Chair Yoga
Encyclopedia
Chair yoga is the term generally used to describe a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting in a chair, or standing using a chair for support. It is not recognized formally as a type of yoga distinct from other types, such as Iyengar Yoga
or Ashtanga yoga. However the poses, or Asanas, are often adaptations of Hatha yoga
poses.
Frequently the chair yoga student is unable to participate in a traditional yoga class due to the effects of aging or disabilities. Chair yoga classes are sometimes made available at senior fitness centers, retirement facilities, and adult daycare center
s.
Chair yoga is usually taught as a way to achieve physical and mental fitness, not as a way of life, as are most other yoga classes in the Western world
.
Most people in chair yoga classes have health issues, and many are there because a health care professional that knows about their problems recommended it. A good chair yoga teacher will ask about, and be aware of any limitations the student might have. Chair yoga has helped people with the symptoms of many health issues including: hypertension
(high blood pressure), anxiety
, chronic fatigue syndrome
, arthritis
, vertigo (medical)
, multiple sclerosis
, carpal tunnel syndrome
, clinical depression
, and chronic pain
.
Chair Yoga is one of the gentlest forms of yoga available. Complicated maneuvers and complex movements are not present in a chair yoga class. Within this type of yoga class, you can cover standing, seated, and prone postures. Most of these classes use the chair only, due to the difficulty of getting down or up off the floor.
Chair Yoga classes are often seen in senior centers, people with assisted living lifestyles, nursing homes, adult day care centers, and physical rehabilitation units. Clients can learn many kinds of yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and ways of relaxation, with the aid of a chair.
Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar Yoga, created by B. K. S. Iyengar, is a form of Hatha Yoga known for its use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asanas . The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible...
or Ashtanga yoga. However the poses, or Asanas, are often adaptations of Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga
Hatha yoga , also called hatha vidya , is a system of yoga introduced by Yogi Swatmarama, a Hindu sage of 15th century India, and compiler of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika....
poses.
Frequently the chair yoga student is unable to participate in a traditional yoga class due to the effects of aging or disabilities. Chair yoga classes are sometimes made available at senior fitness centers, retirement facilities, and adult daycare center
Adult Daycare Center
An adult day care center, also commonly known as adult day services, is a non-residential facility providing activities for elderly and/or handicapped individuals. Most centers operate 10 – 12 hours per day and provide meals, social/recreational outings, and general supervision...
s.
Chair yoga is usually taught as a way to achieve physical and mental fitness, not as a way of life, as are most other yoga classes in the Western world
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
.
Most people in chair yoga classes have health issues, and many are there because a health care professional that knows about their problems recommended it. A good chair yoga teacher will ask about, and be aware of any limitations the student might have. Chair yoga has helped people with the symptoms of many health issues including: hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
(high blood pressure), anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components. The root meaning of the word anxiety is 'to vex or trouble'; in either presence or absence of psychological stress, anxiety can create feelings of fear, worry, uneasiness,...
, chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
, arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, vertigo (medical)
Vertigo (medical)
Vertigo is a type of dizziness, where there is a feeling of motion when one is stationary. The symptoms are due to a dysfunction of the vestibular system in the inner ear...
, multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
, carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an entrapment idiopathic median neuropathy, causing paresthesia, pain, and other symptoms in the distribution of the median nerve due to its compression at the wrist in the carpal tunnel. The pathophysiology is not completely understood but can be considered compression...
, clinical depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, and chronic pain
Chronic pain
Chronic pain has several different meanings in medicine. Traditionally, the distinction between acute and chronic pain has relied upon an arbitrary interval of time from onset; the two most commonly used markers being 3 months and 6 months since the initiation of pain, though some theorists and...
.
Chair Yoga is one of the gentlest forms of yoga available. Complicated maneuvers and complex movements are not present in a chair yoga class. Within this type of yoga class, you can cover standing, seated, and prone postures. Most of these classes use the chair only, due to the difficulty of getting down or up off the floor.
Chair Yoga classes are often seen in senior centers, people with assisted living lifestyles, nursing homes, adult day care centers, and physical rehabilitation units. Clients can learn many kinds of yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation, and ways of relaxation, with the aid of a chair.