Chair Yoga for Beginners: The Complete Guide to Easy Yoga Sequences and Poses Suitable for Every Age That You Can Do Sitting at Home in 10 Minutes to Improve Strength, Flexibility, and Calmness

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Chair Yoga FOR BEGINNERS The Complete Guide to Easy Yoga Sequences and Poses Suitable for Every Age That You Can Do Sitting at Home in 10 Minutes to Improve Strength, Flexibility, and Calmness.

SOPHIA MORALES

© Copyright Sophia Morales 2021 - All rights reserved. The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher. Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book. Either directly or indirectly. Legal Notice: This book is copyright protected. This book is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part, or the content within this book, without the consent of the author or publisher. Disclaimer Notice: By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, which are incurred as a result of the use of information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, — errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Getting Started Chapter 1: Breathe-In Balancing And Calming Breath (Ujjayi) Cleansing Breath (Kapalbhati) Breath Retention (Kumbhaka) Alternate Nostril Breathing (Relaxing Breath) Energizing Breath (Bhastrika) Expanding Breath (Viloma) Cooling Breath (Sithali) Chapter 2: Warm-Ups Pelvic Tilts/Circles Cat/Cow Sun Salutation Arms Sun Salutation With Folds Sun Salutation With Twists Sun Salutation With Side Bends Marching Flow Chapter 3: Upper Body Up/Downs Side-To-Sides With Neck Right/Lefts Angle Up/Downs Head Circles Held Assisted Stretches For Side And Angle Neck Brushing Clasped-Hands Head Forward Bow Face Up/Downs With Eyes Side-To-Sides With Eyes Eye Circles Close/Opens Diagonals Head Back Downward Gaze Fishy Face Open Wide Lower Jaw Over Top Teeth Side-To-Sides With Lower Jaw Wide Smiles

Lion’s Roar Shoulders, Arms, And Wrists Shoulder Shrugs Shoulder Stretch (Arm Across Front) Eagle Arms Cow Face Arms High Altar Arms High Altar Triceps Presses High Altar Leans Side Leans With Wrist Pull Triceps Dips Using Seat Of Chair Wrist Workout Triceps Stretch Behind-The-Back Opposite Elbow Hold Flipped Clasped Hands Hand Pulls Behind-The-Back Prayer Hands Behind-The-Back Clasped Hands Downward Dog Arms Chapter 4: Torso Chair Twist Side-To-Sides Side Bends Extended Side Angle Seat Lifts Scale Pose Leg Lifts Leg Reaches And Leg Reaches With Twists Bicycles Single-Leg Stretch Scissors Side-To-Sides With Waist Goddess Circles Goddess Side Stretch And Twist Side-To-Side Crunches With Hands Behind Head Straddle Forward Bend Straddle Forward Bend With Twist Chapter 5: Lower Body Foot Circles Point/Flex Toe Taps Heel Raises Squeeze/Spread Alphabet

Ankle To Knee Advanced Ankle To Knee Eagle Legs Cow Legs Butt Squeezes Warrior I Warrior Ii Warrior Iii Lunge Goddess Squat Straight Back Fold Forward Fold Leg On Ledge Fold Advanced Hamstring Stretch Lower Back Backbend Arch Cat/Cow Roll Downs Lower Back Circles Back Relief Backbend Chapter 6: Standing Exercises Quad Stretch Figure 4 Lunge High Lunge Low Lunge Hamstring Stretch Intense Side Stretch Pigeon On Chair Downward-Facing Dog Forward Hang Standing Side Stretch Standing Twist Tree Triangle Standing Warrior I Standing Warrior Ii Standing Warrior Iii Butt Lifts Dancer’s Pose Shoulder And Triceps Stretch Chaturanga Push-Ups Extended Side Angle

Chapter 7: Meditation Lake Meditation 4-7-8 Breathing Rainbow Meditation With Kapalbhati Final Relaxation

INTRODUCTION e should all make it a habit to practice yoga because it can relieve the aches we get from being seated for long periods. For this reason, it is essential to include movement in your daily life to boost your health and well-being. Chair yoga is a workout regimen that incorporates movements that help stretch and strengthen your body, while also getting your head in the right place.

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Do you spend your days on the couch? Do you get out of bed to sit in a car, in a bus, on a subway, or at your workplace before going home to sit on the sofa or in bed and watch TV or surf the web? Does your description fit? Though it may be an exaggeration, our occupations are all different. A lot of individuals live very stationary lives, engaging in things like eating, driving, flying, typing, reading, and a whole host of other pursuits. Regardless of how much we try to avoid them, chairs are unavoidable, and our feet all need a break eventually. The balance has shifted, though. Because of their heavy labor, early ancestors spent much of their time standing and working. We, humans, were made to be active. Our modern-day conveniences, like televisions and laptops, have created the opportunity for us to spend many of our days doing nothing but relaxing. Finally, the inactivity of sitting in a chair all day is gaining some notice. Recent research has concluded that long-term sitting may contribute to many health issues. For all people across the world, the World Health Organization's fourth-leading risk factor for mortality is physical inactivity. Long periods of sitting can lead to a wide range of conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poor posture, and muscle imbalances. During our time here, our organs aren't having to work at their maximum capacity; our lungs aren't filling with air, either. Not only that, but we end up with sciatica, compression of our discs, a loss of abdominal strength, and an increased rate of aging. To sit for a full day with excellent posture and attentiveness is unusual.

Those in need of special assistance, the elderly, or those who are required to travel regularly are frequently compelled to sit for extended periods because of extenuating circumstances. While it's unfortunate, there is a remedy that can assist everyone who feels trapped in a chair, moving better, having more energy, awareness, and joy! A good chair yoga exercise to use to stretch out the muscles in your back, legs, and neck is sitting and then raising your arms above your head with your hands clasped together. Because it can be practiced on a chair and requires no special skills, chair yoga is the most accessible type of yoga. Anyone who is limited in their range of motion or can't move about much should find this practice advantageous. Chair yoga will enable you to cultivate a heightened level of mindfulness during work, before a meal, when traveling, or while sitting at a doctor's office. It is possible to perform it in any chair, whether or not it is stationary or mobile. Chair Yoga offers simple workouts for greater health with step-by-step directions and images. Every chapter targets a different aspect of the body's muscular system. If you look, you may easily find a few minutes to exercise every day. You will see amazing advantages in your physical and emotional health.

GETTING STARTED o perform chair yoga, you need a chair, your breath, your desire, and your body! You'll notice you're getting better sleep, feeling better, eating better, and being more focused, energetic, and strong if you can work these exercises into your regular sitting routine. The key to doing well in a posture or movement is to maintain your breath close and use it as a guide. I will explain this later in Chapter 1. No matter the workout you perform, if you link your thoughts and breath, you can do it in any sequence.

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If you've had a hard day, you may need to treat yourself with a little self-care, such as a massage or getting up and moving around. The best aspect is that all the exercises can be applied to any sort of seat, and you are sure to find something in the table of contents that interests you. Regardless of where you decide to start reading, I recommend reading the opening chapter, “Breathe In,” first. Once you've learned to control your breathing, you can perform yoga moves anywhere. This book was particularly designed for those who spend most of their time sitting down. Even if you have trouble finding time to move around during the day, you can always take a chair yoga break. It can be done anywhere, such as on a plane, bus, doctor's office waiting room, or even at your desk chair or sofa at home. What you're wearing, the sort of chair you're sitting in, and your surroundings aren't important. Yoga as an art requires a practitioner to focus their whole attention on the present now and tap into their life energy to keep their body limber, strong, and healthy. Alright, let's begin!

CHAPTER 1: BREATHE-IN

oga would be only calisthenics and stretching without the attention on the breath. Yoga is wonderful and unique because of the breath. As a simple practice, breathing exercises are very easy to adopt and do regularly. The very air we breathe affects our happiness and health.

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Breath is the first point for yoga. Pranayama, or “breath control,” is a type of breathing exercise; we use it to benefit greatly. Prana, which is Sanskrit for “breath” or “vital energy,” can be defined as… On subtler levels, prana signifies the life force energy. Ayama translates to “control.” Pranayama, then, is “breath control.” You will find a variety of breathing methods you

may employ while practicing in this chapter. This includes the following: kapalbhati, kumbhaka, sitali, bhastrika, viloma, and nostril breathing. Breathing is one of our most important methods for altering our mental state. Are you ever aware of holding your breath when you're nervous or stressed? Maybe you are always rushed, and as a result, you take shallow, fast breaths all day long. The right technique for breathing may help us maintain our mental health, as well as our physical health and overall well-being. We cannot exist without breathing. Yoga allows us to tap into our inner power, which comes from our breath. Being alive is very fantastic, and by focusing on our breath, we become reminded of this fact, which causes us to be happier, more focused, and more invigorated. It is possible to center ourselves by focusing on our breath. So, how is it possible? Nose breathing with long, deep breaths has a calming effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. A direct link exists between our central nervous system and our breath. When we don't breathe correctly, the sympathetic nervous system is constantly on the verge of agitation, preparing us for either fight or flight. Most of the time, this sensation is unnecessary (we don't need to use it if we're trying to catch a bus or running from a bear-like our ancestors), but it is vital that we be relaxed and balanced, and that our bodies get plenty of oxygen. The following list of breathing exercises may be done while seated in your chair, whenever you choose. Breathing deeply is essential; this means taking the time to practice and work your lungs and diaphragm every day. You will notice an instant transformation in your entire physique. You will be provided with breathing exercises that you may do regularly at the end of this chapter. Balancing and Calming Breath (Ujjayi) With this yoga breathing method, which is utilized when flowing through postures and holding postures, you may bring yourself into the present now. Body Areas Utilized: Increases deeper, fuller diaphragmatic breaths, providing additional oxygen to our muscles. When to Do This: After a lengthy period of screen time, or whenever you

need to unwind, focus, or recharge your energy.

Instructions: Take a seat in your chair and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on your knees, palms up, and thumbs and forefingers interlaced. Take a deep breath in through your nose, then release a quiet prolonged ha sound through your mouth. Repeat two more times. Try doing the silent prolong ha on both inhalation and exhalation, but with your lips closed the entire time. Close off the back of the throat to do this. Cleansing Breath (Kapalbhati) Kapalbhati, which means "skull shining," is an excellent technique to clear away the cobwebs in the mind and lungs. Body Areas Utilized: Clears the mind, works the core, tones the lower abs, relieves stress, revs up the metabolism, and gives you more energy. When to Do This: When you wish to wake up, gain energy, or get rid of stale air in your lungs; or before you begin a practice or compete in a significant event. Instructions: Sit up straight with your feet planted firmly on the floor. Relax your left hand on your lap or by your side while placing your right hand on your tummy. Take a deep, full breath in, and then exhale completely. Next, take a partial breath in and exhale quick, sharp exhalations through your nose. You may pump as slowly or as quickly as you like. The breath is constant, yet the inhalations are tiny and faint. Aim for 80 to 100 exhalations or pumps. Start with 20 to 30 reps and work your way up as your stamina improves.

At the end of the pumping, exhale completely and inhale completely. When you practice kapalbhati, it's almost as if the air is bouncing off the underside of your head. Kapalbhati is characterized by quick, sharp exhalations via the nose, with emphasis solely on the out-breath. Breath Retention (Kumbhaka) Kumbhaka means "breath retention" in Sanskrit. It is the technique of holding one's breath after inhaling; it may also be done after all of one's breath has been exhaled. Kumbhaka is similar to pausing before resuming our breath. Body Areas Utilized: Increase our lung capacity, give us a taste of what it's like to be full or empty, and provide us with mental clarity. When to Do This: When you need to take a breather, especially after performing the kapalabhati breath Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Take a deep, complete breath in and picture it circulating in your heart area. Lower your chin toward your chest while inflating your chest up toward your chin. Close your eyes for a time or keep them downwards. When you can no longer hold your breath, raise your chin and exhale all of the air. In addition, exhale deeply and hold your breath for as much as you can before refilling your lungs. Alternate Nostril Breathing (Relaxing Breath) One of the easiest ways I know of to focus oneself is to pay attention to the quality of your breath and track its flow through your nostrils. When you're stressed out or agitated, alternate nostril breathing is your greatest buddy. Body Areas Utilized: Enhance sleep and nasal respiration, boost thinking, relax or lessen agitation, and improve sleep and nasal respiration.

When to Do This: If you can't sleep at night, create a minute of pause after practicing kapalbhati breath, or calm and focus the mind before meditation. Instructions: Sit in a good, tall, easy position with your feet about hip-width apart on the floor. Make Vishnu mudra with your right hand by bringing the index and middle fingers to the palm while keeping the ring and pinky fingers extended. Relax your left hand in your lap, thumb and forefinger linked. Place the thumb on the right nostril and the ring finger on the left nostril, keeping gentle contact with both throughout. Inhale through the left nostril while gently pressing the thumb into the right nostril. With the ring finger, shut off the left side and exhale out the right side, releasing the thumb from pushing. Inhale via the right nostril, then press the thumb, release the ring finger lightly, and exhale through the left. Continue this process for at least eight rounds. You have the option of keeping your eyes open but slightly downcast or closing them. You can also do this breath without using your hand. With mental control, imagine the breath going through either side. Energizing Breath (Bhastrika) Bhastrika, like a traditional bellow that oxygenates and stokes a fire, energizes the body and clarifies the intellect. Body Areas Utilized: Increases prana or life energy, builds abdominal strength, expands lung capacity, and reduces mental stress. When to Do This: When you're feeling sluggish and need to refuel your energy, or when you want to stimulate your digestion. Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale quickly and forcefully, then exhale quickly and sharply.

Continue in/out repetitively, for at least 30 to 60 seconds. Take a rest before repeating step 3. Putting a hand on the tummy might help you feel the abdominals pumping. Bhastrika is an excellent technique to invigorate the entire body and ignite internal fires. Expanding Breath (Viloma) Viloma breathing is soothing and contemplative because it stops on the inhale and exhale, allowing us a chance to halt the breath before continuing to fill up or let go. Body Areas Utilized: How to breathe more deeply and expands our lung capacity. When to Do This: After the end of the day or after a work Instructions: Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Take a few natural breaths in and out. Begin by breathing only to your low belly, then pause; then inhale into your mid-belly, pause; and lastly, inhale up to the tops of your lungs, pause, then expel all the air out. Rep this process eight times. Now attempt the exhalation pauses. Inhale a full, deep breath, then exhale a little and pause, exhale a little more and pause, then exhale all the air out and pause before filling back up. Rep this process eight times. Finally, for a total of eight breaths, attempt pauses on both the inhalation and expiration. You can add as many pauses as you like, but this is typically a three-part breath. Cooling Breath (Sithali) Sithali breathing helps us cool down in the same way that animals open their mouths to pant to cool off. This practice is one of the choices as an

alternative to all of the breathing exercises that help us warm up the body and increase energy. We might become overheated as a result of our internal or external temperature. Body Areas Utilized: It aids in the cooling and calming of the body. When to Do This: When you're feeling overheated or hotheaded (and need to let off some steam), towards the conclusion of the day, or at the start or finish of a yoga session Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. If you can roll your tongue, do so by curling the sides in toward the center, forming a tube shape; otherwise, simply open your mouth and lay your tongue on your soft palate. If you can't roll your tongue, stick it out between your pursed lips or form an O shape with your lips. Sip slowly in the air. Close your mouth and exhale through your nostrils. Repeat 5–10 times more until you experience a pleasant, cooling sensation.

CHAPTER 2: WARMUPS

o motivate yourself to be more active during the day, begin your sitting day with these exercises. Preparing to play any sport comes with the benefits of protecting yourself from injury and enhancing your performance. Warm-up activities which last between 5 and 10 minutes can improve blood flow to the muscles by up to 75 percent. One set of exercisers warmed up while the other did not, and it turned out that half of the group that warmed up saw enhanced cardiac effects!

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Traditionally, sun salutations or vinyasa flows (yoga exercises where movement is linked to breath) are used as warm-ups in yoga. The practice of moving while breathing in to greet the sunlight helps us be more prepared to relax and flow. Once you start, it's hard to quit since it feels great! These workouts are easy to include into your daily routine and ensure that your blood gets pumping.

The movements in these flows are comparable to walking meditations. Life is frequently a meandering journey. By linking our breath to our activity, we're able to synchronize our mind and body, giving us a clearer perspective on our day. Also, we begin to have a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in our lives. It's amazing to imagine that just a few thoughtful moves can make a world of difference, but it's true. Take a look at your daily routine, and see how your day unfolds when you begin with one of these activities. After your workday is over, take some time to relax before heading home so you're in a calm and content state of mind and body for your commute. When I'm at the doctor's office, on an airplane, in a subway car, or just chilling out, I always do at least one of these warmups or flows. To get a sense of how the flow moves, give these a shot and don't be afraid to throw some of your own styles into the mix. Pelvic Tilts/Circles One of the first things we do in our yoga practice is warm up the pelvis and lower abs. Getting into the pelvic floor region is excellent for directing our energy upward from the base of our spine. I see it as igniting a pilot light at the base of my seat and allowing the flame to flutter upward. Heating our bodies from the inside out helps us to tap into our biological energy and keep the flame burning all day. Body Areas Utilized: The lower back, pelvic floor muscles, transverse abdominals, and oblique muscles are all affected. When to Do This: When you want to warm up your spine, open up your lower back, relax up your lower body, activate your pelvic floor muscles, or work your abs. Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Place your hands on your knees and picture a marble on your belly button rolling down to your inner thighs; you should feel yourself tilt forward onto the fronts of your sit bones. Tip your sit bones below you and pull your belly button to your

spine, imagining the marble coming back up the front of your tummy to your belly button. Isolate the pelvis without clenching the shoulders or arching the upper back. Perform 10 cycles of arching and rounding your lower spine. From the same posture, make five circles with your pelvic, clockwise, and counterclockwise, as if you were stirring a pot clockwise and counterclockwise. This action stretches the lumbar spine and connects us to our pelvic floor muscles. Cat/Cow Cat/cow stretches are similar to pelvic tilts, but they extend through the entire spine and upper body. Because it involves extending and contracting the body, cat/cow is frequently one of the very first moves in yoga practice. In many of the motions we do in yoga and life, we move from an arched, open position to a rounded position. It tells us to keep everything in balance and to work the front and rear bodies equally. Body Areas Utilized: Spine, back, abdominals, shoulders, hips, and pelvic floor muscles. When to Do This: To widen your breath at the start of your day or practice, to wake up and open up the entire body, or to assist an achy back Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale while placing your hands on your knees and pushing your hips out behind you. It's as if you're executing a forward pelvic arch but lifting the arch all the way up into your entire back. Raise your eyes, open your chest, and press your shoulder blades together softly. Round your chest, tuck in your tummy, and curl under your tailbone as you drop your head toward your sternum on exhale. Repeat for a total of 10 times. Sun Salutation Arms

When we open our arms, hearts, and upper bodies, it can make a huge difference in our mood, energy, compassion, and happiness. When someone is sad, his or her shoulders curve forward, and his or her chest caves in. This practice lifts our spirits and broadens our love for ourselves and others. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, shoulders, upper back, and abdominals. When to Do This: When you need an energy boost, wish to speed up your metabolism, need some heart opening, or are feeling a little down or weary Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. On an inhale, extend your arms out to the sides and up overhead (as if making a snow angel). When the arms come together at the top, push the palms together and look up at them. As you exhale, drop your arms back down to your sides and bring your eyes forward. Lift and drop your arms slowly, counting to yourself inhale, inhale, inhale till the arms meet, then exhale, exhale, exhale. Keep your attention focused on the movement. You will experience muscular vitality as well as joint and body freedom. This is referred to by yogis as balancing ease and exertion. Sun salutations can be done anywhere from 5 to 15 times. Sun Salutation with Folds After you've perfected the sun salutation arms, try incorporating a forward bend into the exercise. Body Areas Utilized: Stretch your hamstrings and back as well as your spine, back, arms, and abs. When to Do This: When you need a good hamstring and back release, have low energy, are anxious, or want to boost your metabolism. Instructions: Sit on the edge of your chair and begin inhaling as you raise your arms upward. As you exhale, bend at the hips and fold over your

legs until your body is over your lap and your hands are on the floor. As you begin to inhale, utilize your abdominals to raise your torso and stretch your arms overhead. Exhale and lower your arms to your sides. Repeat these 3 to 5 times, then begin to add a slight lift of the torso after you fold forward: Inhale and gaze ahead from the folded posture with the arch out of your lower back after you raise the arms above on the inhale and fold forward on the exhale. Fold further into your forward bend as you exhale. Inhale and raise your arms overhead; exhale and return your arms to your sides. This combination should be repeated 3 to 5 times. Sun Salutation with Twists Yoga twists are among the most beneficial exercises for your spine and core. We utilize the twisting action so frequently in our daily lives (grabbing something out of the backseat of a car; swinging a golf club, tennis racket, or baseball bat; moving objects to the side of us, and so on) that it is critical to twist appropriately and keep our bodies safe. Yoga teaches us to focus on the breath and twist from the center. Body Areas Utilized: The abdominals, spine, lower and upper back, arms, hips, and waist. When to Do This: When your digestion is slow, you want to maintain your back health, you're trapped in your mood or thinking, you have a kink in your back or shoulders, or you just want to wring it all out. Instructions: Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale and raise your arms above to push your palms together. As you exhale, pull your arms down and around as you twist to the left, placing your right hand on your left knee and your left arm behind you to the top of the chair. Inhale back to the center, arms raised. Take a deep breath and twist to the right.

Repeat this flow for a total of 8 to 10 cycles. Stop and hold the twist on each side for 5 to 8 breaths on your last set. Sun Salutation with Side Bends When we sit for an extended period, we begin to squeeze our sides and waist, closing off our breathing. Side bending allows us to sit higher and take deeper, fuller breaths again, while also boosting our energy and clearing our brains. Take note of how invigorated you feel following this side-bending flow, as well as how much room you've created in your torso. Body Areas Utilized: Abs (especially the obliques), arms, and back When to Do This: When you're feeling tight, need a good stretch, want to open up your lungs and get more air into your body, or want to tone your love handles. Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale and raise your arms upward, pressing your palms together at the top. Exhale and side bend to the left, bringing your left arm alongside you while reaching your right arm overhead. Inhale again and raise your palms aloft. Rep on the other side. Flow from side to side for 8 to 10 reps, then hold each side for 5 to 8 breaths on the last move. Marching Flow Get your legs moving to increase your metabolism and get a workout while sitting. We frequently feel restricted and tied up in our hips and lower back while we are seated. We also spend much too much time in one position. The marching flow gets our legs working and encourages us to keep things interesting. In yoga, we focus a lot on our major muscle groups, and this movement also gets our lower half warmed up. Body Areas Utilized: Core, external rotators, quadriceps, and inner thighs.

When to Do This: If you experience tightness in your lower back or hips after sitting for a long length of time, if you have dead butt syndrome, or if you just want to stretch your legs, this is the exercise for you.

Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. On an inhale, straighten your right leg out in front of you, engaging your quadriceps and lengthening behind the knee. Exhale and bend the knee, opening the right hip and resting the right outer ankle on the left knee (you may need to use your hands to help place the foot and open the leg). Exhale and place the foot on the floor after inhaling and straightening the leg back forward. Repeat the previous steps on the left side. Repeat this marching exercise 6–8 times each leg. On your final repetition, maintain your knee open and fold forward to stretch out your hip. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths on each side.

CHAPTER 3: UPPER BODY

is critical to take breaks during the day to rest our heads, necks, and I tshoulders. The beauty of these stretches and exercises is that they will keep your body strong while also encouraging a healthy mind and soul. Forward head syndrome, rounded shoulders, and computer-related eye strain are all genuine issues that may arise from sitting at a desk seat or chair all day while using computers, phones, and tablets continuously. All of the exercises in this chapter are fantastic for releasing stored stress. Our upper bodies bear the weight of the world, and we frequently carry the majority of our tension in our heads, necks, and shoulders. It's amazing how often I catch myself clenching my jaw or pursing my lips when sitting. Many of us wear our shoulders as jewelry, causing significant tension in the upper

body. Tight shoulders have an impact on the wrists and hands, and vice versa. Tight, weak, or overworked wrists and fingers can cause stress in the shoulders and neck. Yoga is essentially about longevity and finding a method to keep our physical bodies as healthy as possible. Yoga raises awareness of the ways we mistreat our bodies and assists us in regaining equilibrium in our lives. Sitting for lengthy periods at a desk, in a car, on a plane, on a couch, or at a table is not good for our health. The exercises in this chapter are a simple approach to get some movement in, especially in areas of the body that we often overlook. Each of these stretches can be done individually or sequentially. Getting rid of stress in the head and neck region may improve your energy, attitude, and even your breathing. Our lungs extend up to our collarbones, and you won't believe how much more room you can make for full, deep breaths by releasing the head and neck. Have fun with these movements and loosen up your upper body in a way that allows you to be strong and flexible while remaining joyful and stress-free. Up/Downs Simply lift your head up and down to the rhythm of your breath in this workout. This action relaxes your neck and shoulders while also allowing your body and mind to unwind. Body Areas Utilized: The head and neck When to Do This: When you need neck relief, are experiencing stress in your head and neck, or are stopped in traffic, Instructions: Sit up straight at the edge of your chair, feet hip-width apart. Inhale and raise your head, then exhale and lower your head. Maintain a raised torso while isolating movement in the head and neck. Repeat for a total of 10 times. Side-to-Sides with Neck

Next, practice dropping your left ear to your left shoulder, followed by your right ear to your right shoulder. We carry a lot of strain across the tops of our shoulders and into our necks, especially in the scalene muscles. This exercise relieves neck strain and is especially beneficial for those of us who carry large purses or briefcases. Body Areas Utilized: Upper chest, neck, and head When to Do This: When you take off your coat, drop your purse, and sit down, when you need a neck release, or when you have tension across the tops of your shoulders, Instructions: Sit tall and let your left ear fall to your left shoulder on an inhale. Exhale for a moment, then inhale through the center and lower the right ear to the right shoulder. Exhale. Side to side inhales and exhales. Take note of how one side might feel considerably firmer than the other. Repeat for a total of ten times. Right/Lefts This exercise appeals to me since it allows us to develop more mobility in the head and neck region. It also relaxes the scalene muscles, which run down the neck to the tops of the shoulders and frequently get tight or tense. Body Areas Utilized: Head, neck, and upper shoulder areas When to Do This: When you need a new viewpoint, a release across the tops of your shoulders, or you're feeling particularly tight in the head and neck region. Instructions: Turn your head to the right as far as you can on an inhale, then to the left as far as you can on an expiration. Repeat ten times more. Angle Up/Downs

Tinkering with our head and neck range of motion is something we rarely do. Then, all of a sudden, we have a crick in our neck or a strange stiffness, which is both painful and nerve-racking. We reduce our chance of straining or pulling muscles in our head and neck region by keeping them loose and flexible. Body Areas Utilized: Head, neck, and shoulders When to Do This: When you have unusual neck stiffness or wish to improve your range of motion Instructions: Turn your head to the right and lift and lower your head while maintaining your head turned. Return to the middle and repeat on the left side. Aim for 10 reps looking right and ten reps facing left. Head Circles Have you ever observed how a dancer's entire body is free? Remember the part in Flashdance where Jennifer Beals frantically swung her head around? Finding mobility in our upper neck and head region allows us to think more creatively. Body Areas Utilized: Head and neck are put to work. When to Do This: When you want to stimulate thought, are stuck at work, need a break, or want to unleash your inner kid Instructions: Pretend you have an arrow on your nose and wish to circle it clockwise. Begin with tiny circles and gradually increase their size as your neck warms up. Circle your head 10 times clockwise, then ten times counterclockwise. Held Assisted Stretches for Side and Angle You may stay in these positions for a little longer and gently nudge your head

and neck into a deeper stretch with your hand. It's wonderful when someone else lends us a helping hand, but we may also learn to help ourselves. These assisted stretches are incredibly contemplative and self-soothing for me. Body Areas Utilized: Neck (particularly the scalene muscles), upper back (containing the trapezius muscles), and shoulders When to Do This: When you need some extra TLC, have a headache or neck pain, require some quiet time or are feeling a little tired Instructions: Keeping your head straight, raise your left arm upwards to your right ear and lower your left ear toward your left shoulder. For 8 to 10 breaths, hold the stretch. After that, tilt your chin toward your left armpit while moving your hand toward the rear of your head at the base of your skull. Hold for another 8 to 10 breaths. Raise your head, lower your arm, and compare the two sides. Repeat on your left side. Neck Brushing This exercise promotes lymphatic drainage and provides a natural neck lift. It's also a good technique to get rid of negative emotions. Body Areas Utilized: Neck Exercises (including the scalene muscles) When to Do This: When you wish to activate your glands, let go of any pent-up rage, or smooth down the bottom of your neck. Instructions: Tilt your head up, gaze toward the ceiling, and then brush up the neck with the backs of your hands, flicking them out at the end of each sweep. Try using 10 or more brushes if you like. Clasped-Hands Head Forward Bow Hang your head forward and use your hands to assist you to let it all go for

serious neck relief. It's amazing how much stress we hold in our necks, and this exercise allows us to release it all. It's also a great way to go inside and disconnect from all the outside distractions, even if only for a minute. Body Areas Utilized: Head, neck, and shoulders When to Do This: When you're worried or overwhelmed, need a significant neck release, a complete spine stretches, have had a strange night's sleep, or need a mental or physical break Instructions: Tuck your chin to your chest and lace your hands behind your head. Maintain your upper body neutral and extend your upper back and spine. Fold your nose toward the back of your throat. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths at a minimum. Raise your head and take note of how much comfort you feel.

Face Isn't it fantastic to know you have the skills and resources to inject natural Botox into your face? With these exercises, you can give yourself a natural facelift while also reversing and preventing eye strain and jaw tension. With all of the pricey cleansers, lotions, and cosmetics we use, we may often focus too much on enhancing the skin and overlook the forty-three muscles in our face that we can tone for free! These exercises can release the tension and therefore the wrinkles in our face, from the circular muscles around our eyes and mouth to the strong jaw muscles. I have always had the worst TMJ problems. When I'm focusing, sleeping, reading, writing, or even practicing difficult yoga poses, I instinctively clench my jaw. Eyestrain can be relieved by pausing and performing a few easy exercises to maintain your eyes healthy. Try them whenever your eyes need a break. You may go wild and start moving your lips, jaw, and eyes around to make as many different faces and expressions as you can. It feels fantastic. Our face is frequently overlooked, even though it is the first thing others notice about us. Make it a point to work out more frequently to maintain it relaxed and

rejuvenated. Up/Downs with Eyes Looking up and down is an easy technique to warm up the eyes. When to Do This: To begin utilizing your eyes in a different manner Instructions: Sit in a comfortable stance and count twelve times up and down with your eyes. Concentrate solely on shifting your gaze. After you've finished, close your eyes for a few seconds and relax. Side-to-Sides with Eyes Side-to-sides with the eyes are a little more difficult and require a lot of concentration. When to Do This: To promote brain activity, exercise the eyes, and increase your visual range of motion Instructions: Twelve times, look left and right with your eyes. Relax for a few seconds with your eyes closed. Eye Circles Circling the eyes is a brain tease! It may seem weird at first (don't overdo it if you feel dizzy), but don't worry, it will become easier over time and you'll realize that your eyes, like every other part of your body, require movement in all directions. When to Do This: When you need to focus your thoughts, desire a little challenge, or are concerned that your eyes are becoming sluggish Instructions: Circle your eyes six times clockwise and six times counterclockwise.

Notice which technique is simpler and how effective this exercise is for mental focus. Close/Opens Sometimes we just need to close our eyes and turn within. One of the simplest methods to perform an internal scan is to close our eyes. We rely on our eyesight for a great deal of information about the world around us. This activity helps us understand the distinction between using our outward surroundings for information and our interior sentiments for information. When to Do This: When you need a break from gazing at a screen, want to play with your sensory perception, have weary eyes, or need a little boost Instructions: For 10 seconds, close your eyes. Extend your eyes as far as they will go. Repeat for a total of twelve times. Diagonals This is usually the one that makes me ponder! Eye exercises engage the brain directly, and this one, in particular, pushes our eyes in places we aren't used to seeing. When to Do This: For a quick boost, or when you need to balance your right and left brain, feel like you're straining a little, or are stuck in your seat and need to move something, try this. Instructions: Begin by gazing up a diagonal to the left, then down a diagonal to the right. Concentrate solely on shifting your gaze. Twelve repetitions of upper left to lower right motions Now, flip the switch and begin by looking in the top right corner, then down to the bottom left corner. Twelve times from higher right to lower left.

Head Back Downward Gaze This downward look is an excellent technique to relax your eyes. You'll also notice a pleasant stretch at the front of your neck. When to Do This: For neck and eye relaxation, a mental break, or a release for the head, neck, and eyes Instructions: Tilt your head back and look down at the tip of your nose. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before releasing. Fishy Face Sucking in the cheeks isn't only for selfies anymore, and it also strengthens our jowls. When to Do This: Before speaking in public, you should warm up your mouth or relieve any tension in your mouth. Instructions: Suck in your cheeks and pucker your lips. Hold for three seconds before releasing. Repeat ten times more. Open Wide When you truly need to let go, simply open your lips wide and let it all out! It's all too typical to go through the day with our lips pursed or our jaw clenched. This practice helps us to open our mouths and teaches us to let go. When to Do This: When you notice yourself tensing your jaw or feeling overwhelmed and need to release a lot of stress, use this technique. Instructions: Extend your mouth as far as it will go. Hold this move for around two seconds before releasing it. Repeat ten times more.

Lower Jaw over Top Teeth This is my all-time favorite workout since it gives me so much comfort in my jaw. It's an excellent technique to stretch from beneath the chin to the front of the neck. When to Do This: To extend your jaw, avoid neck wrinkles, or take a moment to ponder Instructions: Lift your lower jaw over your upper teeth. Hold the position for 15 to 30 seconds. The whole bottom of the jaw and neck will be stretched. Repeat 3 times. Side-to-Sides with Lower Jaw Now that your jaw is loose, you may concentrate on moving it about and discovering its mobility and range of motion. Unless you're an opera singer, stage actor, or skilled vocalist, you probably don't stretch out your face muscles, mouth, lips, and jaw very regularly. Keeping our face's range of motion allows us to pronounce more clearly. When to Do This: To relax tension in the jaw, to alleviate nervousness, or before speaking in public Instructions: Let your lower jaw relax and release it from your upper jaw before attempting to move it from side to side. Repeat ten to fifteen times. Wide Smiles Our facial expressions do affect our emotions. We feel a lot better just by appearing to smile. It's easy to get trapped in a scowl-like or unpleasant facial position. This grin workout boosts our confidence while stretching our face, particularly our lips and mouth. When to Do This: To quickly increase your happiness

Instructions: Smile as far as you can, extending your entire mouth. Relax for a few seconds after holding for a few seconds. Repeat ten times more. Lion’s Roar Try with this posture to go out of your comfort zone. As adults, we're just not used to yelling or making weird faces. When you look at children, you will see that they have a lot of flexibility in their emotions and aren't scared to make all kinds of crazy animal sounds. When to Do This: When you truly need to let go, have a time to yourself with no one else around, are with your children, and want to have a fun goofy moment or are delayed in traffic, do this: Instructions: Squeeze your whole face. Pruning your eyes, forehead, lips, jaw, and everything else is a must. Stick your tongue out, widen your eyes, and shout as loudly as you can. Repeat as many times as you wish!

Shoulders, Arms, and Wrists The hand and forearm include twenty-nine bones and thirty-four muscles; therefore, they must remain strong and flexible. The beauty of yoga practice is that it includes everything. From top to pinkie finger, we work our entire body! Our arms are an extension of our hearts, and the more mobility we have in our upper bodies, the simpler it is to express love to ourselves and others. I like to think of our arms as windows as well. We need to maintain them lubricated and be able to quickly open them to allow in the fresh air. When we become engrossed in our upper bodies, it is all too easy to become stale, irritated, agitated, and walled off. Take the time to open the windows and let in some fresh air, to take deeper

and fuller breaths, and to allow your heart to be present in a genuine way. Everyone has a varied range of motion, but with each of these exercises, you will be able to make leaps and become more open over time. Shoulder Shrugs Begin with warming up your shoulders and noting how much stress you are carrying in them. Shoulder shrugs allow us to increase the tension and then completely release it. Body Areas Utilized: Shoulders and latissimus dorsi When to Do This: To relieve tension in your shoulders, sigh it all out or rapidly remove the edginess in your shoulders, body, and thoughts. Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale and raise your shoulders near your ears (as if you were extremely cold); hold for two seconds before fully releasing on an exhale. The exhale can even be heard as a huge sigh of relief. Repeat 10–12 times more. Shoulder Stretch (Arm Across Front) It is quite easy and normal for us to carry stress on our shoulders and neck. This simple shoulder stretch relieves stiffness in the outside arm and top of the shoulder. Body Areas Utilized: Biceps, outside shoulder, and posterior deltoid When to Do This: When you need relief in the shoulder, head, and neck area; feel tight in the neck; have had a tough exercise; see your shoulders creeping up to your ears, or want to prepare for eagle arms. Instructions: Sit up straight on the edge of your seat. Straighten your left arm across the front of your body, pulling it in closer to your midline with your right arm.

Hold and breathe for 5 to 8 breaths with the top of the shoulder released down away from the ear. Repeat on the right side. Eagle Arms The eagle position is supposed to help you focus your mind and concentrate on your breathing. It also helps to stretch our shoulders, upper back, elbows, and wrists. We work the tops of the shoulders down away from the ears as we do eagle arms. It's a fantastic sensation to be able to concentrate while keeping our shoulders relaxed. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, wrists, and shoulders. When to Do This: When your wrists and shoulders need to be relieved Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms towards the ceiling. Wrap the left arm as high as you can under the right arm, then double-cross the forearms and try to push the palms together. If you can't touch your palms, try pressing the backs of your hands. Practice raising your elbows and softening your shoulders. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before letting go of the arms and repeating with the opposing arm crossing. Cow Face Arms Cow face arms are great for balancing our right and left sides, extending the arms, shoulders, and wrists, and alleviating triceps stress and stiffness. Body Areas Utilized: Arms (particularly triceps), hands, and wrists When to Do This: When you realize you're overusing your dominant hand; when you feel tightness in your arms, shoulders, and wrists; or when you need to open up the chest and fronts of your shoulders Instructions:

Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Raise your right arm above and bend your elbow so that your palm lands between your shoulder blades. Internally rotate your left arm behind your back and move your hand up toward your right hand. See if you can clasp your hands (you can also use a belt, tie, towel, or strap to assist you to reach), or simply keep your hands where they land and hold for 5 to 8 breaths. Continue to sit up straight and bring your head back in line with your spine. Repeat on the other side. High Altar Arms This task requires some creativity. It encourages us to aim higher and picture what we genuinely wish to bring into our lives. High altar arms also offer an incredible relaxation in the wrists and down the arms. Lifting your arms raises your ribcage and creates space throughout your body. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, wrists, shoulders, and sides. When to Do This: When you need some relief in your arms, shoulders, and wrists, or a little pick-me-up and good energy in your life, this is the product for you. Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Extend your arms in front of you, interlace your fingers, and invert your palms so they face away from your torso. Take a few deep breaths here and appreciate how wonderful this stretch is in and of itself. Keep your ribcage supple as you raise your arms over your head to form an altar above you. Stretch from elbow to wrist, keeping the tops of your shoulders down. As much as possible, bring the elbows back into line with the ears. Imagine anything you wish to bring into your life on top of the altar above you. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths at a minimum.

Release the arms and repeat the position, but this time attempt it with the opposite thumb in front by altering the direction your hands are clasped. We are often shackled by habit and constantly keep our hands together in the same manner. By changing it up, we keep our bodies and minds in the present moment. High Altar Triceps Presses These triceps presses are a simple method to tone your arms while also providing a deeper stretch. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, wrists, and shoulders. When to Do This: To tone the triceps or to extend the wrists and forearms Instructions: Begin in high altar arms posture (see high altar arms), then bend the elbows to the sides and straighten the arms back up to the ceiling. When you lower your arms, bow your head forward slightly, and envision bringing that gift into yourself before offering it back up. Repeat 5–8 times more. As you press the elbows straight up again, make sure to maintain the tops of the shoulders released down away from the ears. High Altar Leans This exercise provides an even deeper stretch across the entire arm and waist area, as well as a little opening of the tops of the shoulders. Body Areas Utilized: Wrist and arms When to Do This: To expand the lungs and feel the connection between the arms and the side body, or to relieve tension in the shoulders and wrists. Instructions: Beginning in a high altar arms position (high altar arms), bend to the left as far as you can while keeping your right hip anchored

to the chair. Hold for five breaths, then rise through the center and lean to the right for five more. Consider going up and over to maintain length on the sides of the waist. Repeat 2–3 times more on each side. Side Leans with Wrist Pull Side leans with wrist pulls to help allow you to physically extend your entire arm. It's similar to putting yourself on your own personal rack and stretching the muscles out to alleviate the joints. It may be a logical progression to add the wrist pull after doing high altar leans, or you may just choose to practice them whenever you want to wake up your upper body. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, shoulders, and waist When to Do This: First thing in the morning or whenever you need a pickme-up Instructions: Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Raise your arms upward and grab your left wrist with your right hand. On an exhale, move yourself to the right and focus on extending your left arm down to your waist. Hold the position for 5 to 8 breaths. Return to a sitting position and repeat on the opposite side, holding your right wrist with your left hand. Triceps Dips Using Seat of Chair Who doesn't want to have toned arms? When we don't exercise or tone our arms correctly, the rear area of our arms becomes loose and flabby. Triceps dips are a simple workout that can be done using a chair and are ideal for firming up the rear of the arms regularly. Body Areas Utilized: Triceps, chest, shoulders, back, and abs. When to Do This: When you want to show off at work (just kidding! ),

require toning (with a bonus ab exercise), or need to enhance your metabolism Instructions: Sit up straight at the edge of your seat, feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on either side of your hips, palms facing backward and wrapped around the seat. Slide your hips off the chair while keeping your back near the seat's edge. As you inhale, bend your elbows and drop your hips toward the floor. Exhale and return to your starting posture. Attempt 15 to 20 dips. For more difficult variants, stretch both legs straight out in front of you for 10 reps, then swap legs. Wrist Workout Many of us have wrist or hand problems or just want to avoid the beginning of overuse injuries. I like how simple this workout is and how much it requires our brain to concentrate. Body Areas Utilized: Wrists, hands, fingers, and brain. When to Do This: If you want to avoid or treat carpal tunnel syndrome, require wrist and hand comfort, or want to focus your attention, this is the product for you. Instructions: Begin by sitting erect. Raise your arms in front of you, elbows bent and palms facing each other. Keep your hands straight and your palms flat, then make a tent with your fingers by bending them parallel to the floor. Next, form and compress both hands into fists by pulling the upper portion of the fingers into the lower part of the fingers like claws. Repeat the first four motions (straight, tent, claw, and fist) twenty times.

Triceps Stretch Sometimes we don't know how tight a muscle is until we stretch it. This is especially true about our triceps. We are less conscious of these muscles since they are located on the backs of the arms. Tight triceps can cause problems from the elbows down into the hands. When we can, we should extend and release them. Body Areas Utilized: Upper back, triceps, and shoulders When to Do This: When you sense tightness in the elbow joint and back of the arm, try a nice front body opener after your triceps dips (triceps dips utilizing seat of the chair) or as a warm-up for a deeper stretch like cow face arms. Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting on the edge of your chair. ☐ Raise your left arm over your head and bend the elbow overhead, allowing the hand to fall behind the head and toward the left shoulder blade. ☐ Place your right hand on the elbow and bring the arm back into the stretch. ☐ Remain on one side for 5 to 8 breaths before switching sides. Behind-the-Back Opposite Elbow Hold This simple position instantly improves your posture! Because many of us spend the majority of the day looking at a computer screen or down at our phones, forward head syndrome and bad posture are more common than ever. When you do this, you will notice a stretch across the front of your body and the opening of your rounded forward shoulders. You'll also be more selfassured! Body Areas Utilized: Chest and spine exercises When to Do This: Whenever you see yourself slouching or rounding forward, having limited air, or experiencing stress or tightness across the front of your body, Instructions:

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Begin by sitting erect at the edge of your chair and wrapping your arms around behind you. Hold on to the opposite elbows as best you can. ☐ Remain in this position for 5–8 breaths. Try it again, but this time put your opposing arm on top. Flipped Clasped Hands Another exercise/brain teaser is this small clasped-hands wrist flip. The movement of crossing our hands and flicking them through keeps our minds fully engaged in the activity. Students are especially perplexed when they return and work on switching to the opposite hand on top. This exercise truly demonstrates how tight our forearms and wrists are. Body Areas Utilized: Hands, forearms, and wrists. When to Do This: When you need wrist relief, want to change things up, are caught in your head, or want a basic stretch but don't have a lot of room Instructions: ☐

Begin by sitting up straight and stretching your arms straight out in front of you. Cross your arms at the wrists so that your right hand is over your left, flip your palms to face each other, and clasp your hands. ☐ Turn the clasped hands under toward the chest, then attempt to extend them forward again so the wrists have rotated around and you feel a significant stretch in the forearms, particularly the right wrist. ☐ Relax by bringing your attention back to your torso and out in front. Switch hands so that the left hand is on top, then repeat the twist under and extend forward motion. ☐ Repeat on either side to check if there is any additional give in either wrist. On each side, hold the stretch for at least thirty seconds. Hand Pulls Sometimes the simplest stretches are the most effective, while also revealing how stiff our forearms, hands, and wrists are. This practice, like the flipped clasped hands exercise, keeps our minds engaged while also balancing our

right and left hands. It's wonderful to use our other hand to assist and feel how much pressure we can apply, but only enough to achieve a deep stretch without tensing other areas or holding our breath. Body Areas Utilized: Works Wrists, forearms, and hands. When to Do This: When you are worried and waiting someplace, need a break from your computer or portable gadget, or have aching or cramping in your hands, forearms, or fingers. Instructions: ☐

Sit up straight and extend your right arm straight out in front of you, palm facing out, in the shape of a "stop" motion. ☐ With your left hand, draw the fingers of your right hand back toward your chest for 30 to 60 seconds. ☐ Now, with your right hand pointing down, cross your left hand over the top of your right hand. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds while pressing the back of the hand down. ☐ Finally, turn the right palm up to face the ceiling and draw the fingers down for 30 to 60 seconds with the left hand. Rep all of the previous steps using your left hand. Behind-the-Back Prayer Hands When you form prayer hands, either up or down your back (a simpler variation), you are mentally reminding yourself that you have your own back and that you can handle anything that comes your way. If it feels too intense, give yourself some wiggle room and go slowly. Body Areas Utilized: Pecs, shoulders, wrists, and forearms. When to Do This: When you need a confidence boost, are anxious, or need reassurance; need to open up your chest; want to extend your arms, wrists, and hands; or might benefit from an intense release

Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward

the edge of the chair, and back straight. ☐ Hold opposing elbows behind your back and gradually push your palms together up between your shoulder blades. To make things a bit simpler, you can pray facing down the back. ☐ Put your palms together tightly and attempt to hold for 30 to 60 seconds if you can. You can gradually build up to closing your eyes for a few minutes as a kind of meditation. Behind-the-Back Clasped Hands This is a great stretch to do at any time of day. I like to do it first thing in the morning while I'm reading my emails and drinking my coffee, during the day when I need a break, and at the end of the day to just let it all go. When we clasp our hands behind our backs, we quickly elevate our chest, allowing more air into our lungs. This exercise reminds me of automatic suspenders, lifting our chests and bringing our shoulders down and back. It also gives significant comfort to the arms and shoulders. Body Areas Utilized: Wrists, arms, and shoulders. When to Do This: When you first wake up or arrive at work, need a midday break, feel your energy dwindling, need a reminder to breathe, or want to practice using all sides of yourself more evenly, Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. ☐ Place your arms behind your back and interlace your fingers. As you press the whole portion of each palm together, keep your arms long and your elbows extended. ☐ Raise your chest and open your heart as you take 5 to 8 deep, complete breaths here. ☐ Release, take a second to relax and repeat with the other thumb on top. Downward Dog Arms A downward dog every day will keep the doctor away! Many of us hardly have time to eat breakfast in the morning, but the next time you sit down,

consider this: you might as well do your downward dog right there. Body Areas Utilized: Upper body and shoulders. When to Do This: When you need a breather, are feeling a bit stressed, want a huge shoulder opening, want a little blood flow to the brain, or just want some time to yourself, try this. Instructions: ☐ While seated at a desk or table, recline your chair such that you can extend your arms to the desk or table with only your hands flat on the surface. Assemble your arms shoulder-width apart. ☐ Press hard onto your palms while allowing your upper body to swing toward the floor. Maintain a draw between the ribs and engaged abdominals. ☐ Hold for 10 breaths in this downward dog desk variant.

CHAPTER 4: TORSO

torso is the powerhouse of our body! Some stomach, back, and coreO urstrengthening exercises to try are included below. If our core is not strong, we become susceptible to back problems because we are unable to support our spine and abdominal muscles properly. Sitting for extended periods can cause extra body fat to accumulate in the torso. Too much weight around the middle is connected to a plethora of problems, including herniated discs, type 2 diabetes, and heart attacks. Elevated cortisol levels, high cholesterol, and an increased risk of heart attacks are all common problems that are associated with too much weight around the midsection.

Additionally, our midsection may store a considerable amount of built-up energy. Doing exercises that include inhaling deeply into the sides, lower back, torso, and waist might help improve our spirits and endurance. My favorite stretches focus on the back and core regions. The following statement by Joseph Pilates, “You're only as youthful as your spine is flexible,” is completely accurate. Increasing our ability to draw on the strength in our core gives us a feeling of youth and vitality. This means that many different poses start or maintain their positioning by using the abdominal muscles. Suppose you had a long cylinder or tube starting from the very base of your spine, ascending inside of you. Beginning with the pelvic floor, pull energy up the center of the straw, utilizing the transversus abdominis to stabilize the whole body. Your core muscles, located between your upper and lower torso, are the center link in a chain. You may have trouble using your arms and legs if your core muscles are too weak or stiff. Regardless of whether you're striking a tennis ball or sweeping the floor, your core is the central place where movement begins and ends. From the simple task of bending to put on shoes to the majority of sporting pursuits, as well as household chores, gardening, and even sex, so many tasks rely on a strong core. Once you learn to use your abs correctly, you will naturally be able to raise and lengthen your body without straining yourself. You may improve core strength and spine freedom with these exercises, making it easier to sit in a relaxed manner. Your core muscles are the primary support for your body. A core workout regimen will help you improve your balance and reduce your chance of falling. In addition to the posture issues, weak core muscles lead to slouching. Adopting a good posture slims your figure and gives off an air of confidence. In addition, it helps relieve tension on the back and permits full breathing. Our concentration, leanness, and well-being are improved by a strong core and torso. Chair Twist Twists are great for our spine and entire torso, and they let us gain a full 360degree vision. Twists are very useful when my energy is fading and I need a

pick-me-up, or when I have a slow digestive system and need some assistance getting things going again. Twists lubricate the spine and stretch out the back, shoulders, and hips. They assist us in gaining a fresh viewpoint and increasing the range of motion in the intervertebral discs. Body Areas Utilized: Spine, core, and oblique muscles. When to Do This: Whenever you want to gain some perspective on yourself, need a refresher, are feeling blocked up, or want to slim down. Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Place your right hand on the top of the chair and your left hand on your right knee. ☐ Extend up through the spine on an inhale, then twist to the right on an exhale. Lift and twist for 5 to 8 more breaths. ☐ Return to the middle and repeat on the opposite side. ☐ Repeat 2 to 3 times more, or anytime you need a pick-me-up during the day. Side-to-Sides We aren't as used to moving horizontally as we are to moving forward and back. When we are pushed to move in new or unusual ways, our bodies create new neural connections in the brain, which keeps us youthful. At first, you may feel stupid or clumsy performing this maneuver, but keep practicing until you get the hang of it. Try Side-to-Side Waists to take it to the next level (side-to-sides with a waist). Body Areas Utilized: Obliques, core, waist, and lower back. When to Do This: Whenever you need to get your creative juices flowing, feel stiff or tight in your lower back, need to focus or want to tone your core. Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. ☐ As you inhale, keep your lower body and legs motionless and move your rib cage to the right. ☐ Move to the left side in the same manner on your exhale.

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Move from side to side 15 to 20 times as fast or as slowly as you choose.

Side Bends The gaps between our hips and ribs may easily get squeezed, especially if we sit for an extended period or slump when we stand. Our kidneys are located on each side of the spine, next to our lower back. Our kidneys function as mini-battery packs that keep us going. We feel drained and exhausted after squeezing down on them all day. Opening up the sides with twists and side bends helps keep our kidneys hydrated and our bodies and minds charged all day. Body Areas Utilized: abs and waist (including love handles) When to Do This: For a longer, deeper stretch in the waist's sides Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. Inhale and raise your right arm beside your ear, palm facing in. ☐ Begin to lean to the left on your exhale. You can either prop your left hand on the seat or hang it from the outside left leg. ☐ Remain in this position for 5 to 8 breaths, moving further into the side bend with each exhalation. Inhale to return to a sitting position and repeat on the opposing side. Extended Side Angle Extended side angle is a fantastic stretch that necessitates extra room around you since you must spread your legs open into a warrior II–style posture. In this stretch, make sure you have enough space and focus on truly rotating your waist around toward the ceiling. Body Areas Utilized: Hips, thighs, and lower back When to Do This: When you need to thoroughly oxygenate the lungs, relax the back, or feel more invigorated and robust. Instructions:

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Sit on the edge of your chair, open your right knee to the side, and turn your right foot out 90 degrees. Straighten your left leg and angle your left foot 75 degrees. You're about to enter a sitting warrior II position. ☐ From here, place your right forearm on your right knee, palm upward. Slide the knee to the right using the back of your arm. Extend the left arm overhead in the direction of the right knee, up and beside the left ear. ☐ Feel the length and reach from your outside left foot to your left fingers. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths on the right side, then rise to sit and repeat on the left. Repeat each side twice more. Seat Lifts Isn't it cool to train your abs while sitting? We acquire deep access to our innermost abdominals by learning how-to pull-out seats up off the chair. It's also a good quick kick in the buttocks when we find ourselves sitting for too long. This exercise may appear difficult at first, but you may gradually progress to complete the movement. Body Areas Utilized: Transverse abdominals, pelvic floor muscles, and core areas. When to Do This: For a decent ab workout, or if you find you're slumping or letting your tummy hang out, try these exercises. Instructions: ☐

Sit up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on each side of your seat or the chair's outside borders. ☐ Relax for a second, then attempt raising your buttocks off the chair as much as possible without moving your legs. Imagine your abs and arms lifting you up, and squeeze your shoulders down and away from your ears. ☐ Hold for 1 to 2 seconds before lowering. Repeat ten times more. Seat lifts also tone your pelvic floor and rev up your internal core. This is a great workout for new moms and postpartum ladies, but it is beneficial to everyone.

Scale Pose Scale is a difficult position in which you must elevate your entire seat and legs off of the chair. If it's too difficult at first, practice on the seat lifts (seat lifts) and leg lifts (leg lifts) separately until you can combine the two. Body Areas Utilized: Lower abdominals, pelvic floor muscles, core area as a whole, and arms When to Do This: When you need a pick-me-up, have been sitting for too long, or want to work your abs like nothing else. Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat and position your hands on each side of your hips, fingers pointing front and wrapped over the chair's seat. ☐ Activate your core muscles and, on an inhale, press your hands down and raise your hips and legs up, attempting to hover for a second. ☐ Slowly lower yourself and repeat 2 to 3 times more. Leg Lifts Leg raises are another excellent exercise for toning and strengthening the abdominals. These are a little easier to do than full-body lifts and can assist with energy, restless leg syndrome, leg cramping, and even blood clotting when flying. Body Areas Utilized: Core, hip flexors, psoas, inner thighs, and pelvic floor muscles are all involved. When to Do This: When you're bored at work, on a plane, or in a waiting room; want to work your core; or need to concentrate Instructions: ☐

Sit on the edge of your seat and envision a taut seat belt stretching from hip rim to hip rim as you bring your lower abdominals in and upward. ☐ Using your abdominals, elevate your right leg a few inches off the floor. Hold for two seconds before lowering the leg. ☐ Repeat with the left leg, then switch legs for 10 to 12 repetitions.

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Try raising both legs up at the same time next. You might need to lean slightly back in your chair or rest your hands on the chair's edge for support. Rep 10 to 12 times more. Try not to hold anyplace else on your body, but instead focus on initiating the movement with your core and torso.

Leg Reaches and Leg Reaches with Twists Leg reaches can be added to your sitting workouts to increase the amount of abdominal effort. Body Areas Utilized: Abdominals, lower back, and legs. When to Do This: To work the entire abdominal region, for cross-training, or if you find yourself slouching Instructions: ☐ Take a seat on the edge of your seat. Place both hands on either side of the chair, fingers pointing front and wrapped around the chair's base. Raise your knees to your chest. ☐ Hinge your body back far enough to serve as a cantilever, then shoot your legs out straight and pull them back in. Try going in and out twenty times. You'll need room in front of you, so be sure you have it. You may make it more difficult by extending the legs forward and slightly down, or just attempt to lengthen out a little before drawing the knees back in. ☐ Then, in a twisting action, alternate shooting the legs out by drawing them toward the right shoulder, then stretch out and twist back in toward the left. Continue to lean from side to side in a twisting motion for another twenty repetitions. Bicycles Cycling the legs is an excellent method to engage the abs and develop the lower body. This brain workout is also one of my favorites. We obtain greater outcomes when we put our thinking into our muscles. Cycling the legs needs coordination and attention (especially when we reverse the movement).

Body Areas Utilized: Inner thighs, lower abs, obliques, core, and legs. When to Do This: When you are distracted and unfocused, want to tone and strengthen your abs, or have extra pent-up energy to release Instructions: ☐

Begin at the edge of the chair, hands on either side of your hips, holding on to the seat's outside edge. ☐ Engage your abs and raise your legs in front of you. ☐ Pedal the legs forward for a total of twenty reps. ☐ Pedal backward for twenty repetitions.

Single-Leg Stretch You may try other chair abdominal exercises now that you're heating your core and exercising your abs. These movements can be performed at any time and in any location. Body Areas Utilized: Abdominal muscles, legs, inner thighs, and pelvic floor muscles When to Do This: When you want to strengthen and tone your abs, require back support, need more energy, or have been sitting motionless for far too long (maybe while watching TV? Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting towards the edge of your chair. For further support, place your hands on the seat. ☐ Raise your legs in front of you, knees bent and abdominals engaged. ☐ Straighten one leg while pulling the opposing knee closer to your chest. ☐ Repeat with the opposite leg. ☐ Repeat for a total of twenty times.

Scissors Try scissors for a more advanced tummy exercise. Scissors are a more severe stretch than single-leg stretch since both legs remain straight the whole time, increasing the lever load. To support the lower back, you must concentrate on pulling the abdominals in and up. If you notice that your back or hip flexors are under too much pressure, keep your knees slightly bent. Body Areas Utilized: Inner thighs, abs, lower back, and whole core. When to Do This: When you want a strong core exercise, have enough room in front of you to move your legs freely, want an extra challenge, or need some energy Instructions: ☐

Sit at the edge of your chair, grasping the seat with your hands on each side of your hips. ☐ Begin by leaning back slightly and lifting your legs up in front of you, knees bent. ☐ Straighten the legs and practice scissoring one higher than the other. ☐ Alternate swapping legs for a total of twenty repetitions. Side-to-Sides with Waist This is an isolated workout that takes a great deal of attention and body awareness. When you can adjust only one part of your body while keeping the rest stationary, you are doing yoga. Every time we concentrate and link our thoughts and breath with our movement, we gain a better understanding of ourselves and gain confidence in all aspects of our lives. Body Areas Utilized: Lower back and abs (especially the obliques) When to Do This: If you have torso stiffness, have been stuck in one position for too long, enjoy a good challenge, or need to concentrate, this is the exercise for you. Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart, and planted on the floor. ☐ Place your hands on your hips to remind yourself to remain

motionless. ☐ Instead of moving anything else, move your ribs to the right. Then, all the way to the left, move the ribs. ☐ Go from side to side while maintaining your complete body motionless for a total of twenty repetitions (ten to each side). Don't be disheartened if you can't accomplish this or any other workout at first. Yoga is a lifetime practice that may be done at any moment, especially in a chair. Just know that you can make your mind, body, and soul feel better at any time of the day. Goddess Circles In yoga class, we frequently come into a posture known as the goddess squat. This is my favorite posture for increasing blood flow to the pelvis and activating the inner thighs and lower abdominals. However, I must say that it is a very difficult posture to maintain and is quite demanding on the legs. What's nice about executing a goddess squat in a chair is that it relieves strain on our legs and allows us to focus on our core. If you've been sitting at a desk all day, these goddess circles are exactly what the doctor ordered. Body Areas Utilized: Lower abdominals, pelvic floor muscles, and lower back When to Do This: If you need help training your pelvic floor muscles, want to free up your torso, or want to tone your sides, waist, and core, this is the exercise for you. Instructions: ☐

Sit at the edge of the chair and spread your legs to each side of the seat, with both feet slightly turned out. ☐ Remain in this position for 5–8 breaths. ☐ Next, lay your hands on your knees and begin rotating your torso clockwise with your abdominals. Make it very fluid and flowing to engage the oblique muscles and core in the action. ☐ After about 15 to 20 loops in this direction, come to a halt and reverse direction. You can alternate between the two directions as long as it feels comfortable.

Goddess Side Stretch and Twist Now that you've discovered your inner goddess, try some of these goddess position variants. Many of us have tight inner thighs and hip flexors, which prevent us from engaging our core to its maximum potential. Goddess in a chair provides us with tactile help to feel our pelvic floor muscles and open up our stiff groins. In this position, we may easily activate our transverse abdominals. Body Areas Utilized: Inner thighs, abs, and waist When to Do This: When you need some soothing energy, are pre-or postnatal (this is a fantastic position for moms-to-be a post-delivery after the doctor gives the green light to exercise), or are feeling creative,

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Maintain the same goddess leg posture as in goddess circles (goddess circles). Side bend to the left by resting your left forearm on your left knee (or by resting your elbow on your knee). Hold for five breaths, then return to the starting position and repeat on the opposing side. ☐ Repeat, but this time instead of side bending, open up the top arm to twist. If you're flexible, you may place your second hand on the inside of your foot or even on the floor. Hold for five breaths or longer, or until you feel a good stretch and have worked the torso and waist. ☐ If you're extremely flexible, you can bring your top arm up and around behind your back to grip the upper inner thigh of the bottom leg. To deepen the stretch, bend the top arm and place the hand behind the head, then open the elbow up toward the ceiling. Side-to-Side Crunches with Hands Behind Head Try this excellent exercise if you truly want to slim down your waist. When doing this sitting, use the chair as a support to keep the knees and inner thighs wide. This workout will raise your heart rate and give you more energy. It will undoubtedly help tone the love handles and reduce the waist.

Body Areas Utilized: Abdominals (especially the obliques) and inner thighs When to Do This: When you want to strengthen your oblique and core muscles, have a busy day, feel sluggish in your breathing, or feel squeezed in your waist. Instructions: ☐

Begin by sitting with your legs wide and your feet slightly turned out. Place your hands behind your head, elbows spread. ☐ Inhale and bend toward your right leg while keeping your face forward (don't circle your upper back). Exhale by bending to the left side. ☐ Continue going from side to side for twenty repetitions to train the abdominal muscles. You may travel as quickly or as slowly as you choose. Focus on squeezing the waist as you lean from side to side. Straddle Forward Bend After all of that abdominal training, it's nice to stretch it all out. Straddle forward bend lengthens the sides while keeping core control. This is one of my favorite poses for releasing the weight of the world from the entire body. Body Areas Utilized: Inner thighs and abdominals will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: If you feel fatigued or agitated after your abdominal workout, or if you have torso tightness, do a torso stretch. Instructions: ☐

Sit on the edge of your chair, your legs spread wide. Turn your feet forward or pigeon-toed. Inhale and raise your arms to the ceiling, then exhale and fold forward, placing your hands on the outside borders of your feet on the floor, or on a desk or table in front of you if you're too stiff. ☐ Release the torso and stretch the sides. Hold for 8 to 10 full, deep breaths. Return to a tall sitting position and notice the change in your posture and overall well-being. ☐ Repeat twice more.

Straddle Forward Bend with Twist You can twist while in straddle forward bend to conclude the sequence or merely to provide an additional stretch. You're now extending the sides and waist and engaging the core to begin a nice twist. Body Areas Utilized: Core, waist, and inner thighs When to Do This: When you want to open up and stretch your entire torso, when you want to open up your lungs, when you are stuck in your thoughts or job, when you need abdominal toning, or when your digestive system is backed up, this is the exercise for you. Instructions: ☐ Sit in a straddle posture and fold your legs forward. ☐ Place your right hand in the center of both legs, directly beneath your head (if your hand does not readily contact the floor, place it on a block, a stack of books, or even your desk). Raise your left arm and twist it toward the ceiling. ☐ Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before switching arms. ☐ Repeat for each side one or two times more.

CHAPTER 5: LOWER BODY

are some of the most important chair exercises you can learn and use T hese in your everyday practice. They will assist in keeping your lower body strong and flexible, as well as relieving strain on your lower back and vertebrae. Many of my students (particularly women) ask me how to tone and tighten problem areas in the lower body. Let's face it: sitting on our buttocks all day results in a flat ass! However, you may improve your backside by adding these fantastic chair yoga postures and exercises. Simple stretches and strengthening exercises can help you lengthen and lean out your hips, thighs, and love handles. You'll also be free of lower back discomfort and feel considerably better during the day.

Yoga for the lower body has several advantages. Our buttocks and thighs are our biggest muscles, and strengthening them helps to increase our metabolism. The majority of individuals in Eastern cultures sit in a squat position all day, rather than in a chair. Because those joints are driven through a full range of motion and the lengthy leg muscles are continually stretched, they seldom develop hip and knee problems. First and foremost, we must remember that yoga is a journey, not a destination. It requires committed time, awareness, and breath to continue to open up on our path to increased flexibility. Furthermore, we engage in various activities that cause tightness and tension, thus, similar to brushing our teeth, we must repeat the process several times to eliminate any accumulation. And when we are consistent, we begin to see incredible improvements as well as greater flexibility. We also learn how to correctly open up by engaging our abs and breathing deeply into each position. Foot Circles Circling the feet and ankles improves ankle joint mobility, reduces stress, and strengthens the tibialis muscles (front of shins). Body Areas Utilized: Lower leg and ankles When to Do This: When you've had a hard day and your feet require some relief, Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Begin with your right foot and circle it ten times clockwise, then ten times counterclockwise. While performing the exercise, maintain your breath even and steady. ☐ Repeat with the opposite foot. ☐ If you want a more difficult task, try both feet at the same time. Point/Flex It's a lot of fun to express yourself via your feet and ankles. We frequently wear unsupportive shoes, and we must ensure that our feet and ankles are strong and flexible. Pointing and flexing the feet helps to strengthen the feet

and ankles while also warming up the calves and shins. Body Areas Utilized: Ankles, calves, and shins will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: Stretching and strengthening the feet and ankles, as well as working out any kinks caused by uncomfortable shoes Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Inhale while pointing your toes forward, then exhale while pulling your toes back. Repeat ten times more. ☐ Repeat the series, but this time inhale as you flex your feet and exhale as you point them. Toe Taps Toe taps are excellent for people suffering from shin splints. When I need to release pent-up energy, I frequently tap my toes. It has been proven that fidgeting throughout the day increases metabolism and burns more calories. Body Areas Utilized: Feet, ankles, and shins When to Do This: To alleviate shin splints, boost energy burn, or stimulate the brain Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Tap your toes up and down while maintaining your heels on the ground. While completing the taps, always keep your breath and posture in mind. ☐ Try tapping one foot at a time for ten repetitions, then the other, and finally both feet. Alternatively, experiment with tapping fast and slow. Heel Raises Heel raises can be used to train the opposite side of the foot and lower leg. Heel raises increase ankle joint range of motion and improve mood.

Body Areas Utilized: Inner thighs and calf muscles When to Do This: When you need a pick-me-up, want to strengthen your calves, or need to let go of anxious energy Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Lift and lower your right heel 10 times, then your left heel ten times. Ten times, lift and drop both heels. ☐ Repeat the entire procedure as many times as necessary. You may also switch the heels and play with the speed. Squeeze/Spread We frequently squeeze our feet into shoes that keep our toes all bunched up together. This exercise of squeezing and spreading open the toes is beneficial for working the little muscles between the toes and opening them up. Keep working on the areas where it is difficult to open up. Body Areas Utilized: Ankles, toes, and feet When to Do This: When you need foot relief, have worn tight shoes or high heels, want to improve your toe range of motion, or want to avoid the beginning of a bunion, corn, or other common toe concerns. Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Squeeze your toes hard and hold for a second. ☐ Extend your toes as far as you can and hold for a second. Work on separating your pinkie toe from your fourth toe. ☐ Repeat squeezing and expanding the toes ten times, gradually increasing to twenty repetitions. Alphabet Tracing the letters with your foot (particularly on your non-dominant side) improves attention as well as ankle joint and foot flexibility and mobility. Body Areas Utilized: Ankles and feet

When to Do This: When you have a difficult problem to tackle and need a break, when you are getting ready for your yoga practice and want to warm up your base, when you are watching television, or when you are prone to nighttime leg cramps Instructions: ☐ Sit on the edge of your seat or in a comfortable position. ☐ Trace the complete alphabet in the air with your right foot. ☐ Repeat with the opposite foot. ☐ Maintain a steady breathing pattern. Take note of how energetic your feet and thoughts are. Ankle to Knee This position relieves tightness in the outer hips and inner thighs. Ankle to the knee is a simple exercise that can be done throughout the day and is especially beneficial for athletes who have tight gluteal muscles. Body Areas Utilized: Outer hips, glutes, and inner thighs will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: To alleviate tension in the hips and buttocks, if you're experiencing lower back pain, or if you've been sitting in one posture for an extended period Instructions: ☐ Sit up straight on the edge of your seat. ☐ Place your right ankle over your left knee, leaving the right knee open to the side. ☐ Fold forward, forearms across the calf, till you feel a stretch in the outer right hip and thigh. Hold the position for 5 to 8 breaths. Allow your arms to fall at your sides and curve your body forward completely for a deeper stretch. ☐ Repeat on the other side. Advanced Ankle to Knee If you've mastered the ankle to knee position, try raising the legs for a deeper stretch and core workout. An excellent position for the hips and deep external

rotators is advanced ankle to knee. When I'm on a lengthy flight, I like to do this stretch. If you have stiff or damaged knees, be aware of any tugging on the outside or inner knee while you perform this stretch. Return to the ankle to knee position if you feel too much tension. Body Areas Utilized: Your outer hips, buttocks, inner thighs, and abs are all worked out. When to Do This: For a nice deep stretch in the buttocks, tight legs, or to increase your vitality. Instructions: ☐

From the ankle to knee position on the left side, thread your left arm between your right and left legs and bring your right arm around to the outside. Hold on to the right knee with both hands. ☐ Raise both legs off the floor and try to bring them up toward your chest without sinking in your lower back. Hold the position for 5 to 8 breaths. ☐

Repeat with the other leg.

Eagle Legs The eagle is thought to be a focus-building position. Yoga teachers also feel it helps prevent or reduce cellulite and varicose veins. When you execute this position, you like to press your legs hard and visualize crushing any selfdoubt. You will feel a new surge of stamina, excitement, and attention after releasing from either side. Body Areas Utilized: Legs, particularly the inner thighs and calves When to Do This: When you're losing attention (like in a lengthy, tiresome meeting), you want to tone and tighten your bottom half, or you're nervous. Instructions: ☐ Sit tall, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward the edge of the chair, and back straight. ☐ Cross your right leg over your left, attempting to double-cross your right foot behind your left ankle. If you are unable to reach, simply place your right toes on the floor on the outside of your left foot.

☐ Sit up straight and pull your abs in and up. Maintain your shoulders down and back, with your arms resting at your sides, or add eagle arms for an additional stretch. Cow Legs Cow legs posture is another excellent hip opener that can be performed both in a chair and on the floor. Body Areas Utilized: Your inner and outer thighs will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: To increase circulation in the legs, to stretch the buttocks, or if your hips or lower back is troubling you Instructions: ☐ Place your left leg over your right leg and cross your legs. ☐ Lean back until you can lift your legs and grasp the front of your outer ankles. ☐ Stay for 5 to 8 breaths before switching sides. ☐ Repeat 2 to 3 times more. ☐ If leaning back is too difficult, cross your legs and lean forward to feel the stretch in your outer hips. Butt Squeezes This exercise serves as a nice reminder that even when seated, we may still give our buttocks a healthy rise. Our buttocks are essentially a component of our core, and the stronger they grow, the more stable our entire lower half becomes. It's time to put an end to pancake rears once and for all and start building our backsides! Body Areas Utilized: Buttocks, pelvic floor muscles, and inner thighs. When to Do This: When you want to add a little lift to your behind, need an energy boost, or need to relieve pent-up tension in your hips, this is the move for you. Instructions: ☐ Sit upright, feet hip-width apart and firmly on the floor, hips toward

the edge of the chair, and back straight. ☐ Squeeze your buttocks together as though you were getting out of the chair. Hold for two seconds before releasing. ☐ Repeat for a total of twenty squeezes. Aim for three sets. Warrior I Warrior postures are excellent lower-body strengtheners that can boost confidence. To do the warrior poses using a chair, you must concentrate on tightening your muscles so that you may benefit from each posture. Warrior poses to stretch and strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and inner thighs, as well as the outer hips and buttocks. Body Areas Utilized: Your hips, buttocks, and thighs will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: When you need some confidence, are feeling wobbly or unstable, or want to strengthen your bottom half, use this. Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Begin by sitting with your buttocks on the left front edge of the chair, allowing you to sit on your right side and stretch your left leg off the chair and behind you. Straighten the left leg by pressing the outside edge of the left foot onto the floor. Make sure your left foot is positioned 45 to 75 degrees forward. Place your hands on your hips and try to drive them forward; you should feel a strong stretch in the front of your left psoas, quadriceps, and hip flexor. Keep your hands on your hips or, if you have one, on the desk in front of you. Lift the arms up and push the palms together above for extra effort. Take a look up at the hands. Hold for 5–8 breaths. Rep with the opposite leg. Repeat the process on each side 2 to 3 times more.

Warrior II The soldier brought Virabhadrasana II to set his sights on his prize. In this position, the torso stays equal between the hips to warn us not to rush into

conflict or hang too far back. When a true warrior is ready, he may stand in his core and act. Body Areas Utilized: Legs, buttocks, hips, abs, and arms. When to Do This: When you need to focus, gain confidence, or strengthen your bottom half to feel powerful and steady, do this. Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting with your buttocks at the edge of the chair and near the center of the seat, allowing you to rotate to the left to sit on your right side and stretch your left leg off the chair and behind you. ☐ Bend your right knee and straighten your rear leg by opening your hips to the left. Allow your left foot to slant out somewhat further than in warrior I, but maintain your ankle farther back than your toes. ☐ Check that your feet are firmly planted on the floor, and use your outer hips to maintain the bent knee moving forward rather than sliding inward or off the chair. Firmly press through the rear leg and outer foot until you feel a lift in the inner left thigh. Maintain even hips in the chair and your body exactly over them. ☐ Extend your arms to the sides and look over your right hand for 5 to 8 breaths. Return to the middle and execute on the left side. Repeat each side 2 to 3 times more.

Warrior III Warrior III in a chair demands a great deal of abdominal control and buttock strength. It is, nevertheless, an enjoyable and hard posture to practice, and it is the final pose in the virabhadrasana set. Legend has it that the soldier ultimately takes off and catches his princess in this posture. Give this position a shot when you're feeling like you could use some more focus and drive to pursue your goals and ambitions. Body Areas Utilized: Works Buttocks, core, and lower back When to Do This: When you need some concentration and energy, want to test your balance, or might use some backside lift

Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting at the edge of the chair, near the center of the seat. ☐ Stand on the left side of the chair and stretch your left leg behind you, toes pressed against the floor. ☐ Lean forward till your rear leg can be lifted off the floor. If you can't lift your leg, try coming up to your toes. If you feel stable and want to try a more challenging variant, stretch your arms straight back or out to the sides. ☐ Repeat on the opposite side, holding for 5 to 8 breaths on each side. Try with 2 to 3 repetitions on each leg. Lunge Lunges are fantastic for strengthening the thighs and buttocks. Lunging in a chair can help you stretch your quadriceps and psoas muscles almost as well as standing. Alternate between the lunge and the warrior I notice how the angle of the stretch changes. Body Areas Utilized: Hips, quads, hamstrings, buttocks, and core. When to Do This: When your legs and lower back are tense, you need a nice release, or you want to strengthen and tone your thighs, this is the exercise for you. Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Begin by sitting on the edge of your chair and moving your hips to the left. Reach behind you with your left leg and press your toes into the floor. Continue to squat your hips forward. Press firmly through your right foot and left leg. Feel the amazing stretch in the front of your left thigh. Keep your hands on your hips or raise them to the ceiling, palms inward and shoulder-width apart. Arc up and back, arriving into a crescent lunge posture, for a variant that stretches wide the shoulders and front torso and offers you an even deeper opening in the front of the back thigh. Hold for 8–10 breaths on each side, then repeat 2–3 times more.

Goddess Squat Goddess squats, like other squats, are good for opening out the hips and strengthening the buttocks and legs. The benefit of doing a squat in a chair is the added support. Squats increase blood flow to the pelvic floor (thus are great for pregnant women and women trying to conceive). Body Areas Utilized: Your abdominals, core, and inner thighs will benefit from this exercise. When to Do This: When you need some feminine creative energy, need to feel grounded, want to connect with mother earth, or want some lower body toning and strengthening, this is the place to be. Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting on the edge of the seat, with your hips in the center of the chair. ☐ Extend each leg as far as possible to its own side and turn the toes out at an angle. ☐ Make a prayer form with your hands at your heart center and hold for 8 to 10 breaths. ☐ For more advanced toning, consider raising your seat a few inches off the floor. Hold for as long as you can before lowering back down. Rep 3–5 times more. Straight Back Fold Learning to tilt forward while keeping a straight back takes a lot of attention and physical work. The straight back fold helps us to use our core muscles to begin a forward bend. Personally, this is one of my favorite lower back stretches. As you stretch your hamstrings, you may feel the entire lower back region extend. This is a safe forward bend for people who have ruptured discs that are bulging out. Body Areas Utilized: Abdominals, lower back, and hamstrings are all worked out. When to Do This: To experience deep relaxation in your hamstrings and lower back, to increase flexibility, or to activate your core Instructions:

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Begin by sitting on the chair's middle to the front edge, with both feet firmly planted on the floor. ☐ Lean forward with your back as flat as possible. ☐ Pay attention to raising your abdominals in and up, as well as opening your chest. Hinge forward from the hips and continue until you feel a mild stretch in your hamstrings and lower back. ☐ Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before releasing. Forward Fold Forward bends are excellent for releasing tension in the spine and psyche. Take a forward fold whenever you want to let go or need some brain drain. When you release your legs, you will instantly realize how much tension you have in your back. It may seem strange at first, but take long breaths to relax. Body Areas Utilized: Works Your hamstrings and lower back When to Do This: For thigh pain alleviation or to feel revitalized and enlightened Instructions: ☐

Fold forward, allowing your back to round, from the same starting position as your straight back fold. You can rest your elbows and forehead on a desk or table in front of you. ☐ Straighten your legs and fold over until your hands are at your feet and your upper body is dangling like a rag doll for a deeper, fullbody stretch. ☐ You will feel a stretch and release in your back, especially in your lower back and hamstrings. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths. Leg on Ledge Fold If you have a desk, table, or another chair in front of you, you may do a deeper sitting hamstring stretch by extending one leg out in front of you on the prop. Body Areas Utilized: Lower back, hamstrings, and abdominals When to Do This: When you need to stretch the backs of your legs if you

have deep vein thrombosis, or if you are an active athlete who finds your muscles cramping up when you are confined to a desk. Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting on the chair's edge. ☐ Place your right leg out in front of you, the heel on the chair, table, or desk. Make sure the quadriceps are engaged. Lengthen forward and over the straightened-out leg. ☐ Hold for 5–8 breaths before repeating on the opposing side. Advanced Hamstring Stretch I couldn't go a day without this stretch. It not only works the core and releases the lower back, but it also opens up the entire back, side, and inner thighs. It's one of the workouts I perform daily. If you are unable to grasp your foot or ankle, you can use a strap, belt, or towel to perform this stretch. Body Areas Utilized: Works Hamstrings, arms, abdominals, and legs When to Do This: When you truly want to stretch your hamstrings, inner thighs, and IT band, do the following (a band of fascial tissue that runs from the outside of the leg to the upper shin) Instructions: ☐ Begin by sitting on the edge of your chair. ☐ Sitting tall, grab your right ankle and stretch your leg straight out in front of you. Hold this position for five breaths. ☐ Next, pull your leg closer to your face while keeping your back as straight as possible. Hold for five more breaths. ☐ Sit up tall once more and attempt opening the leg to the right side for five more breaths. ☐ Finally, cross the leg over the torso and to the left to stretch the hamstrings and IT band. Hold for five more breaths before releasing the leg and repeating on the opposite side.

Lower Back It's simpler to loosen up and relax your lower back once you've warmed up

by opening up and strengthening your legs. The lower back may be fairly vulnerable, so it's critical to stay connected to the breath and use the abdominals to support each of these movements. Back pain is one of the most incapacitating ailments, and sitting can make it worse. If you have low back pain, you must perform these exercises to assist alleviate your suffering. Strengthening and extending the legs, hips, and lower back (in addition to the core training you've already begun) may make a significant impact on the health of your back and spine. More open hips and hamstrings will undoubtedly aid in back release. It's surprising how much you can open up and relieve your back just using a chair. Most of us sit in one position for much too long, and all of these exercises serve as reminders to keep moving. When we remain stationary in our bodies, particularly in our lower halves, our energy is like a muddy pool that becomes increasingly weighted down. Yoga assists us in clearing the waters and being clean and healthy. Backbend Arch Begin with a soft backbend on the chair for a simple lower back opening. In this position, I frequently close my eyes and envision the release in my back while using my core to anchor and maintain the stretch. Body Areas Utilized: Works Lower and upper back When to Do This: Whenever you require more oxygen in your body, see your lower back tensing or tightening, or notice your energy or mood lagging, Instructions: ☐

Sit on the edge of your chair and position your hands behind you, fingers pointing away from your hips. ☐ Raise your fingertips and bring your sacrum area in and upward to raise your lower back. ☐ Continue the backbend up the chest to the shoulder blades, opening out the entire front body. Hold and take 8 to 10 deep breaths. Cat/Cow

In the “Warm-ups” chapter of this book, I have introduced you to the cat/cow posture. It is mentioned again because of its therapeutic benefits for the back. Giving oneself a massage with a cat or a cow is very therapeutic. Body Areas Utilized: Works Upper and lower back, as well as your abdominals When to Do This: After you've completed your roll downs or as another method of releasing the spine and opening up the back Instructions: ☐ Sit on the chair's edge, with your feet flat on the floor. Inhale as you place your hands on your knees, raising your chest and extending your hips behind you. It's as if you're executing a forward pelvic arch but lifting the arch all the way up into your entire back. ☐ Raise your eyes, open your chest, and press your shoulder blades together softly. ☐ Round your chest, tuck in your tummy and curl under your tailbone as you drop your head toward your sternum on exhale (like a Halloween cat). ☐ Repeat for a total of 10 times. Roll Downs Roll downs work like a wave in the spine, opening up the vertebrae and generating space. They may be done as a morning warm-up or whenever you want to get the kinks out of your back. Body Areas Utilized: Spine, back, and abdominal muscles When to Do This: When you need greater spine mobility, to relieve your back, or to have more creative flow in your day Instructions: ☐

Begin by sitting with your feet hip-width apart on the floor and your hands at your sides. ☐ Begin rounding down your spine from the top of your head. Exhale and let the weight of your head continue to pull you over until the top

of your head is by your thighs. ☐ Start gently stacking the vertebrae as you circle up to sit on an inhale. To protect your back, draw your belly button to your spine and feel the articulation as you circle up. ☐ Roll down and up for another 5 to 8 cycles. Lower Back Circles Imagine stirring a saucepan and rotating around to loosen up your lower back for this next exercise. Body Areas Utilized: The lower back and abdominals. When to Do This: When you need to loosen up your lower back, want to get things moving, or need some creative energy Instructions: ☐

Begin by sitting with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on your knees. ☐ Inhale and begin to circle your torso in a clockwise motion, beginning at the base of the spine. Circle 8 to 10 times in this direction, then come to a halt and begin spinning in the other direction. ☐ Allow the movement to liberate your entire spine and body. Have fun and let yourself go. Circulate in one direction, then the other, for 2 to 3 minutes. Back Relief This is one of the most beneficial back stretches. Back relief is a simple inversion that helps release lower back strain and allows blood to flow in reverse. Body Areas Utilized: This exercise is mostly restorative, soothing the central nervous system while also releasing the legs and back. When to Do This: When you have enough room at your workplace to lock the door and let everything go when your back hurts when your legs are tired, or when you're at home and need some TLC (you can also do this with your legs on the couch)

Instructions: ☐

Lie down on your back (you may provide additional support with cushions or a folded blanket) and draw your hips in toward the base of the chair. ☐ Raise your legs up on the chair, knees bent at 90 degrees. ☐ Stay here as long as you like, then slowly lift your legs off the chair, roll to one side, and come up to sit. Backbend Backbends, the antidepressants of yoga, are excellent for opening up the chest area and allowing more oxygen into the lungs. All of the forward bending and rounded shoulder posturing that we perform throughout the day is reversed by back bending. Backbends can also help to strengthen the hips, buttocks, and hamstrings. Body Areas Utilized: Lower and upper back muscles are activated. When to Do This: When you need a pick-me-up, are stressed or upset, or want to strengthen and tone your backside Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your legs resting on the chair's seat. Push your feet into the chair or the edge of the seat (if the chair is sturdy enough to stay in place when you push into it) and begin to lift your hips off the floor. Puff your chest to your chin and press your hands into the floor to truly stretch open the front torso. Lengthen your tailbone and lower back region by drawing your belly button to your spine and engaging your hamstrings. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before lowering. Rep 3–4 times more.

CHAPTER 6: STANDING EXERCISES

thing you can do all day is get off your buttocks! Set a timer for T hethebest final five minutes of each hour on your computer or phone to remind you to stand up. While you're at it, attempt some of these standing postures with the assistance of a chair. According to studies, reducing your sitting time to less than three hours a day can extend your life expectancy by two years! Let's get this party started! Stroll to the water cooler to refill your water bottle, use the stairs instead of the elevator, go to a colleague's desk instead of phoning, step outdoors and take a walk for lunch, or get up to perform yoga in a chair. It's fantastic to have a chair to utilize as a prop; it helps us to do some standing yoga poses with greater ease and control.

There are times when you might become so engrossed in your computer job or a Netflix show that you find yourself sitting for far too long. Humans, on the other hand, are intended to move and not remain in one position for long periods. The consequences of sitting all day are far greater than we think. The most intriguing aspect of the studies on extended periods of sitting is that one hour of exercise did not compensate for all of the risk variables. The objective of these exercises is that they become built-in opportunities throughout your day to get up and move, which will help you feel at peace and discover a level of comfort in your body, making you happier, healthier, and live longer! Now that you're invigorated, do some standing yoga poses with the use of a chair. Have fun and be creative. You'll need a bit more room for them, so make sure you have enough of it. Feel free to practice in your shoes, or if you can and want to, remove your shoes and socks—you may discover that you have greater balance via your feet. Quad Stretch When we sit for long periods, our quadriceps and hip flexors get excessively tight and shortened. Tight hip flexors strain on the lower back, resulting in back discomfort and organ compression. When our psoas muscle is shortened and weak, it can cause problems with our digestive, reproductive, and other internal organs. Body Areas Utilized: Front leg muscles, notably the quadriceps, and hip flexors are worked. When to Do This: When you sense stress building up, want to stretch your complete front body, or want to counteract slouching Instructions: ☐

For balance, stand behind your desk chair and rest your right hand on the back. ☐ Reach your left hand back and hold the front of your left foot, drawing the heel in toward the buttocks. ☐ Extend your left leg toward the floor, tuck your tailbone under, and elevate your chest. Before swapping sides, hold for 5 to 8 breaths.

Figure 4 When it comes to the lower back, our outer thighs and external rotators function similarly to the quadriceps and hip flexors. When our outer hips are stiff, our back suffers. When the hips are excessively tight or weak, many people develop sciatica or piriformis pain over time. It is critical to keep the hip area open and robust. Body Areas Utilized: Outer hips, inner thighs, buttocks, and abs. When to Do This: Whenever you have dead butt syndrome, hip or back pain, or need to get rid of the trash or stale energy in the trunk Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing next to your chair and resting your right hand on its back for support. ☐ Cross your left ankle over your right knee, opening your left knee to the side. ☐ Begin by bending your right leg and lowering yourself as much as you can till you feel a stretch in the outer left hip and buttocks. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths before standing up and switching sides. ☐ Face the back of the chair and hold on with both hands if you need extra balancing assistance. Lunge These lunges will tone your buttocks and thighs. Lunges provide us the strength and energy to sustain ourselves with our legs. Lunges are excellent for strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and abdominals. This standing lunge is a fantastic method to gain a feel for where your weight should be on your front foot as well as a good stretch in the front side of your rear leg. Body Areas Utilized: Works Hips (particularly hip flexors), buttocks, quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings When to Do This: For lower back discomfort or tightness, to tone your buttocks, or to stretch out your legs Instructions:

☐ Stand in front of the chair with your right foot on the seat. ☐ Lean forward into a lunge while holding the back of the chair to stretch the front of your left hip flexors and quads. Maintain a raised chest and bring your lower abdominals in and up. ☐ Press firmly into the front foot and avoid extending the knee past the front ankle. You want to avoid putting any strain on the knee joint, which can lead to damage over time. Bring your hands to your front thigh or elevate them above you for an extra challenge. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths while engaging your buttocks and hamstrings on the right leg. Rep with the opposite leg. High Lunge You may practice lunging standing behind your chair and utilizing the chair for support for a deeper stretch and a more demanding strengthening position. Body Areas Utilized: Quadriceps, hips, hamstrings, and glutes When to Do This: When you want to do a full-body posture, get your blood flowing, or increase your metabolic rate. Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Stand straight and sideways in front of your chair. With your right hand, grip the chairback. Deeply squat the right knee till the thigh is virtually parallel to the seat of the chair. To protect your knee, keep the knee above the ankle. Strengthen behind your left knee by pressing hard through your left heel. Engage your right gluteal muscles and firmly plant your right foot on the floor. Be careful to contract your abdominals fully and hold for 8 to 10 breaths. Stand up and work the other side, or turn around to face the opposite direction. As you become more comfortable with the posture, try raising your arms up to the ceiling, palms facing inward, or just resting your hands on your hips.

Low Lunge

Low lunge extends the front of the rear leg more deeply than high lunge and truly opens up the psoas, hip flexor, and quadriceps area. Low lunge is likewise more passive than high lunge since the rear knee is lowered. If you find this posture unpleasant on the top of the knee, place a towel or additional padding under it. Body Areas Utilized: Hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. When to Do This: For comfort in the front of the legs, to remove fight-orflight tension, if you are hurting following a hard workout, to open up the front body and lungs, or for lower back relief Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐

☐ ☐

Stand up straight alongside your chair. Hold on to the chair back and take a step back a leg's length with your left leg. Deeply squat the right knee till the thigh is virtually parallel to the seat of the chair. To avoid knee stress, keep your knee above your ankle at all times. Drop your left knee to the floor and let the top of your footfall to the ground. To stretch the left hip flexors, quad, and psoas, press forcefully onto the front leg while allowing your hips to release forward. Maintain abdominal and buttock engagement. Lift one or both arms over your head for a more advanced version. Hold for 5–8 breaths before repeating on the opposing side.

Hamstring Stretch There are several exercises for stretching the hamstrings, and each one targets the legs in a somewhat different way. This hamstring stretch affects the entire back of my leg, including my calves. Body Areas Utilized: Legs (particularly hamstrings), lower back, and abs When to Do This: For the achy or tight back, or a deeper stretch in the backs of the thighs and calf muscles

Instructions:

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Stand in front of your chair and place your right heel on the seat (for a more advanced variation, you can even place your heel upon the chair back). ☐ Hinge forward over your leg and engage the front of your thigh until you feel a deep stretch at the rear of the leg. ☐ Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before switching legs. Intense Side Stretch It is critical to stretch the backs of the hamstrings regularly and to utilize supports to help you. We can alleviate the tension and strain on our back by keeping our hamstrings free and flexible. We are mostly concentrating on lengthening the backs of the thighs, but we are also stretching the sides of the waist and lengthening the spine across the front thigh. Body Areas Utilized: Hamstrings, quadriceps, back, and abs. When to Do This: For additional length in the backs of your thighs or when your lower back and torso are aching Instructions: ☐

Stand in front of your chair, right foot ahead, and left foot approximately half a leg length behind you. ☐ Press the outside edge of your left foot into the floor and tilt forward at the waist, resting your hands on the chair's seat. ☐ Initially, try to maintain your back long and both legs straight. Engage the quadriceps and the muscles above the kneecaps. ☐ After 5 to 8 breaths with your back flat, put your chest over your front thigh for a deeper stretch and hold for 5 to 8 breaths further. Repeat on the other side. You may also execute this exercise by standing near the chair and folding forward with one hand on the chair. Pigeon on Chair After sitting for hours on end, our outer hips and external rotators can get quite stiff. If you have knee problems or feel any extra strain in them when you attempt a pigeon, you must listen to your knees. If this is the case, you

may always return to figure 4 (figure 4) or ankle to knee (ankle to knee) for a comparable stretch in the outer hips. Body Areas Utilized: Outer hips, inner thighs, hamstrings, glutes, and abs When to Do This: When you need to stretch out your seat, ease sciatic or hip discomfort, experience back tightness or want an advanced deep hip opening Instructions: ☐

Stand with your back to the chair's side. Place your outer right calf on the chair's seat, knee toward the outside of your right hip, and foot as parallel to the chair's edge as possible (listen to your body and don't push too far). ☐ Gently inch your left leg back until you are settled upon the outside upper hip and experience an unbelievable hip opening. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before slowly rising to your feet. Rep on the other side. Downward-Facing Dog This is one of the finest yoga positions for overall body strength and flexibility. Because you are not placing all of your weight on your arms when performing downward dog in a chair, you may easily extend the upper body. Imagine your hips sliding away from your shoulders to find length in your back. Finally, unlike in this variant, you won't have to worry about tight hamstrings, and you may bend the knees slightly to feel the hips tilt forward and go back. Body Areas Utilized: Arms, abdominals, back, and legs When to Do This: To stretch the entire body; to relax the upper back, shoulders, head, neck, and legs; or to renew the mind and reconnect to the breath Instructions: ☐

Stand with your back to the chair and your hands shoulder-width apart on the chair back. ☐ Step back with your feet until your chest is parallel to the floor. ☐ Tension your lower abdominals and raise your ribs off the floor. ☐ Imagine arching your back and pushing your hips up and away

from your shoulders. Bend your knees to assist draw you back even more, then engage the kneecaps and straighten your legs again. Hold the position for 8 to 10 breaths. Forward Hang Sometimes all we need to do is let go. Forward hangs are fantastic for letting it all hang out. When I'm hanging on, I like to envision a small door at the top of my skull that I can open to let all the mental garbage in my mind fall to the floor and say good-by to forever. Forward hangs are excellent for stretching the entire back body, loosening tight hamstrings, and releasing tension in the head, neck, and shoulder area. Body Areas Utilized: Hamstrings, back, and abdominals When to Do This: When you need to clear your mind, open up your back body, stretch your hamstrings and lower back, relieve shoulder stress, or obtain some renewed energy. Instructions: ☐

Stand in front of your chair, hands on the seat, and gently fold forward over your legs. ☐ Go as far as you can with your head dangling heavily. Keep your hands on the chair for support, or let both hands fall to the floor. ☐ Keep the weight forward in the arches of the feet, don't sink back into the heels, and don't lock the knees (bend the knees if necessary) and feel all the tension flow out of your spine. ☐ You may also sway your fold from side to side by holding opposing elbows. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths before slowly rounding back up to stand, using the chair as needed for support. Standing Side Stretch When you need a huge release, any type of side bend can help open up the lungs and waist for a deep breath of fresh air while also relieving tension in the shoulders, waist, and lower back. Using a chair as a prop in a side stretch can help you go deeper since it provides support as well as a tactile aid as you lengthen into the posture.

Body Areas Utilized: Works Your oblique muscles, core, and arms When to Do This: To reduce stress, take several deep breaths, or if you feel like you're shrinking from too much sitting. Instructions: ☐ Begin by standing with your right side against the back of the chair. ☐ Inhale and raise your left arm across your ear, placing your right hand on the top of the chair's back. Exhale and shift your weight to your right. Stay for 5 to 8 breaths, attempting to maintain length on both sides while stretching the entire left side. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears. You can extend your neck by looking up beneath your upper arm if you like. ☐ Lift back up and spin around to repeat on the opposite side after your final deep exhale. Standing Twist Twists help with digestion and spinal mobility. When I need to reset things in the middle of the day, I like to do a twist. Body Areas Utilized: Works Your abdominals, obliques, legs, and arms When to Do This: To promote digestion, lift your spirits, or get a new viewpoint Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing straight, with your right side against the back of your chair. ☐ Place your right hand on the back of the chair and, with your left hand, hug your right knee into your chest. ☐ Take a deep breath in and exhale with a twist to the right. For 5 to 8 breaths, continue inhaling and exhaling deeper into the twist. ☐ Repeat on the opposite side, this time spinning around and hanging on to the chair with your left hand. Tree The tree is a traditional yoga pose that is great for grounding ourselves and

working on our balance. It's a good idea to pause and stand in a tree if you feel like you're being pushed in too many ways. Gather all of your energy and rein it in to build your base, expand your roots, and open your branches without allowing the wind to blow you over. Body Areas Utilized: Works Core, legs, arms, and abs When to Do This: To focus, center yourself, improve your balance, or tone your thighs Instructions: ☐ Begin by standing with your right side against the back of the chair. ☐ Place your left foot on the top inner right thigh and rotate your knee out to the side. ☐ Hold on to the chair with your right hand as you continue to bring the abdominals in and up and stabilize the core. ☐ Firmly press the left foot onto the right thigh, not allowing the right hip to sink or sag to the right side. Lift your chest and stand tall. ☐ When you feel stable, try praying with your hands together to test your balance. ☐ Repeat on the opposite side. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths on each side, or for as long as you can keep balanced. Triangle It is always necessary to extend and expand the sides and waist. Triangle is an excellent yoga posture for extending the torso and opening up the sides. Triangle posture also tones the legs and abs while lengthening the inner thighs. Body Areas Utilized: Waist, inner thighs, legs, and arms When to Do This: When you need a pick-me-up, want to tone and lengthen through the sides, have tight inner thighs, or need some fresh air or a new viewpoint, this is the place to go. Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing slightly in front of the chair, with your right foot in the middle of the front legs. ☐ Take a 2 to 3-foot step back with your left foot and slant it inward

about 45 degrees. ☐ Extend the right foot 90 degrees. Stretch your arms to the sides and hinge to the right as far as you can. ☐ Place your right hand on the chair seat and raise your left arm to the ceiling. Hold your gaze on the top hand for 5 to 8 breaths. ☐ Inhale to rise up and prepare for the left side. Standing Warrior I Warrior poses are among the finest yoga positions for strengthening the legs and increasing stamina in the body. When your energy is low or you need a mental and physical pick-me-up, get out of your chair and strike a warrior stance. Body Areas Utilized: Legs, arms, and abs are all worked out. When to Do This: To open up your front body; for tight hip flexors; when you need confidence or want to feel powerful; or when you want to improve your energy and metabolism. Instructions: ☐ Begin by standing next to your chair and placing your right hand on the back of it. ☐ Take a full leg length to step back with your left foot and pivot it so that it is inclined forward at about 75 degrees. ☐ Bend your right knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor, but do not allow the knee to extend past the ankle. ☐ Keep both hips pointing front and elevate your arms over your ears, palms facing each other. For an added difficulty, push the palms together. Keep the right hand on the chair and just lift the left arm up to alter. ☐ Hold and breathe for 5 to 8 breaths before repeating on the opposite side. Standing Warrior II Doing standing warriors with the assistance of a chair allows you to find appropriate alignment without straining. You can stabilize yourself and ensure proper form if you grab the back of the chair as you go into the poses.

Warrior II is particularly difficult for certain people because of tight hips and weak leg muscles; the front knee frequently rolls in on itself. When you align yourself with the chair leg, you may use it as a tactile guide to maintaining your knee tracking correctly. Body Areas Utilized: Hips, thighs, buttocks, abs, and arms When to Do This: When you need to stretch your hips, have a burst of energy, tone and strengthen your glutes and abdominals, or have an important event or meeting and need to fire up your stamina and attention. Instructions: ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

Begin by standing at the rear of the chair and aligning your right foot with the chair's front leg. Hold the back of the chair with your right hand and step your left foot back a leg's length, angling the toes forward approximately 45 degrees and pressing the outer foot into the floor. Bend your right knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor, then direct it toward the chair (it should almost be in line with the seat). Make sure the knee does not roll in and stays above the ankle. Keep your body between your legs and bring your abs in and up. When you're comfortable, extend both arms out to the sides and look ahead over your right fingers. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths before standing up and repeating on the opposite side.

Standing Warrior III Warrior III is the ideal posture for improving attention, increasing stamina and strength in the legs, core, and back, and increasing metabolism. Body Areas Utilized: Buttocks, legs, feet, back, and core muscles When to Do This: When you need to focus, lack confidence, require an energy boost or want to bulk up your backside or tone and strengthen your legs Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing in the back of your chair. Walk backward with your hands on the top of the chair back until your upper body is

parallel to the floor. ☐ Raise your left leg behind you, toes pointing down to the floor. Level your hips as if you were resting a teacup on your lower back. ☐ Make a stick from your heel to your head. When you're ready, try letting go of the chair and sending your arms down your sides to test your balance. ☐ Hold each side for 5 to 8 breaths. Butt Lifts We all want a little fast toning for our backsides from time to time. Standing and doing butt lifts with the chair is tough on the hips and buttocks and gives you a wonderful lift in the back. Body Areas Utilized: Buttocks, legs, back, and core When to Do This: When you want to let your inner child out, Fonda, Jane Instructions: ☐

Begin with both hands on the back of the chair and walk back until your forearms are stacked on top of each other. ☐ Maintain your hips towards the floor and raise your left leg behind you, knee bent and heel facing the ceiling (your thigh should be parallel to the floor). ☐ Pulse the left heel up and down an inch twenty times until you feel a burn in the back of your leg. ☐ Repeat on the opposite side for 2 to 3 sets. Dancer’s Pose The dancer's position opens out the chest, shoulders, and fronts of the thighs. Dancer's pose is a joyful posture that will make you happy every time you do it. The position is also beneficial for strengthening the legs and core, as well as improving balance. The mudra we form with our hands by bringing the thumb and forefinger together symbolizes the union of the self with the greater community or universe. Body Areas Utilized: Works Legs, hips, abdominals, back, and arms When to Do This: When you need a pick-me-up, want to celebrate your life

and successes, have shoulder, back, or hip flexor stiffness, or need to improve on your balance, Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing to the left of the chair's back. Place your right hand on the chair back and reach around to grasp the top of your left foot with your left hand. ☐ Bow your left leg behind you while leaning forward with your chest and opening out your entire front torso. ☐ Once you're comfortable, extend your right arm in front of you and connect your thumb and forefinger. ☐ Hold and take 5 to 8 deep breaths. Rep on the other side. Shoulder and Triceps Stretch One of the most common places I observe individuals storing tension (including myself) appears to be the shoulder and neck region. It's amazing how often I catch myself tensing my shoulders up to my ears, like a second pair of earrings. Throughout the day, try to catch yourself and tell yourself to relax your shoulders back down. This standing shoulder stretch is extremely beneficial for relaxing the arms, head, neck, and shoulder girdle. Body Areas Utilized: Works upper back, shoulders, and arms When to Do This: When you need a good shoulder release, are under a lot of stress in your life and need a break, have been carrying heavy luggage and need a moment to rest (perhaps at the airport), or need some peaceful time to yourself. Instructions: ☐ Begin by standing with your back against the back of your chair. ☐ Step back far enough to rest the back of your elbows on the top of the chairback. The top of your body should be parallel to the floor. ☐ Rest your hands on your shoulder blades and relax into the stretch's hammock. Keep your abs engaged and avoid arching your upper or lower back. The stretch should be felt predominantly in the shoulders, upper back, and triceps. ☐ Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before releasing.

Chaturanga Push-ups Many beginning learners struggle to do chaturanga correctly, not allowing their shoulders to curve forward or their hips to drop too low or rise too high in the posture. Using a chair to practice this narrow arm push-up is a wonderful method to start building strength while keeping proper form. Body Areas Utilized: Arms (particularly the triceps), chest, and abs When to Do This: When you need a burst of energy, Instructions: ☐

Begin by standing at the back of your chair with your hands on the chair's back (make sure the chair is secure or locked in place). ☐ Place your hands shoulder-width apart and move your feet back two feet, making an angle with the chair. ☐ Inhale and lower your body toward the chair, keeping your elbows narrowed behind you. Exhale and return to the beginning posture. ☐ Repeat for a set of 12 to 15 push-ups, and if you have the time and energy, go for 2 to 3 sets. Extended Side Angle It's always a good idea to extend the side of your body and provide room for your lungs to expand. Standing in an extended side angle allows us to delve deep into the side stretch and use our legs for support. Body Areas Utilized: Works Hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, abdominal muscles, and shoulders When to Do This: When you need some fresh air in your lungs, want to open up the torso and stretch the waist, have extra energy and want a nice leg workout, or want to expand in all directions. Instructions: ☐ Begin by standing in the warrior II stance on your right side in front of the chair. ☐ Place your right hand on the chair's seat behind your right knee while extending your left arm up above at a 45-degree angle and leaning to the right.

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Keep the sides of your waist lengthy and the tops of your shoulders gentle. ☐ Feel the length and reach from the outside edge of the left foot to the left fingers. Hold for 5 to 8 breaths before rising to your feet and continuing on the opposite side.

CHAPTER 7: MEDITATION

eveloping a daily meditation habit may change your life. The yoga poses I've shown you are contemplative in and of themselves. Yoga asana prepares us for meditation by preparing the body to sit straight and with excellent posture and by setting the scene for focusing on the breath. And, like the positions in the book, you can meditate anywhere.

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We are frequently separated from the present moment during the day. When you begin to move your body consciously while completely focusing on your breath, you will notice how centering it is and how your body and mind will feel calmer and at rest. Yoga poses also aid in the release of excess tension in

the body, allowing you to sit with greater freedom and without being troubled by pains in the physical body. Meditation is primarily concerned with giving your mind a break from all of its millions of ideas. You've probably heard the phrase "monkey mind." Meditation helps us to slow down the monkey for a few seconds to gain clarity on what we want and need in our life. Instead of swinging from vine to vine and bouncing up and down, the monkey only has to take a break on a limb every now and then and do nothing. “How do you meditate?” you may wonder. All you have to do is set out sometime each day, whether it's one minute, five minutes, or twenty minutes, to sit and notice your breath. Our breath is our most powerful tool for changing our mental state, and it is always available to us. If you utilize the right seat, the chair is a great location to meditate: feet level on the floor, hipwidth apart, sit bones secured, shoulders down and back, and spine nice and erect. (When we slouch, our breathing becomes less efficient.) You can close your eyes and lay your hands on your lap once you've found a great, tall, comfy seat. You may also connect the thumb and fingers by turning your palms up. We are more attentive when our hands are open, and it also helps flip the lungs open. The thumb and forefinger mudra is simply a beautiful gesture to remind us that we are pausing to accomplish something more serious and formal than simply sitting. Once you've settled in, begin to pay attention to your breathing. Keep an eye on your breath and exhale. That's all! Just keep an eye on each breath. “Breathing in, I'm breathing in,” repeat in your head. I am exhaling, I am exhaling.” When the mind wanders, bring it back into focus by repeating the sentence. You may also shorten it to "breathe in, breathe out," "breathein, breathe-out," or the Sanskrit Soham, which means "I am that." It is very natural for the mind to go off on tangents. Simply keep bringing it up. Set a timer for one to five minutes and begin with one minute. Continue to add time until you reach fifteen or twenty minutes. It may be easier to stick to a schedule if you meditate at the same time every day, but it doesn't matter when or where you meditate. You might be weary, worried, under pressure, or depressed—all of these are excellent moments to meditate. I'm finding that the more I meditate, the more I want to. Begin cautiously and gradually increase your workload.

If you work at a desk all day, you might choose to start your practice during the noon slump. Four o'clock is an excellent time to refresh the mind. If you are nervous about food, you can meditate for a few minutes before eating. You can meditate before or after doing yoga. Before a major presentation, you can meditate. Meditation is a great technique to reset your thoughts and keep working on being present and receptive to every beautiful moment of your life. Meditation has been found to lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, relax the nervous system, improve creativity, and alleviate stress. Meditation can help us deal with everything life throws at us. It aids in the development of a stronger sense of self. You may always take a few seconds while sitting in your seat, wherever you are, to close your eyes and focus on your breath. There is no one else who can breathe for you. Aside from simply focusing on your inhalation and exhalation, there are a few additional medications you may do to help relax your mind and channel your energy. Lake Meditation Maintain a motionless position with your spine straight. Begin to pay attention to your breathing. Consider your mind to be a mountain lake. Thoughts are like stones tossed into the water, causing ripples and pushing silt up from the lake's bottom. Consider returning the stones to the bank and allowing the waves to stop. Eventually, both the water and the mind become entirely clear. 4-7-8 Breathing It might be beneficial for us type-A types to focus on a count from time to time. By counting the breath beats, this breathing method assists us in meditating. Sit up straight and tall, with your hands on your lap. Inhale for four counts, hold for seven counts, then exhale for eight counts. The longest exhale helps to fully clean everything out. We frequently hang on to residual stale air, and we cannot fill up with new, fresh air and thoughts unless we empty. Rainbow Meditation with Kapalbhati

This is one of my favorite meditations/visualizations. Place your feet firmly on the edge of your chair. Raise your arms over your head, forming a huge V shape. Place your fingers on your palms and open your thumbs so that they point toward each other. Consider a massive rainbow spanning from thumb to thumb. Count out a hundred kapalbhati exhalations quickly. Inhale a big breath and keep it in for as long as you can after your final exhale. As you bow your head forward, continue to inflate your chest and raise it up to your chin. Touch your thumbs and explode a huge golden water balloon above you, and allow the gifts to shower down from above as your hands come back into your lap, pointing upward in a receptive posture. Final Relaxation Final relaxation isn't exactly meditation, but it can have a contemplative quality to it. Final relaxation is similar to being in a profound state of rest but not falling asleep. You don't have to concentrate on your breathing; simply allow it to happen. We generally take final relaxation at the end of a session, but you may stop what you're doing at any time of day. I believe that as adults, we take solely the work and assignment parts of the school and place far too much emphasis on them. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a time of day, every day, when you could take a cup of tea with a beautiful handful of almonds or a square of delicious dark chocolate and then relax? Fold your arms one on top of the other and put your forehead on top of them if you're at your desk and feel comfortable doing so. Close your eyes and concentrate on the oceanic sound of your breath. If you don't have a desk in front of you, simply sit back in your chair in a comfortable position without totally drooping. You can close your eyes and relax as your hands rest softly on your knees.