Yoga is a great way to put in exercise, calm the body, mind and soul for people of all ages. It allows the body to become flexible and you to become familiar with its functioning too.
For senior citizens just starting off with yoga, it might be a little difficult to adapt to the flexibility considering the age. Is there a solution to this?
Yes, there is! Elders, people with certain injuries and inflexibility can also enjoy all the benefits of yoga by practicing from a chair.
Practising yoga can be more beneficial than you think, especially for elders. Their brains are tuned to be more aware of their surroundings which help them absorb the complete purpose of the exercise.
What is chair yoga and why is chair yoga for seniors beneficial?
Chair yoga is the practice of yoga positions while sitting on a chair. This is most suited for:
- Elderly people
- People with balance issues
- People who are new to yoga and want to start slow
- People who think this might feel more comfortable
Things to keep in mind before starting off with chair yoga.
- You will need a sturdy and stable chair
- The chair must not have wheels attached to it
Chair yoga for seniors not only gives you the benefits of yoga-like pain, fatigue and stress relief but also helps people with age and condition-specific issues like arthritis, menopause and vertigo.
Start off each pose by sitting firmly on the chair and in a stable position. After this, you can follow one of these many poses to help you kick off chair yoga for seniors.
1. Tadasana or seated mountain pose
This is great chair yoga for seniors with spine issues. This pose engages your core completely and relaxes the body if done before meditation.
How to do it?
- Sit straight and take a deep breath focusing on your spine.
- As you exhale, push your weight onto the spine while sitting straight.
- Keep your legs at 90-degree angles with knees directly over the ankles.
- Take a deep breath and as you breathe out, suck your belly button towards the spine, bring your shoulders down your back and relax them on either sides.
- Lift your toes and press firmly on all corners of your feet.
- Hold for a couple of seconds, relax and continue for a few more cycles.
2. Garudasana or eagle arms pose
This pose helps in relaxing your shoulders and upper back. It also helps you flex and release tension in your shoulder joints by squeezing them together.
How to do it?
- Take a deep breath and stretch your arms out to the sides.
- As you breathe out, bring your arms in front of you, criss-crossing each other and touch your shoulders with opposite hands, similar to giving yourself a hug.
- If you have more flexibility, try wrapping your forearms around each other until your right fingers and left fingers to join each other.
- Exhale and bring your hands slightly higher.
- Hold this position, exhale and repeat for a few cycles.
3. Paschimottasana or seated forward bend pose
This pose aids digestion by massaging the intestines and relaxes back muscles. It calms the brain and helps in relieving symptoms of menstrual discomfort & menopause.
How to do it?
- Inhale deeply in a seated mountain pose.
- Rest your hands on your thighs and slowly bring them down to your knees, bending forward.
- Rest your torso on your thighs and hold for a couple of minutes.
- Inhale as you lift your torso, relax and repeat for a few more cycles.
4. Reverse arm hold
This posture clears the body of fatigue, stress and releases shoulder difficulties. This pose helps open up your chest giving you a sense of relief.
How to do it?
- Sit straight, inhale and bring your arms to your sides.
- As you exhale, bend your elbows behind your back and clasp them.
- They should be in such a way that your hands wrap around the opposite forms firmly and not too tight.
- Take 5 long breaths, relax and repeat for a few more cycles.
5. Parivrtta sukhasana or simple seat twists
This chair yoga pose for seniors is also called as the ‘detox’ pose and helps in blood circulation and aids in digestion.
How to do it?
- Sit straight, exhale and as you exhale bring your arms to the side of your body.
- Gently twist your body to the right, keeping your posture straight. Hold for a few seconds and focus on your breathing.
- Look over your right shoulder, twisting your neck too.
- Repeat the same in the opposite direction.
- Come back to the original position, relax your arms and repeat again for a few cycles.
These are some of the easiest and most effective chair yoga poses for seniors aiding in increasing their flexibly, releasing stress and aiding indigestion.
Did you know that at The Chennai Homes, our seniors also take part in regular yoga sessions that they do as a group. This encourages them to put in the exercise, calm their mind and at the same time have a great social life. Would you like to know more about the activities at our beautiful retirement community or would simply like to know more about us in general? Write to us or call us today and our executive will get in touch with you immediately! Hope you practise these chair yoga poses at home and get the goodness of it. Let us know your thoughts about the same. Happy yoga time!
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