Chair Yoga for You: A Practical Guide

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Authors: Clarissa C. Adkins,Olivette Baugh Robinson,Barbara Leaf Stewart

BOOK: Chair Yoga for You: A Practical Guide
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Clarissa C. Adkins, Olivette Baugh Robinson & Barbara Leaf Stewart

Photography by Mary Davis

www.chairyogaforyou.com

Copyright © 2011 Clarissa C. Adkins, Olivette Baugh Robinson, Barbara Leaf Stewart

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 1456324500

ISBN-13: 9781456324506

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010916650

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS AND CONTRIBUTERS

Clarissa C. Adkins

Clarissa is YogaFit trained, RYT 200 (Registered Yoga Teacher), with a passion for the study of all styles of yoga, especially Ashtanga and Iyengar. Her background includes a BA in English from James Madison University (1997), teaching English in Japan, and learning yoga from her father starting at age 14. She spends time coordinating yoga classes, teaching yoga, and freelance writing. Much of her writing appears on Livestrong. com. In 2010, she celebrated her five-year anniversary as a yoga instructor. Clarissa thanks those who have inspired her on her yoga path, including Jasper C. and Verena V. Lupo, Lawrence Lupo, Jeanne Wheeler, Arlene Bjork and Olivette Robinson.

Olivette Baugh Robinson

Olivette was born in Petersburg, Virginia, in 1925. She received a MA degree in Early Childhood Education from NYU in 1953. After enjoying a long career as the director of a day care center in Brooklyn, New York, Olivette discovered yoga. In 1994, she took the month-long teacher training course to become a certified Sivananda Yoga instructor. She began teaching yoga classes and chair yoga classes in senior centers in Queens, New York. Having moved to Midlothian, Virginia, she introduced chair yoga to one of the YMCAs in 2001. Olivette continues teaching yoga, chair yoga, gentle yoga, and kids yoga at YMCAs, a retirement community, and a senior center. At age 86, she feels blessed to be able to continue teaching yoga. Olivette wishes to thank Theresa Price for teaching her yoga and chair yoga.

Barbara Leaf Stewart

Barbara has an MS in Physiology from Florida State University. During her thirty-year career in college teaching at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (Professor Emeritus), she worked on the national, regional, and local level advancing science education and teacher preparation. Her yoga practice began in 1985. Retirement gave her the opportunity to fulfill her long-term dream and complete the Teacher Training Course at the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre (RYT 200). Barbara currently teaches yoga in the Richmond, Virginia, region. She thanks her mentor Olivette Robinson, her yoga community, and her students for helping her continually deepen her yoga practice.

Herb Baugh, Model

Herb enjoyed his years as a pilot and flight instructor. At age 54, Herb became aware of the many benefits of yoga while taking yoga classes on Long Island, New York. He is pleased that he introduced his sister Olivette to yoga.

Mary Davis, Photographer

Mary’s passion is photography. After nearly ten years of photography and art experience, she began her own business as a professional photographer. She specializes in wedding and portrait photography in the Richmond, Virginia, and surrounding areas.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful for the advice, contributions, patience, and knowledge we received from family, friends, teachers and colleagues, especially the following individuals: Linda McDorman, for helping us get this project started; Mark, Katherine, Daniel, and Eric Adkins, for their continued love, patience, and support; Eric Davis, for helping us with babysitting during photo sessions; Eric, Nita, and Ashley Baugh, for their review of medical-related content; David P. Baugh, for legal advice; Kevin Stewart, for recommending CreateSpace; Demand Studios, for the generous grant and encouragement; and to our yoga students, for providing us with the inspiration to take on and complete this endeavor.

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CONTENTS

WELCOME

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

PRINCIPLES OF YOGA

PRECAUTIONS

BREATHING EXERCISES

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

COMPLETE BREATH

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING I

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING II

ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING III

HOW TO BEGIN

SITTING POSTURES

DRISHTI

BREATHING AND RELAXING

INTENTION

WARM-UP POSTURES

TORSO

1.    CAT/COW

2.    FLOWING AIRPLANE

3.    FLOWING SPINAL TWIST

4.    CIRCLING ARMS

UPPER BODY

5.    SHOULDER SHRUGS

6.    SHOULDER ROLLS

7.    SHOULDER RELEASE

8.    SIDE-TO-SIDE NECK WARM-UP

9.    TURTLE NECK

10.  NECK PENDULUM

11.  HALF MOON

LOWER BODY

12.  KNEE LIFTS

13.  KNEE CROSS AND ROTATE

14.  KNEE TO CHEST

15.  LEG EXTENSIONS

16.  ANKLE ROTATIONS

17.  TOE AND HEEL TAPPING

18.  FOOT ROTATIONS

19.  FOOT PRESSES

20.  SUN SALUTATION

ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH POSTURES

SEATED POSTURES

21.  CHAIR POSE

22.  ARM CIRCLES

23.  TRIANGLE

24.  PRAYER SQUAT FLOW

25.  ELBOW TO KNEE

26.  REVOLVED TRIANGLE

27.  WARRIOR I

28.  WARRIOR II

29.  REVERSED WARRIOR

30.  SIDE-ANGLE WARRIOR

31.  CAMEL

32.  GATE

33.  EAGLE

34.  CHEST EXPANSION

35.  SPINAL TWIST

STANDING POSTURES

36.  MOUNTAIN POSE

37.  CAT/COW

38.  ARM CIRCLES

39.  PRAYER SQUAT FLOW

40.  HALF MOON

41.  TRIANGLE

42.  REVOLVED TRIANGLE

43.  WARRIOR I

44.  WARRIOR II

45.  REVERSED WARRIOR

46.  SIDE-ANGLE WARRIOR

47.  CAMEL

48.  DOWNDOG

49.  LEG RAISE

50.  FORWARD BEND

BALANCE POSTURES

51.  BALANCE ON TOES

52.  FLAMINGO

53.  KNEE LIFTS

54.  KNEE TO CHEST

55.  KNEE UP TWIST

56.  TREE

57.  DANCER’S POSE

58.  DANCER WITH HALF BOW

59.  WARRIOR III

60.  CHAIR SQUAT

61.  CHAIR SQUAT ON ONE LEG

COOL-DOWN POSTURES

62.  BACK OF SHOULDER STRETCH

63.  MIDDLE OF BACK STETCH

64.  ROCK THE BABY

65.  PIGEON

66.  HAMSTRING STRETCH

67.  INNER THIGH STRETCH

68.  WRIST RELEASE

69.  FACIAL RELEASE

70.  LION POSE

71.  SEATED FORWARD BEND

FINGER EXERCISES

72.  FINGER FLEX

73.  FINGER SQUEEZE

74.  FINGER STRETCHES

75.  PULL AND TWIST

76.  JOINING

77.  PARTING

78.  THUMB TO FINGERS

FOOT AND TOE EXERCISES

79.  PULL AND TWIST

80.  MASSAGE

81.  CLASP

EYE EXERCISES

82.  UP-DOWN RIGHT-LEFT

83.  DIAGONAL RIGHT-LEFT

84.  AROUND THE CLOCK

85.  FINGER GAZE

86.  COVERED EYES

FINAL RELAXATION AND MEDITATION

PREPARING TO RELAX

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