Simple Yoga Chair Poses At Work

Chair poses (or chair exercises) are perfect when you want to fit in a bit of yoga practice while sitting at your desk at work. They are also ideal for seniors and people with limited mobility. One of the greatest benefits of performing the chair poses is that they will help release tension, re- energize, and increase flexibility in your body.

Seated Mountain Pose

This pose is the initiating pose for the other chair poses.Seated mountain pose aids you in focusing on the seated posture and improves the alignment of spine.

This is the calming pose, which makes you aware of your breath and is ideal for meditation.How it is to be done:

• Sitting in your chair, your lower body below waist should be stable and grounded while the upper half is relaxed but stable. You can put a prop under your feet like a small stool or a stack of books; make sure that your knees are not higher than your hips and thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Interlace your fingers and turn the wrists with palms facing out and inhale as you stretch with the arms overhead followed by exhaling, bringing the head toward the ceiling and relaxing your shoulder blades down and back.

Chair Hip Stretch
How it is to be done – Sitting in the chair

1. Start with seated mountain pose.

2. Lift your right ankle and place it on your right knee.

3. Put your hand on right leg, just above the right knee.

4. Inhale as you ease the press on your knee

5. Exhale as you press your right knee towards the floor.

6. Press and release your knee three times and then return to the seated mountain pose.

7. You can repeat the steps 2 to 6 times on your other side.

Benefits to body - Basically it can be beneficial to people who are in sitting jobs. It helps in increasing the flexibility of your body. It opens and stretches the hips.
Precautions - In case you have problem with hipbone or knees you should avoid practicing it.

Seated Knee to Chest Pose
How it is to be done – Sitting in a chair.

1. Start with seated mountain pose.

2. Interlock your fingers under your right thigh.

3. Press your sitting bones into the chair and let the crown of your head point straight towards top.

4. Keep your shoulders in downward relaxed position.

5. Bring your right knee towards the chest.

6. Inhale as you arch your back and raise your head upwards. Keep the back of the neck long.

7. You can maintain the pose for 15 to 30 seconds and exhale while coming to seated mountain pose.

8. You can repeat the steps 2 to 7 with your other side.

Benefits to body – It stretches your hips and thighs, strengthens the back and opens the chest. When you bring your knee towards the chest, abdomen area is stimulated, which improves digestion and elimination. Basically it can be beneficial to people who are in sitting jobs.
Precautions - Problem with hips or lower back and in case of spinal injury.
Chair forward bend Pose
How it is to be done – Sitting in a chair.

1. Start with seated mountain pose.

2. Keep inhaling as you raise your arms above your head and lengthen your spine. Palms should be shoulder width apart and face each other. Shoulders should be relaxed down and back.

3. Exhale as you bend forward from your hips keeping your arms stretched. Your upper arms should be close to your ears.

4. Move your pelvis forward and down, which will lengthen your spine. Your head neck and spine should be linear.

5. Let your neck and shoulders be relaxed and permit your head and arms to reach towards the floor.

6. Maintain yourself in the pose for 5 seconds to 1 minute and breathe through the entire body. Release into the pose while exhaling.

7. To come out of the pose, bring your upper arms beside the ears.

8. Press your feet into the floor and the sitting bones into the chair.

9. While inhaling, go t the sitting position, while keeping the back flat.

10. Bring your arms to your sides and exhaling at the same time.

Benefits to body- Relieves the tension in the head, neck and shoulders. Stretches the back of the body and stimulates abdomen, thereby improving digestion. Rejuvenates the body if you are tired or ill.
Other benefits - Soothes the nervous system and frees the mind of stress. You will find it useful if you have a desk job.
Precautions - Avoid if you have high blood pressure or headache.

Chair Twist Pose
How it is to be done – Sitting in the chair.

1. Start with seated mountain pose and gently turn such that the right side of your body faces the back of your chair.

2. Hold the sides of the back of the chair, keeping both your hands on the shoulder level. Ensure your hips and torso face forward along with the shoulders relaxed and down.

3. While inhaling, exert pressure on the sitting bones. The crown of the head should point upwards.

4. Hold the pose for 30 seconds to1 minute and then return to the Seated mountain pose.

5. Repeat the steps 1 to 4 to your left side.

Modification to the above exercise: Start with seated mountain pose, Sit with your right knee over left thigh. Now keep your left hand in such a way that it is on outside of your right knee. Inhale as you lift your chest making your spine lengthen. Keep exhaling as you twist by your upper body towards right and look at your right shoulder, now simply twist and release your upper body 3 to 5 times. You can repeat the same for your other side.
Benefits to body- Chair twist helps in increasing the flexibility of spine and back, while stretching the shoulders and chest. Alleviate the stiffness of neck, shoulders and upper back. It gives a good massage to the abdominals, thus aiding digestion.
Precautions - Avoid if you have slipped discs in the back.