Practicing iyengar yoga with a chair: Telling you how to practice properly

Safety, usefulness, effectiveness are what yoga practitioners can feel from practicing iyengar yoga with a chair. Let’s learn about this type of yoga with easyhealthylive.com.

In general, for practitioners of any level, practicing iyengar yoga with a chair is also a safe and reasonable choice. easyhealthylive.com offers 4 basic iyengar yoga poses for you to refer to and practice right away.

Leg stretch pose I

This pose will be suitable for those who want to stretch the thigh muscles. You should keep the standing posture bent, raising the knee will help the practitioner activate the pelvis, and at the same time lift the spine from the base.

In addition, maintaining this posture also helps the practitioner develop technically, especially straightening the supporting leg (ie the leg is not resting on the chair). The practitioner can also put a block on the chair to make sure that the knee is higher than the hip, gradually raising it higher if you want to increase the difficulty.

Doing

• Start in basic mountain pose, feet together.
• Keeping your left leg steady, step your right foot onto the chair. At this step, the practitioner needs to make sure the chair is high enough so that the right knee is higher than the hip, yoga bricks are a popular choice. At the same time, make sure that the right knee is in line with the right heel, the shin is perpendicular to the contact plane (seat surface) and the left ankle is in line with the left hip.
• Gently lower your left heel to the floor. Move the posterior hip so that the front of the left thigh muscle is facing the chair.
• Adjust the right hip so that it is at the height of the left hip, place your hands on your hips, bring your elbows in to activate your sides, raise your chest slightly, spine slightly up.
• Release your body, return to mountain pose and do the same with the left leg.

Leg stretch pose II

Inflexible thigh muscles limit pelvic movement, and so will stiff hip muscles. This iyengar pose with this chair solves that.

This pose is quite similar to the stretching angle pose. This is also a variation suitable for those who are dealing with lower back pain. In addition to the chair, the practitioner can use more bricks to increase the difficulty, but at least the knees must be higher than the hips.

Doing

• Place the chair to the right, right next to the practitioner, at a walking distance.
• Stand up straight, left toe pointing towards the wall, left leg straight and stationary throughout the exercise.
• Step your right foot onto the chair, and at the same time rotate your right knee and right toe to the right.
• Place a block between the right knee and the wall for stability, this will be the support for the knee while the practitioner moves the hip in the next steps. Hands raised at shoulder height, fingers clinging to the wall.
• Securing the left leg (the foot is resting on the floor), point the right acetabulum toward the wall, and at the same time lower the right buttock slightly.
• As you move your right hip, stretch and stretch your right ribcage, while rotating your spine so that your entire body is facing the wall.
• Relax your body, return to mountain pose, move the chair to the left, and do the same with the other leg.

Leg stretch pose III

This pose aims to slowly improve the range of rotation of the spine. Practitioners can also take advantage of this pose to relax their backs. When performed, the pelvis is fixed while the spine and ribs move.

Doing

• Put the chair to the side of the practitioner as in the leg stretch position II, the practitioner stands opposite the chair, the right hip is pressed against the wall.
• Step right foot onto the chair, making sure the knee is in line with the ankle and remains in place while the practitioner rotates the chest toward the wall. At the same time, slightly bend the left thigh for the purpose of fixing the pelvis, not allowing the left hip to tilt toward the right knee.
• When turning, keep the shoulders fixed, slightly raise the left chest and open the left rib cage.
• Relax your body, return to mountain pose, put the chair to the left and do the same with the left leg and right ribcage.

Twisted triangle pose

With this pose, the chair is used as a balance aid and maintains stability. In addition, the chair also helps to reduce pressure on the lower back and improve the range of motion of the spine.

Doing

• Stand in mountain pose, leaning against the wall, left heel lifted slightly, touching the wall. Step right foot out a distance equal to foot length, also the seat position.
• Make sure the seat is as close to your right foot as possible, lean forward and place your elbow and left hand on the seat cushion, holding the backrest with your right hand.
• Keeping hips level, left side and facing the floor. The left flank is also towards the floor, slightly open.
• Close the left shoulder blade, slightly pulling the spine at the same time as twisting a little deeper. Simultaneously, the right collarbone and eyes are directed towards the ceiling.
• Relax your body, return to mountain pose and do the same with the other side.

In general, doing iyengar yoga with a chair is not difficult. Because this is an extremely effective balance support tool. Not only that, the practitioner can also increase the difficulty and prolong the time to maintain the pose thanks to the yoga bricks. This is a pretty useful tool when practicing iyengar yoga with a chair.

However, no matter how many support tools there are, every beginner and intermediate practitioner needs a follower. Yoga teachers will guide you to practice to minimize injury and guide practitioners to good habits in living and practicing.

Reference source

Iyengar yoga for lower back pain https://yogaselection.com/iyengar-yoga-for-lower-back-pain/ Accessed date: June 29, 2020