoga is a thing? Chair yoga is perfect for people who need assistance or modifications for many yoga poses. ","content":{"text":"If you have mobility or balance issues or are just looking for a gentle way to practice yoga, chair yoga poses might be just what you're looking for! Chair yoga is a great way to bring yoga into your life even if you need a bit more support for your body in your practice. In this article, I'm going to share more information about what chair yoga is, its benefits, contraindications, and wrap up with some real life chair yoga poses to get you started with chair yoga.\\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\nWhat Is Chair Yoga?\\nChair yoga is an accessible form of yoga in which practitioners use a chair to support their bodies in various modified poses. It's a wonderful practice for anyone regardless of age, injuries, flexibility, or mobility issues.\\n\\nIn chair yoga, many yoga postures, asanas, are done from a seated position, bringing stability to the body. Many chair yoga poses simply require the chair as a prop to help with balance in standing postures or floor-based postures.\\n\\nChair Yoga Benefits\\nChair yoga is a gentle type of yoga, and just like other types of yoga, there are several benefits to a chair yoga practice:\\nImproved strength, balance, and flexibility\\nReduced stress\\nImproved focus, awareness, and confidence\\nLess physical pain\\nChair Yoga Contraindications\\nWhile chair yoga poses are gentle, there are still some contraindications or limiting factors that might keep you from participating in a chair yoga practice. Even though there are many benefits of chair yoga, ultimately, you should consult your physician if you're unsure whether you should be participating in chair yoga. Here are a few reasons you may not want to practice chair yoga:\\nRecent heart attack\\nRegular chest pains\\nAcute infection\\nIf you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, joint problems, or have had a hip replacement, please contact your doctor for approval.\\n\\n7 Chair Yoga Poses\\nThere are a number of yoga poses that can be done seated or using a chair. Some of the poses we're including here will be greatly modified from their original form, but others are just slight modifications. Before you get started, make sure your chair (a sturdy chair with a back) is on a stable, non-slip surface so it doesn't move around with you.\\n\\n1. Seated Mountain Pose\\nMountain Pose is a great chair yoga pose to start with. Take a seat on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and engage your core. Focus on your breath, taking a deep breath in as you lengthen your spine. On the exhale, ground yourself into the chair through your sit bones. Make sure the shoulders are rolled down and back and relax your arms at your sides. Stay here, focusing on your breathing and keeping your core gently engaged for a minute or so.\\n\\n2. Seated Cat-Cow Pose\\nSit in your chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your spine long and tall. Place your hands on your thighs, just above your knees. Inhale and tilt your pelvis forward, arching your lower back and lifting your heart towards the sky. On the exhale, round out your lower back, creating space between your shoulder blades and tucking your chin toward the chest. Repeat this sequence five times.\\n\\n3. Seated Chandrasana\\nChandrasana is a lateral bend that will help stretch the sides of your body. Start from a seated position in your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. On the inhale, reach both of your arms up toward the ceiling. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and stretch over to the right on the exhale. Inhale and come back to center. Next, grab your right wrist with your left hand and stretch over to the left on the exhale. Inhale back to center. Repeat this sequence five times.\\n\\n4. Seated Uttanasana\\nUttanasana is a forward fold that lengthens the back of the body. If you have high blood pressure, do not let your head drop below your knees.\\n\\nFrom a seated position, bring your hands to your thighs, just above your knees. Keep your bottom grounded on your chair and fold forward until you can rest your elbows on your thighs. If you'd like, you can fold forward until your torso is resting on your thighs. Rest in this pose for about a minute and return to an upright seated position slowly.\\n\\n5. Seated Twist\\nTwists are great for creating space in your spine, improving blood flow, and aiding with digestion. From a seated position, inhale and sit up tall. On the exhale, bring your right hand across your left knee and your left hand behind you on the chair. Stay here for five breaths before inhaling back to the center and repeating on the other side.\\n\\nIt's important to be gentle with your body in seated twists. Many people find it a lot easier to overdo these stretches so don't go as far as you possibly can, just go to where the twist feels comfortable.\\n\\n6. Down Dog with Chair\\nDown dog is an excellent pose for strengthening your arms and core, lengthening the sides of your body and hamstrings, and building up your hip stabilizing muscles. Here we're going to use the chair as a prop.\\n\\nStand behind your chair with your hands on the back of it. Walk your feet a little farther from the chair, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Your torso will begin to fold forward. Find a challenging position where you can still maintain even breaths and stay here for 5–10 breaths before slowly walking your feet back toward the chair.\\n\\n7. Chair Surya Namaskar (Chair Sun Salutation)\\n\\nYes, you can even do a sun salutation from a chair! No matter whether you’re doing chair yoga because of mobility issues, disabilities, or just need a break while seated at your desk, a seated sun salutation is a wonderful option.\\n\\nSit on your chair with your feet close together and join the palms together at your heart, namaste. Extend the spine and torso upwards while keeping your sit bones grounded on the chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Stay here for at least six breaths.\\n\\nInhale, raising your arms above your head, keeping your palms together. Extend your arms beyond your head and shoulders and exhale completely, taking the gaze either up to the sky or straight in front of you. Stay here for four breaths.\\n\\nFrom here, exhale and bend forward at the hips, taking your hands down to the floor if you can and resting your torso on your thighs. Stay here for four breaths. If you have trouble breathing in this pose, feel free to place a cushion on your thighs.\\n\\nNow, inhale and come up, sitting straight up on your chair. Exhale. On the next inhale, raise your right leg up and hold the right thigh, bending your knee into your chest for a low lunge variation. Stay here for six breaths or more. If it feels nice, you can deepen this stretch, resting your nose on the knee of your bent leg, and hold the pose for another six breaths. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.\\n\\nOn the next inhale, raise your arms up over your head again, slightly arching your back, and stay here for six breaths. Once again, move into a forward fold and stay here for four breaths before repeating the low lunge variation on your other leg. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.\\n\\nInhale, raising your arms up over your head, arching your back, and stay in this pose for eight breaths this time. Exhale into a forward fold and stand for eight breaths. Bring your arms up over your head again, stretching deeper, and stay here for 10 breaths.\\n\\nRepeat the sun salutation sequence at least one more time. If you'd like, you can end your practice in Savasana with your legs bent and your lower legs resting on the seat of the chair.\\n\\nIncrease Strength, Flexibility, and Mental Focus With Chair Yoga\\nOne of the biggest chair yoga benefits is that it consists of modified poses that are done while seated or using a chair as a prop for support and stability. This type of yoga has many of the same benefits as other more traditional types of yoga and is the perfect option for people with mobility issues, injuries, or other health concerns.\\n\\nInterested in trying chair yoga? \\nSign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and join me in my next class! You'll get access to more than 35 live yoga classes every single day, from chair yoga to power yoga to meditation and beyond.","html":"<p>If you have mobility or balance issues or are just looking for a gentle way to practice yoga, chair yoga poses might be just what you&#39;re looking for! Chair yoga is a great way to bring yoga into your life even if you need a bit more support for your body in your practice. In this article, I&#39;m going to share more information about what chair yoga is, its benefits, contraindications, and wrap up with some real life chair yoga poses to get you started with chair yoga.</p><p></p><p>[CTA-DEFAULT]</p><h3>What Is Chair Yoga?</h3><p>Chair yoga is an accessible form of yoga in which practitioners use a chair to support their bodies in various modified poses. It&#39;s a wonderful practice for anyone regardless of age, injuries, flexibility, or mobility issues.</p><p></p><p>In chair yoga, many yoga postures, asanas, are done from a seated position, bringing stability to the body. Many chair yoga poses simply require the chair as a prop to help with balance in standing postures or floor-based postures.</p><p></p><h3>Chair Yoga Benefits</h3><p>Chair yoga is a gentle type of yoga, and just like other types of yoga, there are several benefits to a chair yoga practice:</p><ul><li><div>Improved strength, balance, and flexibility</div></li><li><div>Reduced stress</div></li><li><div>Improved focus, awareness, and confidence</div></li><li><div>Less physical pain</div></li></ul><h3>Chair Yoga Contraindications</h3><p>While chair yoga poses are gentle, there are still some contraindications or limiting factors that might keep you from participating in a chair yoga practice. Even though there are many benefits of chair yoga, ultimately, you should consult your physician if you&#39;re unsure whether you should be participating in chair yoga. Here are a few reasons you may not want to practice chair yoga:</p><ul><li><div>Recent heart attack</div></li><li><div>Regular chest pains</div></li><li><div>Acute infection</div></li></ul><p>If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, joint problems, or have had a hip replacement, please contact your doctor for approval.</p><p></p><h2>7 Chair Yoga Poses</h2><p>There are a number of yoga poses that can be done seated or using a chair. Some of the poses we&#39;re including here will be greatly modified from their original form, but others are just slight modifications. Before you get started, make sure your chair (a sturdy chair with a back) is on a stable, non-slip surface so it doesn&#39;t move around with you.</p><p></p><h3>1. Seated Mountain Pose</h3><p>Mountain Pose is a great chair yoga pose to start with. Take a seat on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and engage your core. Focus on your breath, taking a deep breath in as you lengthen your spine. On the exhale, ground yourself into the chair through your sit bones. Make sure the shoulders are rolled down and back and relax your arms at your sides. Stay here, focusing on your breathing and keeping your core gently engaged for a minute or so.</p><p></p><h3>2. Seated Cat-Cow Pose</h3><p>Sit in your chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your spine long and tall. Place your hands on your thighs, just above your knees. Inhale and tilt your pelvis forward, arching your lower back and lifting your heart towards the sky. On the exhale, round out your lower back, creating space between your shoulder blades and tucking your chin toward the chest. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>3. Seated Chandrasana</h3><p>Chandrasana is a lateral bend that will help stretch the sides of your body. Start from a seated position in your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. On the inhale, reach both of your arms up toward the ceiling. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and stretch over to the right on the exhale. Inhale and come back to center. Next, grab your right wrist with your left hand and stretch over to the left on the exhale. Inhale back to center. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>4. Seated Uttanasana</h3><p>Uttanasana is a forward fold that lengthens the back of the body. If you have high blood pressure, do not let your head drop below your knees.</p><p></p><p>From a seated position, bring your hands to your thighs, just above your knees. Keep your bottom grounded on your chair and fold forward until you can rest your elbows on your thighs. If you&#39;d like, you can fold forward until your torso is resting on your thighs. Rest in this pose for about a minute and return to an upright seated position slowly.</p><p></p><h3>5. Seated Twist</h3><p>Twists are great for creating space in your spine, improving blood flow, and aiding with digestion. From a seated position, inhale and sit up tall. On the exhale, bring your right hand across your left knee and your left hand behind you on the chair. Stay here for five breaths before inhaling back to the center and repeating on the other side.</p><p></p><p>It&#39;s important to be gentle with your body in seated twists. Many people find it a lot easier to overdo these stretches so don&#39;t go as far as you possibly can, just go to where the twist feels comfortable.</p><p></p><h3>6. Down Dog with Chair</h3><p>Down dog is an excellent pose for strengthening your arms and core, lengthening the sides of your body and hamstrings, and building up your hip stabilizing muscles. Here we&#39;re going to use the chair as a prop.</p><p></p><p>Stand behind your chair with your hands on the back of it. Walk your feet a little farther from the chair, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Your torso will begin to fold forward. Find a challenging position where you can still maintain even breaths and stay here for 5–10 breaths before slowly walking your feet back toward the chair.</p><p></p><h3>7. Chair Surya Namaskar (Chair Sun Salutation)</h3><video controls width=\"undefined\" height=\"undefined\">\n          <source src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/PrNUbgmdRQ25roXak2r3\" type=\"video/mp4\" title=\"seated sun salutation.mp4\" />\n          Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos.\n        </video><p>Yes, you can even do a sun salutation from a chair! No matter whether you’re doing chair yoga because of mobility issues, disabilities, or just need a break while seated at your desk, a seated sun salutation is a wonderful option.</p><p></p><p>Sit on your chair with your feet close together and join the palms together at your heart, namaste. Extend the spine and torso upwards while keeping your sit bones grounded on the chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Stay here for at least six breaths.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms above your head, keeping your palms together. Extend your arms beyond your head and shoulders and exhale completely, taking the gaze either up to the sky or straight in front of you. Stay here for four breaths.</p><p></p><p>From here, exhale and bend forward at the hips, taking your hands down to the floor if you can and resting your torso on your thighs. Stay here for four breaths. If you have trouble breathing in this pose, feel free to place a cushion on your thighs.</p><p></p><p>Now, inhale and come up, sitting straight up on your chair. Exhale. On the next inhale, raise your right leg up and hold the right thigh, bending your knee into your chest for a low lunge variation. Stay here for six breaths or more. If it feels nice, you can deepen this stretch, resting your nose on the knee of your bent leg, and hold the pose for another six breaths. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>On the next inhale, raise your arms up over your head again, slightly arching your back, and stay here for six breaths. Once again, move into a forward fold and stay here for four breaths before repeating the low lunge variation on your other leg. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms up over your head, arching your back, and stay in this pose for eight breaths this time. Exhale into a forward fold and stand for eight breaths. Bring your arms up over your head again, stretching deeper, and stay here for 10 breaths.</p><p></p><p>Repeat the sun salutation sequence at least one more time. If you&#39;d like, you can end your practice in Savasana with your legs bent and your lower legs resting on the seat of the chair.</p><p></p><h3>Increase Strength, Flexibility, and Mental Focus With Chair Yoga</h3><p>One of the biggest chair yoga benefits is that it consists of modified poses that are done while seated or using a chair as a prop for support and stability. This type of yoga has many of the same benefits as other more traditional types of yoga and is the perfect option for people with mobility issues, injuries, or other health concerns.</p><p></p><p>Interested in trying chair yoga? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">Sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a> and join me in my next class! You&#39;ll get access to more than 35 live yoga classes every single day, from chair yoga to power yoga to meditation and beyond.</p>"},"category":["fitness","yoga_poses"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"loading":false,"blog_content":[{"type":"HTML","value":"<p>If you have mobility or balance issues or are just looking for a gentle way to practice yoga, chair yoga poses might be just what you&#39;re looking for! Chair yoga is a great way to bring yoga into your life even if you need a bit more support for your body in your practice. In this article, I&#39;m going to share more information about what chair yoga is, its benefits, contraindications, and wrap up with some real life chair yoga poses to get you started with chair yoga.</p><p></p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"},{"type":"HTML","value":"<h3>What Is Chair Yoga?</h3><p>Chair yoga is an accessible form of yoga in which practitioners use a chair to support their bodies in various modified poses. It&#39;s a wonderful practice for anyone regardless of age, injuries, flexibility, or mobility issues.</p><p></p><p>In chair yoga, many yoga postures, asanas, are done from a seated position, bringing stability to the body. Many chair yoga poses simply require the chair as a prop to help with balance in standing postures or floor-based postures.</p><p></p><h3>Chair Yoga Benefits</h3><p>Chair yoga is a gentle type of yoga, and just like other types of yoga, there are several benefits to a chair yoga practice:</p><ul><li><div>Improved strength, balance, and flexibility</div></li><li><div>Reduced stress</div></li><li><div>Improved focus, awareness, and confidence</div></li><li><div>Less physical pain</div></li></ul><h3>Chair Yoga Contraindications</h3><p>While chair yoga poses are gentle, there are still some contraindications or limiting factors that might keep you from participating in a chair yoga practice. Even though there are many benefits of chair yoga, ultimately, you should consult your physician if you&#39;re unsure whether you should be participating in chair yoga. Here are a few reasons you may not want to practice chair yoga:</p><ul><li><div>Recent heart attack</div></li><li><div>Regular chest pains</div></li><li><div>Acute infection</div></li></ul><p>If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, joint problems, or have had a hip replacement, please contact your doctor for approval.</p><p></p><h2>7 Chair Yoga Poses</h2><p>There are a number of yoga poses that can be done seated or using a chair. Some of the poses we&#39;re including here will be greatly modified from their original form, but others are just slight modifications. Before you get started, make sure your chair (a sturdy chair with a back) is on a stable, non-slip surface so it doesn&#39;t move around with you.</p><p></p><h3>1. Seated Mountain Pose</h3><p>Mountain Pose is a great chair yoga pose to start with. Take a seat on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and engage your core. Focus on your breath, taking a deep breath in as you lengthen your spine. On the exhale, ground yourself into the chair through your sit bones. Make sure the shoulders are rolled down and back and relax your arms at your sides. Stay here, focusing on your breathing and keeping your core gently engaged for a minute or so.</p><p></p><h3>2. Seated Cat-Cow Pose</h3><p>Sit in your chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your spine long and tall. Place your hands on your thighs, just above your knees. Inhale and tilt your pelvis forward, arching your lower back and lifting your heart towards the sky. On the exhale, round out your lower back, creating space between your shoulder blades and tucking your chin toward the chest. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>3. Seated Chandrasana</h3><p>Chandrasana is a lateral bend that will help stretch the sides of your body. Start from a seated position in your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. On the inhale, reach both of your arms up toward the ceiling. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and stretch over to the right on the exhale. Inhale and come back to center. Next, grab your right wrist with your left hand and stretch over to the left on the exhale. Inhale back to center. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>4. Seated Uttanasana</h3><p>Uttanasana is a forward fold that lengthens the back of the body. If you have high blood pressure, do not let your head drop below your knees.</p><p></p><p>From a seated position, bring your hands to your thighs, just above your knees. Keep your bottom grounded on your chair and fold forward until you can rest your elbows on your thighs. If you&#39;d like, you can fold forward until your torso is resting on your thighs. Rest in this pose for about a minute and return to an upright seated position slowly.</p><p></p><h3>5. Seated Twist</h3><p>Twists are great for creating space in your spine, improving blood flow, and aiding with digestion. From a seated position, inhale and sit up tall. On the exhale, bring your right hand across your left knee and your left hand behind you on the chair. Stay here for five breaths before inhaling back to the center and repeating on the other side.</p><p></p><p>It&#39;s important to be gentle with your body in seated twists. Many people find it a lot easier to overdo these stretches so don&#39;t go as far as you possibly can, just go to where the twist feels comfortable.</p><p></p><h3>6. Down Dog with Chair</h3><p>Down dog is an excellent pose for strengthening your arms and core, lengthening the sides of your body and hamstrings, and building up your hip stabilizing muscles. Here we&#39;re going to use the chair as a prop.</p><p></p><p>Stand behind your chair with your hands on the back of it. Walk your feet a little farther from the chair, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Your torso will begin to fold forward. Find a challenging position where you can still maintain even breaths and stay here for 5–10 breaths before slowly walking your feet back toward the chair.</p><p></p><h3>7. Chair Surya Namaskar (Chair Sun Salutation)</h3><video controls >\n          <source src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/PrNUbgmdRQ25roXak2r3\" type=\"video/mp4\" title=\"seated sun salutation.mp4\" />\n          Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos.\n        </video><p>Yes, you can even do a sun salutation from a chair! No matter whether you’re doing chair yoga because of mobility issues, disabilities, or just need a break while seated at your desk, a seated sun salutation is a wonderful option.</p><p></p><p>Sit on your chair with your feet close together and join the palms together at your heart, namaste. Extend the spine and torso upwards while keeping your sit bones grounded on the chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Stay here for at least six breaths.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms above your head, keeping your palms together. Extend your arms beyond your head and shoulders and exhale completely, taking the gaze either up to the sky or straight in front of you. Stay here for four breaths.</p><p></p><p>From here, exhale and bend forward at the hips, taking your hands down to the floor if you can and resting your torso on your thighs. Stay here for four breaths. If you have trouble breathing in this pose, feel free to place a cushion on your thighs.</p><p></p><p>Now, inhale and come up, sitting straight up on your chair. Exhale. On the next inhale, raise your right leg up and hold the right thigh, bending your knee into your chest for a low lunge variation. Stay here for six breaths or more. If it feels nice, you can deepen this stretch, resting your nose on the knee of your bent leg, and hold the pose for another six breaths. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>On the next inhale, raise your arms up over your head again, slightly arching your back, and stay here for six breaths. Once again, move into a forward fold and stay here for four breaths before repeating the low lunge variation on your other leg. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms up over your head, arching your back, and stay in this pose for eight breaths this time. Exhale into a forward fold and stand for eight breaths. Bring your arms up over your head again, stretching deeper, and stay here for 10 breaths.</p><p></p><p>Repeat the sun salutation sequence at least one more time. If you&#39;d like, you can end your practice in Savasana with your legs bent and your lower legs resting on the seat of the chair.</p><p></p><h3>Increase Strength, Flexibility, and Mental Focus With Chair Yoga</h3><p>One of the biggest chair yoga benefits is that it consists of modified poses that are done while seated or using a chair as a prop for support and stability. This type of yoga has many of the same benefits as other more traditional types of yoga and is the perfect option for people with mobility issues, injuries, or other health concerns.</p><p></p><p>Interested in trying chair yoga? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">Sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a> and join me in my next class! You&#39;ll get access to more than 35 live yoga classes every single day, from chair yoga to power yoga to meditation and beyond.</p>"},{"type":"CTA","value":"[CTA-DEFAULT]"}],"isSlugACategory":false,"searchCategory":"chair-yoga-practice","showPopUp":false,"popUpType":null,"showedPopup":false,"windowWidth":null,"ctaPath":"free-trial-o","redirectURL":"#","current_url":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/articles/chair-yoga-practice","student_details":"","facebookUrl":"","twitterUrl":"","copyUrl":"","emailUrl":"","ctaContent":[{"id":"ckxrz2i14tov40c25g1dpicsg","name":"[CTA-DEFAULT]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz37hsu0cj0a76mgb4594m","name":"[CTA-FREECLASS]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz4d5stsye0b75dtlx1w0n","name":"[CTA-TRENDS]","description":{"html":"<p>Get ahead of the next trend and practice with authentic Indian yoga teachers! Sign up today and <strong>get 2 free private yoga sessions PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice with Authentic Indian Yoga Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckxrz6nq0tqdr0c258titvagg","name":"[CTA-REVIEWS]","description":{"html":"<p>Find out what all the hype is about! <strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong> with authentic yoga teachers. 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No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Hatha Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>with Authentic Indian Teachers</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cky90p88g3zgc0d23yz6taont","name":"[CTA-NASAL]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>to relieve post nasal drip and clear out your sinus. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic Indian yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Post Nasal Drip &amp; Clear Your Sinus Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyirvl8g25ce0c70cldmca2g","name":"[CTA-TRATAKA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private sessions </strong>with experienced Trataka teachers. </p><p><strong>PLUS, 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Candle Gazing Meditation) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Learn Trataka (Candle Gazing) Meditation Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyisqh482ck60b79rp1r1jcg","name":"[CTA-YIN]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong>, work with an experienced yoga therapist to reduce (and even eliminate) your back pain. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>(like ‘Yoga for Back Pain’) with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Therapy – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Relieve Back Pain Safely &amp; Effectively Today!</strong></p><p></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitki4w2liz0b30tqpzhy4i","name":"[CTA-KRIYA]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for Kriya Yoga, Pranayama, and Meditation <strong>and 2 weeks of unlimited group classes </strong>with authentic yoga teachers. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Classes – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>Practice Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation Today!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckyitxgyg2pot0b79lu1fcpp1","name":"[CTA-BREATH]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions </strong>for yogic breathing techniques (pranayama) and <strong>2 weeks of unlimited group classes</strong>, like ‘Stretch and Breathe’, ‘Kriya, Pranayama, and Meditation’, and many others. No credit card required when you sign up today!</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions – </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong> Learn Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Pranayama!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"ckykb6i2o1o7f0b368s1m7qow","name":"[CTA-LYMPHATIC]","description":{"html":"<p><strong>Get 2 free private yoga sessions</strong> for lymphatic drainage &amp; immunity enhancement. <strong>PLUS 2 weeks of unlimited group yoga classes</strong> (including daily yin-yoga) when you sign up today! No credit card required to sign up.</p><p></p>"},"title":{"html":"<p><strong>Online Yoga Sessions –  </strong><u><strong>Live &amp; Interactive</strong></u></p><p><strong>for Lymphatic Drainage &amp; Boosting Your Immune System!</strong></p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl2vqlpyfe3yh0biohgxyx2hg","name":"[CTA-LEAD]","description":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>Lead Form</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"},{"id":"cl4gnwnrlga640ck37gutx7sn","name":"[CTA-GC]","description":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"title":{"html":"<p>CTA-GC</p>"},"linkText":"Start Free Trial","linkUrl":"https://www.myyogateacher.com/signup"}],"post":{"id":"ckmw44kt43y1k0c8107r78vo7","slug":"chair-yoga-practice","author":{"name":"Gourangi","teacherMytSlug":"gourangi-1","pictureUrl":"Gourangi-1.jpg"},"title":"Chair Yoga: Accessible, Gentle and Great for Every Body","createdAt":"2021-03-30T14:25:43.568064+00:00","updatedAt":"2022-08-01T06:37:00.305183+00:00","coverUrl":"chair_yoga_ckmw44kt43y1k0c8107r78vo7.png","seoDescription":"Did you know chair yoga is a thing? Chair yoga is perfect for people who need assistance or modifications for many yoga poses. ","content":{"text":"If you have mobility or balance issues or are just looking for a gentle way to practice yoga, chair yoga poses might be just what you're looking for! Chair yoga is a great way to bring yoga into your life even if you need a bit more support for your body in your practice. In this article, I'm going to share more information about what chair yoga is, its benefits, contraindications, and wrap up with some real life chair yoga poses to get you started with chair yoga.\\n\\n[CTA-DEFAULT]\\nWhat Is Chair Yoga?\\nChair yoga is an accessible form of yoga in which practitioners use a chair to support their bodies in various modified poses. It's a wonderful practice for anyone regardless of age, injuries, flexibility, or mobility issues.\\n\\nIn chair yoga, many yoga postures, asanas, are done from a seated position, bringing stability to the body. Many chair yoga poses simply require the chair as a prop to help with balance in standing postures or floor-based postures.\\n\\nChair Yoga Benefits\\nChair yoga is a gentle type of yoga, and just like other types of yoga, there are several benefits to a chair yoga practice:\\nImproved strength, balance, and flexibility\\nReduced stress\\nImproved focus, awareness, and confidence\\nLess physical pain\\nChair Yoga Contraindications\\nWhile chair yoga poses are gentle, there are still some contraindications or limiting factors that might keep you from participating in a chair yoga practice. Even though there are many benefits of chair yoga, ultimately, you should consult your physician if you're unsure whether you should be participating in chair yoga. Here are a few reasons you may not want to practice chair yoga:\\nRecent heart attack\\nRegular chest pains\\nAcute infection\\nIf you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, joint problems, or have had a hip replacement, please contact your doctor for approval.\\n\\n7 Chair Yoga Poses\\nThere are a number of yoga poses that can be done seated or using a chair. Some of the poses we're including here will be greatly modified from their original form, but others are just slight modifications. Before you get started, make sure your chair (a sturdy chair with a back) is on a stable, non-slip surface so it doesn't move around with you.\\n\\n1. Seated Mountain Pose\\nMountain Pose is a great chair yoga pose to start with. Take a seat on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and engage your core. Focus on your breath, taking a deep breath in as you lengthen your spine. On the exhale, ground yourself into the chair through your sit bones. Make sure the shoulders are rolled down and back and relax your arms at your sides. Stay here, focusing on your breathing and keeping your core gently engaged for a minute or so.\\n\\n2. Seated Cat-Cow Pose\\nSit in your chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your spine long and tall. Place your hands on your thighs, just above your knees. Inhale and tilt your pelvis forward, arching your lower back and lifting your heart towards the sky. On the exhale, round out your lower back, creating space between your shoulder blades and tucking your chin toward the chest. Repeat this sequence five times.\\n\\n3. Seated Chandrasana\\nChandrasana is a lateral bend that will help stretch the sides of your body. Start from a seated position in your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. On the inhale, reach both of your arms up toward the ceiling. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and stretch over to the right on the exhale. Inhale and come back to center. Next, grab your right wrist with your left hand and stretch over to the left on the exhale. Inhale back to center. Repeat this sequence five times.\\n\\n4. Seated Uttanasana\\nUttanasana is a forward fold that lengthens the back of the body. If you have high blood pressure, do not let your head drop below your knees.\\n\\nFrom a seated position, bring your hands to your thighs, just above your knees. Keep your bottom grounded on your chair and fold forward until you can rest your elbows on your thighs. If you'd like, you can fold forward until your torso is resting on your thighs. Rest in this pose for about a minute and return to an upright seated position slowly.\\n\\n5. Seated Twist\\nTwists are great for creating space in your spine, improving blood flow, and aiding with digestion. From a seated position, inhale and sit up tall. On the exhale, bring your right hand across your left knee and your left hand behind you on the chair. Stay here for five breaths before inhaling back to the center and repeating on the other side.\\n\\nIt's important to be gentle with your body in seated twists. Many people find it a lot easier to overdo these stretches so don't go as far as you possibly can, just go to where the twist feels comfortable.\\n\\n6. Down Dog with Chair\\nDown dog is an excellent pose for strengthening your arms and core, lengthening the sides of your body and hamstrings, and building up your hip stabilizing muscles. Here we're going to use the chair as a prop.\\n\\nStand behind your chair with your hands on the back of it. Walk your feet a little farther from the chair, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Your torso will begin to fold forward. Find a challenging position where you can still maintain even breaths and stay here for 5–10 breaths before slowly walking your feet back toward the chair.\\n\\n7. Chair Surya Namaskar (Chair Sun Salutation)\\n\\nYes, you can even do a sun salutation from a chair! No matter whether you’re doing chair yoga because of mobility issues, disabilities, or just need a break while seated at your desk, a seated sun salutation is a wonderful option.\\n\\nSit on your chair with your feet close together and join the palms together at your heart, namaste. Extend the spine and torso upwards while keeping your sit bones grounded on the chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Stay here for at least six breaths.\\n\\nInhale, raising your arms above your head, keeping your palms together. Extend your arms beyond your head and shoulders and exhale completely, taking the gaze either up to the sky or straight in front of you. Stay here for four breaths.\\n\\nFrom here, exhale and bend forward at the hips, taking your hands down to the floor if you can and resting your torso on your thighs. Stay here for four breaths. If you have trouble breathing in this pose, feel free to place a cushion on your thighs.\\n\\nNow, inhale and come up, sitting straight up on your chair. Exhale. On the next inhale, raise your right leg up and hold the right thigh, bending your knee into your chest for a low lunge variation. Stay here for six breaths or more. If it feels nice, you can deepen this stretch, resting your nose on the knee of your bent leg, and hold the pose for another six breaths. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.\\n\\nOn the next inhale, raise your arms up over your head again, slightly arching your back, and stay here for six breaths. Once again, move into a forward fold and stay here for four breaths before repeating the low lunge variation on your other leg. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.\\n\\nInhale, raising your arms up over your head, arching your back, and stay in this pose for eight breaths this time. Exhale into a forward fold and stand for eight breaths. Bring your arms up over your head again, stretching deeper, and stay here for 10 breaths.\\n\\nRepeat the sun salutation sequence at least one more time. If you'd like, you can end your practice in Savasana with your legs bent and your lower legs resting on the seat of the chair.\\n\\nIncrease Strength, Flexibility, and Mental Focus With Chair Yoga\\nOne of the biggest chair yoga benefits is that it consists of modified poses that are done while seated or using a chair as a prop for support and stability. This type of yoga has many of the same benefits as other more traditional types of yoga and is the perfect option for people with mobility issues, injuries, or other health concerns.\\n\\nInterested in trying chair yoga? \\nSign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher\\n and join me in my next class! You'll get access to more than 35 live yoga classes every single day, from chair yoga to power yoga to meditation and beyond.","html":"<p>If you have mobility or balance issues or are just looking for a gentle way to practice yoga, chair yoga poses might be just what you&#39;re looking for! Chair yoga is a great way to bring yoga into your life even if you need a bit more support for your body in your practice. In this article, I&#39;m going to share more information about what chair yoga is, its benefits, contraindications, and wrap up with some real life chair yoga poses to get you started with chair yoga.</p><p></p><p>[CTA-DEFAULT]</p><h3>What Is Chair Yoga?</h3><p>Chair yoga is an accessible form of yoga in which practitioners use a chair to support their bodies in various modified poses. It&#39;s a wonderful practice for anyone regardless of age, injuries, flexibility, or mobility issues.</p><p></p><p>In chair yoga, many yoga postures, asanas, are done from a seated position, bringing stability to the body. Many chair yoga poses simply require the chair as a prop to help with balance in standing postures or floor-based postures.</p><p></p><h3>Chair Yoga Benefits</h3><p>Chair yoga is a gentle type of yoga, and just like other types of yoga, there are several benefits to a chair yoga practice:</p><ul><li><div>Improved strength, balance, and flexibility</div></li><li><div>Reduced stress</div></li><li><div>Improved focus, awareness, and confidence</div></li><li><div>Less physical pain</div></li></ul><h3>Chair Yoga Contraindications</h3><p>While chair yoga poses are gentle, there are still some contraindications or limiting factors that might keep you from participating in a chair yoga practice. Even though there are many benefits of chair yoga, ultimately, you should consult your physician if you&#39;re unsure whether you should be participating in chair yoga. Here are a few reasons you may not want to practice chair yoga:</p><ul><li><div>Recent heart attack</div></li><li><div>Regular chest pains</div></li><li><div>Acute infection</div></li></ul><p>If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, arthritis, joint problems, or have had a hip replacement, please contact your doctor for approval.</p><p></p><h2>7 Chair Yoga Poses</h2><p>There are a number of yoga poses that can be done seated or using a chair. Some of the poses we&#39;re including here will be greatly modified from their original form, but others are just slight modifications. Before you get started, make sure your chair (a sturdy chair with a back) is on a stable, non-slip surface so it doesn&#39;t move around with you.</p><p></p><h3>1. Seated Mountain Pose</h3><p>Mountain Pose is a great chair yoga pose to start with. Take a seat on your chair with your feet flat on the floor and engage your core. Focus on your breath, taking a deep breath in as you lengthen your spine. On the exhale, ground yourself into the chair through your sit bones. Make sure the shoulders are rolled down and back and relax your arms at your sides. Stay here, focusing on your breathing and keeping your core gently engaged for a minute or so.</p><p></p><h3>2. Seated Cat-Cow Pose</h3><p>Sit in your chair with your feet firmly on the ground and your spine long and tall. Place your hands on your thighs, just above your knees. Inhale and tilt your pelvis forward, arching your lower back and lifting your heart towards the sky. On the exhale, round out your lower back, creating space between your shoulder blades and tucking your chin toward the chest. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>3. Seated Chandrasana</h3><p>Chandrasana is a lateral bend that will help stretch the sides of your body. Start from a seated position in your chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. On the inhale, reach both of your arms up toward the ceiling. Grab your left wrist with your right hand and stretch over to the right on the exhale. Inhale and come back to center. Next, grab your right wrist with your left hand and stretch over to the left on the exhale. Inhale back to center. Repeat this sequence five times.</p><p></p><h3>4. Seated Uttanasana</h3><p>Uttanasana is a forward fold that lengthens the back of the body. If you have high blood pressure, do not let your head drop below your knees.</p><p></p><p>From a seated position, bring your hands to your thighs, just above your knees. Keep your bottom grounded on your chair and fold forward until you can rest your elbows on your thighs. If you&#39;d like, you can fold forward until your torso is resting on your thighs. Rest in this pose for about a minute and return to an upright seated position slowly.</p><p></p><h3>5. Seated Twist</h3><p>Twists are great for creating space in your spine, improving blood flow, and aiding with digestion. From a seated position, inhale and sit up tall. On the exhale, bring your right hand across your left knee and your left hand behind you on the chair. Stay here for five breaths before inhaling back to the center and repeating on the other side.</p><p></p><p>It&#39;s important to be gentle with your body in seated twists. Many people find it a lot easier to overdo these stretches so don&#39;t go as far as you possibly can, just go to where the twist feels comfortable.</p><p></p><h3>6. Down Dog with Chair</h3><p>Down dog is an excellent pose for strengthening your arms and core, lengthening the sides of your body and hamstrings, and building up your hip stabilizing muscles. Here we&#39;re going to use the chair as a prop.</p><p></p><p>Stand behind your chair with your hands on the back of it. Walk your feet a little farther from the chair, keeping your feet hip-distance apart. Your torso will begin to fold forward. Find a challenging position where you can still maintain even breaths and stay here for 5–10 breaths before slowly walking your feet back toward the chair.</p><p></p><h3>7. Chair Surya Namaskar (Chair Sun Salutation)</h3><video controls width=\"undefined\" height=\"undefined\">\n          <source src=\"https://media.graphcms.com/PrNUbgmdRQ25roXak2r3\" type=\"video/mp4\" title=\"seated sun salutation.mp4\" />\n          Sorry, your browser doesn't support embedded videos.\n        </video><p>Yes, you can even do a sun salutation from a chair! No matter whether you’re doing chair yoga because of mobility issues, disabilities, or just need a break while seated at your desk, a seated sun salutation is a wonderful option.</p><p></p><p>Sit on your chair with your feet close together and join the palms together at your heart, namaste. Extend the spine and torso upwards while keeping your sit bones grounded on the chair. Close your eyes and begin breathing slowly and deeply. Stay here for at least six breaths.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms above your head, keeping your palms together. Extend your arms beyond your head and shoulders and exhale completely, taking the gaze either up to the sky or straight in front of you. Stay here for four breaths.</p><p></p><p>From here, exhale and bend forward at the hips, taking your hands down to the floor if you can and resting your torso on your thighs. Stay here for four breaths. If you have trouble breathing in this pose, feel free to place a cushion on your thighs.</p><p></p><p>Now, inhale and come up, sitting straight up on your chair. Exhale. On the next inhale, raise your right leg up and hold the right thigh, bending your knee into your chest for a low lunge variation. Stay here for six breaths or more. If it feels nice, you can deepen this stretch, resting your nose on the knee of your bent leg, and hold the pose for another six breaths. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>On the next inhale, raise your arms up over your head again, slightly arching your back, and stay here for six breaths. Once again, move into a forward fold and stay here for four breaths before repeating the low lunge variation on your other leg. Exhale your foot back down to the floor.</p><p></p><p>Inhale, raising your arms up over your head, arching your back, and stay in this pose for eight breaths this time. Exhale into a forward fold and stand for eight breaths. Bring your arms up over your head again, stretching deeper, and stay here for 10 breaths.</p><p></p><p>Repeat the sun salutation sequence at least one more time. If you&#39;d like, you can end your practice in Savasana with your legs bent and your lower legs resting on the seat of the chair.</p><p></p><h3>Increase Strength, Flexibility, and Mental Focus With Chair Yoga</h3><p>One of the biggest chair yoga benefits is that it consists of modified poses that are done while seated or using a chair as a prop for support and stability. This type of yoga has many of the same benefits as other more traditional types of yoga and is the perfect option for people with mobility issues, injuries, or other health concerns.</p><p></p><p>Interested in trying chair yoga? <a title=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\" href=\"https://www.myyogateacher.com/free-yoga-classes.html\">Sign up for a free two-week trial of myYogaTeacher</a> and join me in my next class! You&#39;ll get access to more than 35 live yoga classes every single day, from chair yoga to power yoga to meditation and beyond.</p>"},"category":["fitness","yoga_poses"],"utmCampaign":null,"utmMedium":null,"utmContent":null,"utmSource":null,"utmTerm":null,"utmSearchString":null,"imageHyperlink":[]},"recommendations_group_class":[{"session_uuid":"0aa5980f-068e-4b76-b639-534300f84dd5","student_uuid":"966c283b-9897-4a22-8d52-fc5514f37415","teacher_uuid":"b7a7a820-94e1-4e2d-be39-5f76419c1598","teacher_name":"Anuj Poonia","teacher_first_name":"Anuj","teacher_slug":"anuj-1","teacher_photo":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dgerdfai4/image/upload/v1589802902/teacher/photos/uthrp4fnf8brrqa9xqv7.jpg","group_session_name":"Chair Yoga","group_session_description":"Sometimes life calls for a gentler practice or you are at a desk and need some healthy movement! If you are experiencing limited mobility, chair yoga is slow practice using a chair to lengthen and move the spine. 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