5 Easy Chair Yoga Poses You Can Do Anywhere

A lot of us are still working from home, sitting all day in front of our laptops, indulging in almost no physical activity. Sitting all day long has somewhere made us all unfit and it is one big reason why many of us put on weight while working from home during this pandemic lockdown.

If you are still working from home and looking for ways you can lose those kilos then you should turn to chair yoga. Chair yoga can be performed and anywhere.

To perform chair yoga, one doesn't need a particular chair, it can be done on a regular chair. However, it is best to avoid wheeled chairs as they aren't steady. Those who are short can place a folded yoga mad under their feet to provide themselves a firm base.

Manisha Kohli, Yoga expert, Founder, Aum your wayhas shared 5 easy chair yoga poses one can do anywhere.

1 Chair Eagle – Garudasana

• Crossing your right thigh across your left thigh to get into the eagle pose.
• Now wrap your right foot as tightly as possible around your left calf.
• Cross your left arm over your right at the elbow.
• Bend your elbows and make a fist with your palms.
• Raise your elbows and pull your shoulders away from your ears.
• Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds and then release.
• Repeat on the opposite side.

Benefits -

1. It helps improve body balance.
2. Strengthens calves and ankles.
3. Chair eagle helps in stretching the upper back and shoulders.

2. Chair Pigeon - Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

• Bring your right ankle up against your left thigh, maintaining your knee as near to your ankle as possible.
• Hold the pose and take deep breaths, atleast 5 times.
• Bend forward to make the stretch more intense.
• Release and repeat with the opposite leg.

Benefits -

• Helps stretch and strengthen hamstrings, hip, ankle joint, knees.
• Chair pigeon pose is therapeutic and healing. It is a great way to get relief from sciatic nerve pain.
• It helps maintain general hip health.

3. Cat And Cow Chair Pose

• Sit straight on the chair and place your feet on the floor.
• Place your hands on your knees or the top of your thighs.
• Inhale and arc your spine, move your shoulders down and back, bringing back your shoulders together. This is the cow's position.
• Exhale and bring your chin towards the chest, making your shoulder and head move forward. This is the cat position.
• Continue moving between cat and cow position. Hold for 5 breaths.

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Benefits -

• The cat and cow pose benefits the spine.
• Performing this pose helps you relax your back and shoulders.

4. Chair Spinal Twist - Ardha Matsyendrasana

• Sit on your chair in a sideways position with your back to the left.
• Twist your torso to the left while holding on to the back of the chair to do a spinal twist.
• While inhaling, stretch your spine and twist
• on each exhale for five breaths.
• By sliding your legs around to the right side of the chair, repeat the
• twist to the right side.

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Benefits -

• Chair twists help in stretching the sides of the spine.
• It helps relieve mild back aches due to sitting for long hours.
• Twisting helps in the body's natural detoxifying process.

5. Basic Stretches

Image courtesy:Manisha Kohli/Instagram

Using the chair as a prop, stretch your arms, legs through the day. You can take small yoga stretching breaks as per your work schedule.

Through the day, give your eyes a couple of breaks from continous screen viewing.

We hope these easy chair yoga poses help you stay fit and active. For more such fitness related stories, stay tuned!