Chair Yoga for You: A Practical Guide (3 page)

2. FLOWING AIRPLANE

Inhaling, reach your arms overhead. Exhale as you bring your chest forward toward your thighs, stretching your arms back behind you, parallel to the floor.

3. FLOWING SPINAL TWIST

Starting with your hands at your sides, inhale as you raise your arms overhead. Exhale as you turn to the right. Drop your left hand outside your right knee and hold the back of the chair by the seat with your right hand. Inhale as you raise your arms overhead and repeat on the left side.

4. CIRCLING ARMS

Place your hands together at your heart center. Circle your arms out to your sides and overhead, bringing palms back together. Exhale as you lower your arms down to your heart center. After repeating three times, reverse directions.

Starting at your heart center, inhale as you raise your arms overhead, and then exhale as you circle down, bringing your hands to your heart center again. Repeat three times.

UPPER BODY

5. SHOULDER SHRUGS

Inhale as you lift your shoulders up high toward your ears. Exhale and drop your shoulders as low as you can.

6. SHOULDER ROLLS

Breathe comfortably as you roll your shoulders in three circles forward and then in three circles backward.

7. SHOULDER RELEASE

Inhale and place your fingertips on your shoulders. Exhale and touch your elbows together in front of your body. Inhale and pull your elbows back as far as you can comfortably.

8. SIDE-TO-SIDE NECK WARM-UP

Inhale and turn your head to the right (as if trying to look over your shoulder). Exhale and turn your head back to center. Inhale and turn your head to the left. Exhale and turn your head back to center.

9. TURTLE NECK

Sitting tall, move your head straight forward, keeping your chin parallel to the floor. Then move your head back, centering it over the spine.

10. NECK PENDULUM

Inhale and sit up as tall as you can. Exhaling, gently drop your chin to your chest. Inhaling, roll your right ear to your right shoulder. Exhaling, drop your chin to your chest. Inhaling, roll your left ear to your left shoulder. Exhaling, drop your chin to your chest. Inhale and come back to center.

11. HALF MOON

Bring your arms overhead with your palms together. Inhale, stretch, and reach up as tall as you can. Exhale as you bend gently to the right. Inhale, stretch, and reach up tall. Exhale as you bend gently to the left. Inhale as you stretch tall again.

LOWER BODY

12. KNEE LIFTS

Sit tall with your hands at your side. Inhale and lift your right knee up. Exhale and lower your leg. Repeat four times and then switch to your left leg.

13. KNEE CROSS AND ROTATE

Inhale and lift your right knee up. Exhale and cross your right knee over your left leg. Inhale and lift your right knee back up. Exhale and uncross the knee, putting your foot down. Repeat four times and then switch to your left leg.

Inhale and lift your right knee up. Exhale, rotating your lifted knee to your right side. Inhale, moving your knee back to center and exhale your leg down. Repeat four times and then switch to your left leg.

14. KNEE TO CHEST

Inhale your right knee to your chest and place your foot in the chair or hold your shin with your hands. Exhale. Inhale your chin to the ceiling. Exhale your chin to your chest. Breathe into your lower back, and then breathe into your middle back. Inhale into your shoulder blades, and exhale down your arms. Inhale your chin to the ceiling. Exhale as you lower your leg and relax your body. Repeat with your left leg.

15. LEG EXTENSIONS

Inhale and lift one knee high, and then straighten your leg. Exhale and bend your knee, and then lower your foot to the floor. Repeat three to six times on each leg.

16. ANKLE ROTATIONS

Inhale both feet up until your legs are straight. Rotate your feet several times, and then reverse the rotation. Point and flex your feet several times. With your feet flexed, touch your toes together as your heels splay out, and then touch your heels together as your toes splay out. Repeat several times. End with several flutter kicks.