By JACCI GRUNINGER, MS, C-IAYT
Los Alamos

Are you sitting down reading this? Yes? Take a moment to lengthen your spine, draw your navel in and press your feet lightly into the floor. Now how does your body feel? Stronger? All it takes is a little activation to make your chair become a prop for strength.

Last week I wrote about the benefits of chair yoga: increased balance and flexibility, improved muscle tone and strength, mood boosting, managing chronic pain and stress, among others.

Today, I want to share with you a few chair poses that can help strengthen your whole body.

First, a few reminders and suggestions:

• If your feet don’t touch the floor, grab a yoga block, a folded yoga mat, towel or book to place under your feet;
• Sit toward the front edge of the seat and keep your navel drawn in slightly;
• Lengthen your lower back by drawing your tailbone down toward the seat;
• Reach through the crown of your head.

Ways to sit on the chair:

• Some individuals will find doing poses on the chair easier if the entire thigh is on the chair;
• For others, placing just one side of the buttocks on the front corner of the chair is easier;
• For those who are taller, 1-2 blankets may be needed for more height.

Chair Warrior (Virabhadrasana)

• Sit on the chair with both upper legs on the chair, facing the right wall (sideways on the chair);
• Place a block or book under your front foot if it doesn’t touch the floor;
• Slide toward the front side of the chair until the left leg can drop off the chair;
• Extend the left leg to a comfortable position behind you resting on the toes (the leg may not completely straighten);
• Lift one or both arms up and overhead;
• Press into the front foot and press away with the back heel (imagine you are going to lift yourself off the chair;
• To come out, slide the back leg forward;
• Repeat on the other side.

Side Warrior to Side Angle (Parsvakonasana)

• Choose one of the two seated positions on the chair mentioned above;
• Slide toward the front edge of the chair;
• Turn your right leg out to the side and extend/abduct your left leg away keeping the whole foot on the ground toes turned in slightly (if you can’t straighten the leg keep the knee slightly bent or keep the leg/knee/ankle at 90 degrees facing the front of the chair);
• Keep the front knee over the front ankle; extend the the back leg as best you can;
• Keep hips square to the front edge of the chair;
• Inhale your arms to shoulder height;
• Reach toward the right as you press into your feet;
• Lower your right elbow to your thigh (keeping your right side body long) and draw your left arm up and over your head;
• Reach your left fingers away from your left ankle without lifting your shoulder;
• To release, lower the top arm to your hip, come back upright and slide the left leg to a bent position;
• Repeat on the other side.

Upward Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

Make sure your chair is on a non-slip surface or against a wall.

• Stand facing your chair;
• Hug your belly in as you place your hands on the sides or top of the chair;
• With bent knees begin to walk away from the chair (about a legs length);
• Inhale and as you exhale, pull the shoulders back and press your pelvis toward the chair coming onto the toes;
• Lift the sternum, reach through the crown of the head, press down into the hands and reach back through the heels;
• To release, hug the belly in, bend the knees and slowly walk forward;
• Pause when you are done.

Take your time, breathe and relax into each posture. Remember to pause/rest after each to notice how you feel.

High Mountain Wellbeing offers Chair Yoga 9-10 a.m. Wednesdays.

Jacci Gruninger is a Certified Yoga Therapist, Thai Yoga Massage Therapist, Focusing Coach and Facilitated Stretch Practitioner. She regularly helps clients manage the ups and downs of life with yoga, meditation, breathwork, focusing, stretching and bodywork. Her Wellness Center is located at 190 Central Park Square #212. For her in person and online teaching schedule and information on her other services, visit www.highmountainwellbeing.com.