Three beginner yoga moves you can do seated
Sit back, relax … reap the rewards!
Feeling stressed today at home, school or at the office? Are you spending more time during 2020 sitting in front of a screen studying, working or streaming your favourite shows? If you’ve answered yes to one or both questions, you’re not alone. COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. It’s natural to be anxious under these circumstances. But guess what? You can start to feel better today, and you don’t even have to get up out of your seat to start noticing some big benefits.
Seated yoga is a new trend that’s not strenuous or complicated. There are many types of gentle yet highly effective yoga movements that you can do, right from where you’re reading this blog.
Seated yoga is great for Nova Scotians with limited mobility, balance issues or intellectual disabilities. Whether you use a wheelchair, work at a desk, are seated for hours or are a yoga newbie, seated yoga is a great way to add more movement into your day, whenever you feel like it. Another bonus? Seated yoga also helps us to relieve anxiety. Taking time for some self-care during 2020 is more important than ever.
One Halifax yoga studio has launched a free, online video series that’s a helpful tool for people across ages and ability levels.
Free for all – literally
“We didn’t want people to have to pay for classes because we realize money is a barrier to making something accessible,” says Brian Stever, co-founder of Blissability Yoga. A former competitive sprint canoer, Mr. Stever studied the ancient art when he travelled in 2013 to yoga’s birthplace in northern India.
The idea that small actions can create a large impact is part of Blissability Yoga’s vision. Mr. Stever uses that philosophy in the video series he co-hosts on YouTube.
Gratitude attitude
Experts agree that moving more (even while seated) is better for us than sitting for hours at a time not moving at all. Let’s face it, we feel better when we’re more active. Little bouts of movement over the course of 24-hours help boost our physical and mental well-being.
Mr. Stever says yoga also helps us connect with gratitude. Research reveals a gratitude practice at work or home can help build resiliency, which aids mental and physical well-being.
“It’s about mindfulness and being grateful for what you have in your life,” he says. “Yes, connecting with your physical body is a big part of it, but I also want to place emphasis on the gratitude aspect of it.”
Let’s face it, we need as many proactive tools as possible in our collective wellness toolbox during 2020. “It’s not about being competitive. It’s about trying to better yourself, whatever your ability level,” Mr. Stever says.
Strength in numbers
Mr. Stever started teaching yoga though Special Olympics Halifax and Building Futures, an organization in Lower Sackville, N.S. that supports people with intellectual disabilities. He also taught yoga with the fully accessible Abilities in Motion (AIM) program offered by YMCA of Greater Halifax/Dartmouth.
Before the pandemic, he held a weekly class through AIM at a Halifax hospital. “When COVID happened, we didn’t want people to fall through the cracks, but we couldn’t gather the same way for safety reasons. So we decided to record the classes and put them online.”
Just breathe
Okay, you’re interested. Good. But where to start? Deep breath. Okay, guess what? You’re already at the starting point. You’re on your way!
Can it really be as easy as simply breathing? Well, breathing exercise is a big component of yoga.
“For someone who maybe intimidated by the physical postures, breathing is a really great place to start,” Mr. Stever says. “We talk about connecting with the breath and then feeling that breath expand and contract through your body.”
Let’s face it, we feel better when we take a big deep breath, hold it for few seconds and then slowly release it. It’s calming.
Here are five beginner breathing techniques you can do while seated.
Nine step chair yoga move
Mr. Stever has developed a chair yoga sequence that’s adaptable and accessible. It works the arms, shoulders and core:
Breathe in
Stretch your arms up above your head (move them up as your breathe in)
Hold your arms in the air for a few seconds
Stretch your fingertips to the ceiling
Exhale as you bring your arms back down
Repeat this two to three times to warm up your upper body
Start to hold your arms a little longer above your head, maybe for 10 to 20 seconds longer
Don’t forget to breathe in as you lift up
Exhale as you bring your arms back down
“Challenge yourself in the holding,” says Mr. Stever. “Your arms, in body weight, are heavier than you think. People believe they need to use weights to develop strength, but that’s not true.”
Superman pose
Here is a third seated move Mr. Stever playfully named himself:
Raise your arms in front of you so they’re stretching forward horizontally
Point your fingertips toward the front of the room
Turn your palms up to the ceiling
Using your elbow as a hinge, bring your fingertips back toward your shoulder blade
Repeat a number of times
Work at doing more repetitions over time
Remember to move your arms forward and back with your breath
Breathe in as you stretch out
Exhale as you bend back
Stress antidote
“Yoga also lifts anxiety or the weight of the world off your shoulders; it washes concerns away,” Mr. Stever says.
Stress management is something we can all use more of in 2020. So, grab your tablet, smartphone or laptop, click on a free yoga video and start moving – right from where you’re sitting.
Don’t forget to breathe!
Disclaimer: please note that the above should not be considered as medical advice, nor has it been endorsed by a medical professional. Anytime you start a new wellness regime, having a conversation with your family physician is always the best place to start.