It is hard to understand how sitting down to exercise benefits anybody. However, experts swear by chair yoga, claiming it is a beneficial exercise you can do in a seated posture. Chair yoga is traditional yoga performed while sitting in or using a chair.
It is a common assumption that the exercise is for older adults, as chair yoga classes often target this demographic. Furthermore, many studies focus on documenting its benefits for the older set, making it seem reserved for them alone. However, that is untrue.
Myths About Chair Yoga
A small study published in the April 2023 edition of the journal Healthcare found that chair yoga worked effectively for women 65 and older suffering from knee osteoarthritis. The therapy not only boosted the women’s functional fitness but also their daily life activity scores, suggesting that chair yoga could reduce the risk of osteoarthritis advancing to disability.
Still, experts say that chair yoga can work for everyone, regardless of age, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. One study revealed that just fifteen minutes of chair yoga or guided meditation greatly improved several physiological and psychological stress markers in study participants.
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It has yet to go mainstream. However, many companies have been using exercise to help employees reduce stress and improve health. Stacie Dooreck, a certified yoga instructor based in Larkspur, California, has taught chair yoga at San Francisco Bay Area companies for several decades.
“It’s safe for all ages and can be very gentle,” Dooreck said. “It also helps with flexibility, posture — people in offices are usually hunched over at their desks — and combats repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome.”
Merits of Chair Yoga
Chair yoga has many incredible benefits. Some include increased flexibility, improved concentration and strength, and lessened stress or anxiety. The exercises must be performed seated or standing, using a chair for assistance.
However, they follow the same principles as traditional yoga. The physical poses stretch and strengthen many of the same muscles, and the breathing work is based on traditional pranayama, which harnesses the power of the mind for meditation.
Does Chair Yoga Really Work For Seniors?
This form of yoga works for seniors and is especially recommended for older adults. It can help them overcome their fear of falling, gain confidence in their physical abilities, and improve their lower-body flexibility and balance. However, experts also recommend it for those with reduced mobility, such as people who sit all day at work.
Chair Yoga can help this category of people avoid tension and pain from sitting in the same position and helps combat poor posture. One study even found that if it is done at the office, it can reduce stress and prompt a relaxation response.
Is Yoga for Men Effective?
Yes, it is effective for men. As with women, it offers numerous benefits that cater to general health, flexibility, mental well-being, and stress reduction. Great examples for men include seated cow stretch, seated forward bend, seated warrior pose, seated twist, seated pigeon pose, and seated mountain pose.
Is Chair Yoga Really Effective?
Yes, it is. According to experts, once you start practicing chair yoga, you will feel a sense of ease and relaxation flow through your body. If you remain consistent with it, it releases tension, making basic tasks of daily life accessible.
Using your chair for seated poses or balancing poses can help you take advantage of yoga’s many benefits, such as increased circulation, well-being, and decreases in blood pressure, anxiety, inflammation, and chronic pain.
Can You Lose Weight by Doing Chair Exercises?
While chair exercises have many benefits, they are not the most efficient exercise for weight loss. This is because the intensity of these sessions is generally lower than many other forms of physical activity, which means it burns fewer calories.
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Unfortunately, losing weight relies on maintaining a calorie deficit where more calories are expended than are consumed. High-intensity workouts, cardiovascular exercises, and strength training are recommended for achieving this balance faster.
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