Improve heart health while sitting on a chair naturally. The following article will educate you about a few chair yoga poses that aid the same.
Similar to yoga, chair yoga has also gained much reputation among the masses including senior citizens, corporate offices and people with a less mobile lifestyle, etc.
Chair yoga is often described as a modified version of Hatha yoga which brings mobility, circulation, and exercise to the static body. As the traditional yoga discipline, chair yoga also has some spectacular health benefits that have compelled the medical practitioners to prescribe this yogic style.
Chair yoga is a curative for medical conditions such as chronic pains, carpal tunnel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, etc. Apart from these, it offers infinite aids convincing people to join yoga teacher training in Bangalore for chair yoga.
An influential factor that made chair yoga foremost is the medical evidence supporting the same. Clinical research was conducted by the American Heart Association in 2004 on a group of participants who practiced chair yoga thrice a day for 6 weeks. It was found that practicing yoga improved their blood pressure, pulse rate, and body mass index. In fact, people suffering from coronary problems showed improved blood vessel functions.
To achieve the same benefits for a healthy heart start practicing chair yoga with the help of the following poses:
• Vrkshasana: Stand behind the chair while holding it with the right arm. Raise the right leg and place it on the left leg. Breathe in and stretch your left arm towards the sky as high as possible; try to hold it for 15 seconds. Breathe out and relax in a normal position. Repeat the same with the left leg and complete at least 10 repetitions of the same. This pose stretches the rams and shoulders, strengthens knees and opens up the buttocks and chest cavity. Repetitions of this pose is helpful in activating the Anahata chakra responsible for the proper functioning of the heart and Mooladhara chakra responsible for enhancing self-aspect, sense of survival, etc.
• Virabhadrasana I: Extend one leg back firmly and keep another leg resting on the chair. Let the chair handle the bodyweight. Once you are comfortable, extend both arms upwards in prayer position. Maintain the pose for at least 30 seconds on each leg. Regular practice of this pose stretches the arms, shoulders, hamstrings, and back. It strengthens the knees and quadriceps. It also activates the Anahata and Mooladhara chakra in the body. These chakras are subjected for opening, activating and balancing of the heart and maintain rigidity as well as stability in the body.
• Trikonasana: Maintain a distance of an arm from the chair while holding it with left arm. Make sure that the left foot is facing the chair whereas right foot is extended back facing side. Lean towards the left and look towards the sky. This pose gives a good stretch to the arms, shoulders, chest, core, buttocks, psoas and quadriceps. Moreover, it activates as well as balances Anahata chakra, Swadisthana chakra responsible for fertility, growth and abundance and Mooladhara chakra. Join yoga teacher training in Rishikesh for detailed information on the chakras of the body.
• Bhujangasana: Sit on the front edge of the chair and hold the sides of the chair with both hands. Breathe in and try to lift your chest as high as you can and try to hold for 15 seconds. Breathe out and relax in a normal position. Practicing this pose opens up the heart and thoracic cavity. It also stretches the upper and middle back. It stimulates Vishuddha and Anahata chakras in the body responsible for the proper functioning of throat and heart respectively.
Practicing these chair yoga poses twice a day and at least thrice a week will certainly improve heart health. To know more about such chair yoga poses enrol for yoga teacher training in Bangalore.