Top 7 Chair Yoga Posture for Seniors, Professionals And Office Workers Who Sit for Longer Time

Top 7 Amazing Chair Yoga Posture for Seniors, Professionals And Office Workers Who Sit for Longer Time

Due to the lifestyle and type of job we choose for our living, many of us sit in chair for a long time in our working place. Due to this and various other causes, many of us used to face severe backache or headache or some pain in our body.

Various studies found that a prolonged amount of time that we stay in the chair can cause various health issues in the body. Below I have discussed some remarkable Yoga posture that helped people like seniors, professionals, and office workers, who have faced different problems and pain due long time of sitting in a chair.

Table of Contents

What is Chair Yoga?

Chair Yoga is a recent form of invention in the Yoga dictionary based on people’s needs and creativity in life. For our aged person in society or professionals who sometimes face postural problems, chair yoga is quite beneficial for them.

There are two variations. Either one takes help of a chair for practicing Yoga or one can practice a few Yogasanas as they have to sit for a longer time because of their jobs. I will discuss both.

It is very easy for a person by holding the chair and taking chair as support and perform various yoga posture effectively. If you want to practice Yoga while working in a chair then it will be very beneficial for you.

Significance of Chair Yoga for Seniors, Professionals and Office Workers

Chair Yoga Posture for Seniors, Professionals And Office Workers Who Sit for Longer Time — Image Courtesy: researchgate.net

One of the major portions of our society consists of seniors and professionals population. While they are sacrificing their life and energy in many different ways serving our social wellbeing of their life is also needs to be taken care of.

Some of the chair yoga postures can be practiced while sitting as well as standing variation. You can perform chair yoga anywhere you can find a place to sit. Chair yoga works in both the level of body and mind.

It can increase your body exuberance, strength in the waist region as well as it can help in boosting your mood, and reducing stress in mind.

Chair Yoga at Work

Nowadays many of us have to work for a long time in front of computer system or some other system (like people works in sewing machine, account or in business, etc.).

Even students in this lockdown time have to sit for long hours while they used to study from online classes and tuitions.

Why You Sit For Longer Time

People from various sections of our society, work-life, professions and jobs has to sit and perform their jobs. It’s nothing new but it has increased recently big time.

Within the last 3 to 4 months’ time, while the coronavirus pandemic has affected our regular life, many of us have to sit and work for a longer time.

Nowadays from the kid student to graduate, all types of students in the education sector and those sections of the employees who work from home are facing this problem a lot.

Again for our seniors, because of the health issue they spend a lot of time sitting for longer time. The working professionals and office workers also work on alternate days for longer hours because of the less attendance of the employees.

Sitting is the New Smoking

The term has already caught much attention as more no of people facing pain actually carry out some sitting job. It is seen that out of 10 people who sit a lot have pain either in the back or in the leg portion majorly.

Sitting for a long time in chair brings various physical or mental health issues. There are various symptoms that show that you are physically inactive. Sitting is considered a new form of smoking.

More amount of time you spend sitting creates rigidity in muscles as well as highly challenging for our lungs.

Physical Health Symptoms for Long Time Sitting In Chair

Main symptoms that tell us that you are sitting for a long time in chair or simply sitting are categorized by a mixture of the following symptoms:

A sense of itching sensation and irritation within the back or lower back portion prevails from the time you sit till you get up from the chair.
Buttocks Pain and Feet Pain are two major pain you feel while getting up from chair.
Pain appears like a sharp, stinging pain in the waist region.
Extended Sitting puts pressure on the discs, causing overall back pain.
A sense of numbness you feel in the neck region and in shoulder blade.
Pain Becomes Lesser When Altering Positions.
After few hours the whole body feels lethargic and drowsiness appears.
Awful Pain in the Morning and Gradually Reduces.

Few Stats On Health Problem Due to Prolonged Sitting

One study found that men who watch more than 23 hours of television a week have a 64 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than men who only watch 11 hours of television a week. Here are some more stats on risk of sitting vs physically active persons.

Benefits and Effectiveness of Chair Yoga

Yoga is an ancient technique discovered by Vedic Indian Saints and realised beings. Yoga can provide us multiple ways to train our balance, and body flexibility.

Chair yoga postures are great for waist, hips, and lower portion of your body. Even there is an improvement in the upper portion of the body.

Chair yoga is great for office workers. Those who cannot participate in traditional yoga classes in an office job can perform many exercises while using a chair for support.

Chair yoga postures incorporate mainly improving your flexibility and balance. Chair yoga contributes you to all the health benefits regarding balance and body flexibility that normal yoga practice does.

Chair Yoga is great for our muscle toning. Slowly if you practice in a consistent way you can see the change within one month. Once you tone your muscle Chair yoga helps to remove your stubborn fat for a quick weight loss.

It also helps in –

Reducing stress levels
Better breathing habits
Better sleep
An overall sense of well-being

30 Minute Chair Yoga

While practicing Yoga daily for at least 30 minutes can do miracle, it can be applicable in the case of chair yoga also. While sitting in chair for 3 to 4 hours at a stretch can be sometimes very painful, in between that chair yoga is one of the best alternatives.

Below I have written a few basic yet wonderful Chair yoga postures to combat sitting all day. These yogasanas are very helpful for our back, waist, feet, and all the joints of our leg portion.

Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Utthita meaning “extended”, Parsva meaning “side or flank”, Kona meaning “angle”, and asana meaning “posture or seat”.

It is one of the easiest postures and can be practiced by anyone for a quick practice of relief of spine and hands.

Utthita Parsvakonasana or Extended Side Angle Posture involves using many essential muscle groups: legs, ankles, groin, chest, lungs, shoulders, spine, and abdomen. Utthita Parshvakonasana is a variation of arm in front of leg.

How to perform Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

Start with Tadasana or Mountain Pose or Samasthiti which is also known as a standing asana.
Keep the legs are spread wide apart, the feet are turned out as for Trikonasana
Keep your arms are stretched out sideways.
Now bend one of your knees to a right angle.
Keep the hand on the side of the floor is placed just behind the foot.
Place your upper arm stretched in line with the body straight out, above the ear.
Reverse the other hand also.

Benefits of Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

This posture improves our balance and stretches the shoulders.
It strengthens the leg muscle, hamstrings, knees, and ankles.
It also improves our flexibility and gives quick relief who sits for longer time.
It helps to improve our core strength also.

Precautions to take while performing Utthita Parshvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose)

This posture is free from any precautions still if anyone suffering from severe back, neck, or head injuries they must be careful.

Anyone with heart problems, high or low blood pressure, diarrhea should be careful while practicing this posture.

Akarna Dhanurasana (The Shooting Bow)

Akarna is a Sanskrit word that came from Karna which means ear and Akarna mean “Near Ear”. Dhanurasana has been named after the shape of the body of a bow.

Dhanur means bow; Asana means posture or pose. The asana is an extremely rejuvenating yoga pose. Along with this, it also banishes the fatigue in your muscles.

This posture has a lot of similarities with bow posture with Ramayana, as while infant Sitamata was able to lift and at the time of her marriage, SriRama Would lift and married her.

How to perform Akarna Dhanurasana / Shooting Bow Pose

Initially sit in normal posture stretching legs in front.
Breathing in, lift one of your legs and pull your feet toward your ear as close as possible till it touches your ear.
Keep another leg on the ground and hold it with another hand.
Keep the pose stable while paying attention to your breath. Your body looks like holding a bow by now.
Continue to take long deep breaths as you relax in this pose. But bend your leg only as far as your body permits you to.
After 15 -20 seconds, as you exhale, gently bring your leg and do the exact with another leg and hand.
Release the ankles and relax.

Benefits of Akarna Dhanurasana (Shooting Bow Pose)

Tones the back, leg, arm, and abdominal muscles.
Stimulates the reproductive organs and helps people with renal (kidney) disorders
Opens up the chest, neck, and shoulders with greater flexibility for back pain relief.
Relieves neck discomfort and constipation

Precautions to take while performing Akarna Dhanurasana (Shooting Bow Pose)

Akarna Dhanurasana (Shooting Bow Pose) is not suitable for individuals with High or low blood pressure critical problems in the spine, hernias, neck injury. It is not recommended for people with recent abdominal surgery.

Janushirasana (Head to Knee Pose)

Janusirasana, Head-to-Knee Pose, is a seated twisting and forward bending asana in modern yoga as exercise great for Seniors, Professionals, And Office Workers who sit for longer time.

The pose is one of chair yoga posture for seniors, professionals, and office workers. It can be found in the works of, B. K. S. Iyengar’s 1966 Light on Yoga and Pattabhi Jois’s Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Janu means “knee”, Shira meaning “head”, and āsana meaning “posture” or “seat”.

How to perform Janusirasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)

Start by sitting on the floor
Now extend your one leg with toes pointing upward
Keep the other leg is bent with the knee pointing away from the straight leg.
Put the sole of the foot in by the groin.
Turn your torso towards the right leg, tuck your chin to your chest.
After 15 -20 seconds, as you exhale, gently bring your leg and do the exact with another leg and hand.
Release the ankles and relax.

Benefits of Janusirasana / Head-to-Knee Pose

Janusirasana is an excellent variation since you are sitting on the floor.
It helps stretch the entire back and the hamstrings especially for people who sit for longer time in chair.
Works for the thighs and the arms.
It is in fact strengthens the shoulders, hip, and knee.

Precautions to take for Janusirasana

Janusirasana is not suitable for critical problems in the spine, hernias, neck injury. It should be performed as far as the body permits.

Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Ardha meaning “half”, Chandra meaning “moon”, and asana meaning “posture” or “seat”.

Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose) is also chair yoga posture for seniors, professionals, and office workers. It can be found in the modern usage of the name is found in B. K. S. Iyengar’s 1966 Light on Yoga. Swami Yogesvarananda used the name in his 1970 First Steps to Higher Yoga for a pose similar to Kapotasana, Pigeon.

How to perform Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)

Initially stand up and slowly bend on one side of the body.
Touch the ground with one hand stretching up with the rear leg.
Now keep out with the front hand so that only the fingertips of another hand which touches the ground remain on the ground.
Make your gaze directed at the upper hand.
Practice it for 15-20 seconds and again back to standing position.
Reverse with other leg and hand also.

Benefits of Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)

The variation can be seen in the side bend Indudalasana also.
This posture is great for balancing the body.
The pose helps to strengthen the ankles and improve balance.
By performing this posture you can be aware of the pain point in hand and legs.
The hamstring and the thighs become very flexible and great for people who sit for longer time in chair.

Precautions to take for Ardha Chandrasana (half moon pose)

This posture should not be performed by anyone suffering from severe ankle, knee, hamstrings, or back injuries. Avoid during pregnancy (if you are not an experienced practitioner)

Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

Bhujanga = cobra; asana = pose

The exact meaning of Bhujang is cobra as well as asana means pose. This asana is a stretching yoga workout of your spine and front torso. Bhujangasana is ideal for individuals who want to get quick relief from their back problems and great for people who sit for loner time in chair.

How to perform Bhujangasana / Cobra pose

Lie down on your stomach by properly keeping an effective gap of one to two feet between your legs.
Put the palms beside your shoulder and your head should rest on the ground.
Inhale and raise your head up to the navel and strive to see your roof.
You maintain this position for ten to sixty seconds with normal breathing.
Slowly come back to your original position with the deep exhalation.

Benefits of the Bhujangasana / Cobra pose

Helps to get relief from lower back pain for those who sit for a longer time.
Increase your flexibility and reduce stiffness form your lower spine
Helps you to loosen up your spine, tones up your nerve.
It brings an excellent massage to your adrenal gland to reduce tension and ease stress
Treat lots of digestion-related issues such as indigestion and constipation.

Precautions to take while performing Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)

The cobra pose is not suitable for individuals with critical problems in the spine, hernias, stomach ulcers, and more. It is restricted to pregnant women. It is not recommended for people with any heart-related disease.

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana / Revolved Hand-to-Big Toe Pose

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana - Chair Yoga Posture for Seniors, Professionals And Office Workers Who Sit for Longer Time

This posture comes from the Sanskrit as Utthita means “Keeping Up” Hasta means “hand” Pada means “foot” Angustha meaning “big toe” Asana is posture.

Most of the standing Yoga Asanas help us build and improve our physical as well as mental strength. When we practice a standing pose, we bring commitment not to lose our balance and focus in surprising situations. In other words, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasanaimprove our intellectual well-being.

How to perform Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana / Revolved Hand-to-Big Toe Pose

Start with the standing posture with your hands on your waist.
Draw any one of your legs towards belly and hold the big toe with first and second fingers of the same side hand.
Stay here, or lengthen your spine and extend your foot forward any amount.
Practice it for 15-20 seconds and again back to standing position.
Reverse with other leg and hand also.
For help with balance, try this pose with your free hand against a wall.

Benefits of Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana / Revolved Hand-to-Big Toe Pose

By practicing this posture stretches the hamstrings and hips and also the waist.
It strengthens the back and arm muscles and amazing for people who sit for longer time in chair.
Great improvements happens with body balance.
It also Calms the mind and improves focus.

Precautions to take Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana / Revolved Hand-to-Big Toe Pose

Anyone suffering from sciatica, or severe knee injuries or people have ankle or recent operation on feet should avoid practicing this posture.

Ardha matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

Ardha matsyendrasana - Chair Yoga Posture for Seniors, Professionals And Office Workers Who Sit for Longer Time

It came from Sanskrit where Ardha means half; Matsyendra means king of the fish; Matsya means fish; Indra means ruler.

The asana usually appears as a seated spinal twist with many variations, and in its half form is one of the twelve basic asanas in many systems of hatha yoga.

Matsyendrasana comes from Matsyendra’s Pose or Lord of the Fishes Pose, which is a seated twisting asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. The full form is the difficult Paripurna Matsyendrasana (Complete Fish Posture). An easier variation is Ardha Matsyendrasana.

How to perform Ardha matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

The main idea is to keep the spine erect.
Sit up with the legs stretched out in front of you.
Bend the left leg and place your left foot heel beside the right hip.
Take the right leg over the left knee and place the left hand on the right knee and the right hand behind you.
Twist the waist, shoulders, and neck in this sequence to the right and look over the right shoulder.
Keep Normal breathing and erect your spine.
Repeat the same posture with the other side also.

Benefits of Ardha matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

By practicing this posture any type of spine problem is resolved and good for those who sit for longer time in chair. The elasticity of the spine is improved in a great bit.

It improves our lung functions also by opening the chest and increases the oxygen supply to the lungs.

Precautions to take while performing Ardha matsyendrasana (half spinal twist)

This posture is not suggested for anyone suffering from severe waist, neck irritation. If you have a recent operation in shoulder, wrist, or elbow you should be restrained.

Conclusion

Well, I have discussed almost all the major points for chair yoga posture for seniors, professionals, and office workers. These postures are mainly beneficial for people who sit in chair for longer time or just sit and lazy. Now It is best for you to judge yourself whether you want to improve your body and physical health. Yoga is in fact great for all ages, whether you are a senior person, professionals, or office workers. If you know anything I left out please comment and let me know.

References

Author: Yogi