Chair Yoga for Seniors: Modifications and Variations for All Abilities
Ranfurly Hospital General Interest
Chair yoga is a form of yoga that has been specially modified to be achievable for those with mobility issues. As a result, it’s great for seniors, particularly those over 80 who may struggle with standing for the long periods of time required in regular yoga.
The concept here is to use a chair as a support, so you are sitting the entire time while exercising. You can do modified poses, meaning that you are at a lower risk of falling, but still getting all the benefits of a good workout.
What is Chair Yoga?
Chair yoga was originally designed as simple modifications on regular yoga poses, but came into popularity when people realised that they could do them without getting up and moving around.
Because chair yoga is adapted from regular yoga, it still has all the same basic principles. The key to yoga is slow, methodical movement timed with breathing, helping to stretch out your muscles and joints to increase strength, flexibility, and give a sense of calm and emotional stability.
Each pose can be explained to you by a yogi, and it is best to practise chair yoga in the presence of someone else. This is just in case you do have an accident, as when starting out a new exercise it can be difficult to find your limits. If you can’t make it into a local class in person, make sure to have someone who knows you are doing a new exercise, and check in with them regularly, or use a fall alarm.
Physical Benefits
Chair yoga is less challenging than traditional yoga, but, any movement helps, and it is certainly effective in those who can’t do traditional yoga.
Chair yoga has a focus on breathing through a stretch, and increasing strength and flexibility. This means it is great for joint health, and can also help to increase your balance and improve your resistance to injury.
Like all forms of yoga, the physical stimulation of the muscle helps to increase blood flow to the muscles, which can help to chase away aches and pains. Chair yoga is particularly effective for seniors, or those with pre-existing injuries or conditions.
Mental Benefits
Reducing stress is often a motivator for seeking low-impact exercise like chair yoga. All forms of yoga, including chair yoga, have a focus on helping to promote mental clarity through meditation, reflection, and breathing techniques.
Each movement in chair yoga is a slow and controlled transfer of body weight, which is done in time with controlled breathing. Focusing on your breath and feeling your body weight shift and stretch can be very relaxing, and allow you the mental space and clarity to reflect on your problems from a new perspective.
Deep breathing and stretching also helps to promote endorphin release from exercise, which helps to promote a positive mood, it’s a win-win!
Modifications and Variations
One simple chair yoga pose is the modified cat cow stretch. Normally, this pose is completed on the hands and knees, and involves flexing your chest and back to stretch your upper and lower back, while breathing in and out.
However, getting to the floor can be difficult for some, so simply modifying the pose to place hands on your knees while seated on a chair can make it much more accessible for seniors.
There are a variety of other modifiable poses, but it is best to learn these from a yogi, or with someone else supporting you in case of any issues.
Accessibility
To do chair yoga, all you need is a chair! This makes it one of the most accessible forms of yoga, as it needs very little room and can even be done with others in the room. Ranfurly Hospital offers chair yoga classes where residents can exercise without even having to leave their home.
Expert Opinion
Yoga teacher Olivette Baugh Robinson has written a book on chair yoga poses, and has this to say for those over 80: “It is rewarding to watch a group of seniors doing balancing postures with confidence.”
Conclusion
It can be difficult to move into a new form of exercise, especially when you are a senior. But the benefits to mental and physical health provided by exercise cannot be denied, so an accessible form of exercise like chair yoga is a great way to get into a new activity.
Chair yoga can be done from anywhere, any time, by anyone. It is a very accessible, and very low impact form of exercise that can help you to relax, unwind, and stretch out your tired joints and muscles. Ask our team at Ranfurly Hospital about chair yoga to get started on the first step towards a healthier, happier you!
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