Chair Yoga

Yoga can benefit anyone, regardless of age, inflexibility or even disability. “If you can breathe, you can do yoga.”  

‘Chair yoga is a great way to practice yoga for those who can’t get on the floor for a traditional mat based class. It’s ideal for older people who might struggle with mobility issues, those with injury, disability, parkinsons, ms, fibromyalgia, chronic back pain, chronic fatigue syndrome to name but a few. In short anyone who needs to relax and move their bodies from head to toe in a safe and accessible way. 

Our chair class takes place on a Monday morning at 11 am.  You can just come along.  We run the class on a donation basis, if you can afford it we recommend a donation of £5 but if you can’t afford to make a donation then please still come along and take the class for free.

The benefits of chair yoga are well proven and include:

1. Improved Strength – This means that people will be better able to continue with hobbies and daily activities independently for many more years to come. If they are unlucky enough to suffer a fall or injury, a strong body will be able to withstand this better and sustain fewer injuries.

2. Improved Flexibility – Chair yoga can help those with mobility issues to undertake activities that they have perhaps been unable to, such as reaching down to tie shoe laces or pick things up.

3. Improved balance and proprioception – Proprioception is the skill of knowing where your body is in space, and coordinating your movements accurately. Combined with improve balance it leads to reduced possibility of falls and increase in confidence.

4. Reduced stress and improved mental clarity – Chair yoga can lessen the impact of chronic illnesses and pain. For elderly people, it may also help them cope with feelings of isolation, if this is a problem. Being calmer and more relaxed inevitably leads to a greater feeling of happiness and well-being, which everyone can benefit from!

5. Opportunities to meet people and socialize – Joining chair yoga classes for those with mobility issues and the elderly will also give them a venue to socialise and make friends.

6. Improved stress and pain management – Chair yoga includes breath work, which can help people not only with stress management but also for coping with and managing pain. Through meditation and paying attention to your breath, you can help your body and mind to cope with the pain of an illness or condition you may suffer with.