Chair Yoga For Seniors 30 Minute Workout

I just finished writing a 30 minute yoga workout for my retirement home class tomorrow. It’s a nice mix of a warm up/cardio exercises and then yoga poses with the assistance of a standard four leg chair. NOTE: You don’t have to be a senior to do this! I was doing some of these chair yoga poses at work today!   Warm Up Mountain pose: Four deep breaths Inhale hands up/Exhale hands down: Four Breaths Shoulder rolls: forward and backwards 10 x each Reach hands out to the side, palms up- hug self- right hand to right shoulder  5x Hug self- rotating head with body (5x) Hug self- rotating head opposite direction of body (5x) Interlace fingers- rise up to face level arch back and try to pull hands away from each other. This is stretching the upper back muscles.  Then go to prayer and press hands together (alternate 4 times) Rotate wrists clockwise/counterclockwise/point/flex Arms through Jello exercise- Create resistance Reach up both hands drop one- alternate lat over head Right hand straight ahead – left leg straight ahead (Hold 5 sec alternate) Both hands up both legs up Marching like a solider Motion of washing  a counter top with right and left hands Motion of washing  a window with right and left hands   Yoga Sun Salutations: Hands up, cactus arms hold, reach down, back to cactus, reach down, right hand up, left hand up, reverse swan dive (3 times) Standing Poses:

• Warrior 1, 2, reverse—pushups in between with chair support
• Tree pose with chair support
• Abductor leg out hold 5 seconds (alternate 4 times)
• Glute leg back hold 5 seconds (alternate 4 times)

  Cool Down/Stretch Chest Stretches:

• Y hands behind head- widen hand length with each rep (3 reps)
• Namaste arms out- palms up

Leg Stretches:

• Leg straight lift up and hold for 5 seconds (alternate 4 times)
• Cross legs- back straight- lean forward and hold. Do three times on each leg
• Pull knee into chest and turn to side of the knee
• Knee up/knee straight/knee down
• Calf stretch: Extend leg straight, flex foot, lean forward
• Stomps: assisted and the marching without hands
• Shake out legs and hands

Feet

• Point/Flex clockwise/counter clockwise rotation

Breathing

• Hold Namaste for three breaths and close eyes and clear head