Chair Yoga for Seniors - Level 2 with Core and Balancing

Transcript

hi yogis Kirsty Cosmo and Skye our newest addition to the family here to lead you through another chair yoga series today we'll be doing all of our yoga on a chair this class is great if you've already practiced my first chair yoga video which I've linked above or if you're starting fresh and this is the first time you're here I'm so happy that you are nice to meet you so let's begin slip into something comfy and let's get started [Music] foreign so you can find anything that resembles a chair even if you're on your couch or in a wheelchair or a simple chair like this this is perfect we're going to start today by really grounding down and finding a few deep breaths together just to set the tone of our practice we'll start with a full breath in through the nose and out through the nose good two more just like that yogis in and out last one big full breath in hold that breath at the top for three sip in a little more air for two and one let it go out of your mouth [Applause] great work so we're going to build this from the ground up so we will start with our feet shoes off if you can we'll Begin by just lifting our heels and lowering this warm-up may seem familiar if you've practiced my other chair yoga video so let's just take a couple more just like that really moving into the ankles lift and lower lift and lower last one lift and lower good now we're going to go the opposite way we'll take the toes lit and lower up and down good try to pay attention to your posture here really sitting up nice and Tall lift and lower last one lift and lower really great work guys from here we'll focus on that left leg I will be mirroring you so it will be my right leg but it will be your left leg so let's send that left leg out and in out and in two more lift and lower last one lift and hold here we'll point the toes and then Flex we'll point and then Flex last one point and flex and then roll out that ankle three two One release good let's take it to the other side right leg out and in good Out Feel the quad in two more lift and lower last one lift and hold Point those toes Flex point Flex last one point Flex roll out the ankle and release great work now interlace your hands over that left knee we'll take the knee pull it up and in for a nice tight squeeze and then set it right back down so you guys know this right here up and down good up and down last one we'll pull it up hold for three two one take the ankle cross it over the knee open up through that knee opening up into the hips we'll take both hands onto that knee we'll take a nice press just to really open up the back of that hip and then we'll take three deep breaths breathing is so important we're also working that lung muscle to really keep that fluidity and movement through the body boosting circulation and fresh oxygenated blood big full breath in big full breath out two more in and out last one in and out good keep your leg as is and with your inhale stretch your arms all the way up towards the sky then on your exhale we're going to turn all the way towards the left and bring that right hand to the outside of our right knee or our left knee and then take the backhand maybe you grab the back of your chair and really try and twist over that left shoulder for three refer to two and one right back up to Center inhale on your exhale release the hands down and release that foot let's take it all to the other side interlace your hands on the right knee this time we've got three lifts pull it up long through the spine long through the chest and place it down good two more up and down maybe add the breath up and down good this last one bring it up and hold it here squeezing for three two one take the ankle cross it over the knee open up through the hip and a figure four now if this isn't available to you that's perfectly fine you can just bring the foot down and cross over the ankles that's a great way to be as well remember to please modify for however your body needs to move today it's all perfectly fine Bring Your Hands to that knee let's take those three deep breaths inhale exhale inhale exhale last one big breath in big breath out good breathe in sweep the arms up to the sky on your exhale twist to the right bringing that opposite hand to the opposite knee looking all the way over the right shoulder for three two one inhale reach back up exhale plant the feet back on the mat really good work Team all right we're gonna take that left leg we're going to send it out in front of us we're going to take some little pulses here so just slow up and down just like that we've got ten nine eight you've got it seven six five four three two one whoo that's a burner all right other side send it out we've got ten nine eight seven six five four three two one you think we can handle a little bit more of that all right left leg out let's go five four three two one good right leg out five four three two one good work Team all right let's continue moving up the body now bring your hands to your knees on your inhale you're gonna send your chest forward look all the way up Lean Back open through the throat and the chest and then on your exhale you're going to round and Tuck the chin and send your shoulder blades back we call these seated cat cows okay so inhale belly drops lift the chin exhale round into your spine tuck the chin can we do three more of those together inhale open exhale round inhale open exhale round last one inhale open exhale round good come to neutral right there nice work so now we're going to take the spine in another Direction so we're actually going to sway it to the left then bring it forward then to the right then bring it back so really just getting the circular motion two more forward around and back forward around and back I love it when she lays like that how cute is that let's do two to the other side all the way around we're really just building some fluidity and mobility in the spine here last one all the way around beautiful work from here we'll take the arms we'll reach them all the way up with a big breath in on your exhale seal your hands to your heart we'll tap our knees we'll reach down for The Shins and reach all the way to the toes where we're holding for three two one good slowly roll back up good that's our sun salutation we will take two more of those big inhale arms up exhale hands to Heart hands to knees down to those shins all the way to your toes maybe three two one roll back up again it's completely okay if you're nowhere near your toes just by trying you're getting stronger and more flexible arms to the sky hands to heart on the exhale hands to your knees and then reach down for those toes three two one roll it up great work with your next inhale take that left arm stretch it all the way up to the sky and then lean all the way over towards the right for a side body stretch for three to two one good other side big inhale reach it up and all the way over holding here for three two one one more each side inhale reach the left arm up lean over maybe a little further this time look up towards the sky fourth three two one good other side reach and lengthen for three two one beautiful work now both fingertips will come forward here you'll flip the Palms up and then you'll reach the fingertips Towards the Sky good back down flip release let's take two more out flip lift down flip release good out flip lift down flip hold pulse 10. nine you've got it eight seven six five four three two one hold it there now open up both Palms wide big inhale exhale wrap the arms around like a hug tuck your chin in good again inhale open up those arms wide exhale wrap them around like a hug and tuck your chin in good next inhale both arms will reach wide flip the Palms down pulse for ten you've got it nine a little break after this eight seven six five four three two one beautiful work go ahead and roll out those shoulders release a little bit and then we'll continue from here we'll take our right hand we'll send it all the way out in front of us open up the palm and then bring your fingertips to your wrist so rounding good open and around last one open and around from there just open and hold and bring that arm all the way out towards the left good then pull the arm all the way back towards you tap the opposite shoulder the right shoulder good again all the way out to the left all the way across to top last one out to the left all the way across to top now taking your other hand and pressing on that elbow let's take three breaths here in and out in and out last breath in and out good now we'll take that arm all the way up behind our head see if you can take the other hand and grab for that left elbow and then just gently pull it across for a nice big shoulder stretch we've got three two One release very good okay other side right hand comes out fingertips round open round good open round very nice just open the palm and now stretch the arm all the way out towards the right and then pull it across to tap the left shoulder two more open and close maybe we add the breath here inhale open and close good hold use that other hand to press on the elbow stretching the front of the shoulder and bicep three breaths good now take that arm all the way up maybe even behind your head you'll grab for the elbow gentle pull for three for two and one release shake out those arms good work now arms come wide here flip the Palms up tap the shoulders good open flip release a little quicker three more times open flip tap open flip release two more open flip tap open flip release last one open flip tap open flip hold you know it's pulsing right here for ten up and down the whole arm nine eight seven six five four three two one this time Palms open wide and then seal the hands together in front of you interlace all 10 fingers and bring the hands back to your heart we'll roll out those wrists here that should feel so good really roll it out should feel good on the fingers and the wrists really good for any arthritis or carpal tunnel and then from there we'll keep those hands bound this is a tricky one and we'll try and send the Palms forward really fleshing out the fingers and it's okay if it's just a little bit push forward good then pull back in forward and pull back in last one forward and pull back in good work team release the Palms down on your next inhale we'll sweep that left arm all the way up towards the sky we'll make a fist and then we'll pull the elbow in good all the way up towards the sky and then pull the elbow in let's take two more up and in last one up all the way above your ear and in good now keep the fists with your left hand and then punch it forward roll the Palm down saving that Fist and now like a lawnmower row it back and pull good forward and back really stretching through the front line of the chest building some muscles in the back just two more back and forward last one back and forward and release give that arm a rest right arm shoots up towards the sky clench that fist nice and tight and then pull the elbow in remember posture is so important here so we can really get the fullest extension when we reach up and pull up and pull two more up and pull last one up and pull good now again out flip row back and forward good back and forward two more back and forward last one back and forward and release awesome work all right we're going to add a little bit of core today so we're gonna bring our hands right behind our head opening up our elbows wide and we're going to start here with an inhale on your exhale engage your core and crunch your elbows in towards one another again inhale open exhale round inhale open exhale round two more inhale open exhale round last one big breath in exhale hold and we're gonna just take some little pulses right here five four three two one beautiful Work Release the arms maybe roll out the neck once or twice to the left and right good job you guys coming into Center now from here we're going to take our legs we're going to wiggle them out wide making that Warrior Two stance so bending into the right knee and straightening the left okay and this can look as much as you need it to so maybe you don't have much mobility in the legs so it can be just a little bit of a shorter stance so find what works for you we call this Warrior Two the arms will reach out you'll look over the right fingertips take a breath in on your exhale lean down towards the ground and then extend that right that left arm high good and then inhale sweep it back this time the right arm comes High reverse Warrior again bring it down look up inhale sweep it back last one exhale bring it down inhale sweep it up good work from there release both hands down and wiggle your knees together oh thanks Cosmo it's giving me a little bit of love all right let's take it to the other side we'll take that left knee out straighten the right leg so we come into that Warrior Two stance okay with one leg long and one knee bent we extend and look over this time the left fingertips oh inhale exhale bring it down towards the bent knee inhale sweep it up two more exhale down inhale up exhale down inhale up exhale release very good work all right good work guys last seated exercise of the day both arms come up towards the sky both feet lift up towards the sky we've got ten keep breathing nine eight seven sex good keep reaching you've got this five four three two if it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you and one beautiful work okay from this portion for the next few minutes we're going to do some standing yoga so we will still be using our chair or wheelchair or Walker or anything that's going to allow you to hold on to something in front of you now a disclaimer here if you do not feel comfortable standing up you can definitely stay seated and just work from your chair whatever we do but if you are ready go ahead and stand and get situated okay so once you're standing maybe you've come behind your chair or you're holding on to your Walker or the back of your wheelchair we're going to start by just widening our feet and slowly marching out so just one leg at a time trying to get those knees up here there we go we've got ten nine eight seven you can do it six take your time if you need to go slower any pace is perfect right three two and one good work now root down into those heels from here and we're gonna take micro squats so just a gentle Bend in the knees and then up nice and slow good down and up make sure you're bending from the knees rather than lowering from the chest right we want to lower and lift last one you've got it lower and lift very good from here weight comes into your toes will lift the heels and lower again lift the heels and lower one more lift the heels and lower good work now walk your feet in together here from there we'll take all of our weight into our right foot and we'll tap our left toes out and in out and in out and in good swap sides weight in the left foot tap the right toes out and in out and in last one out and in okay all of your weight into that right foot again see if you can lift the left toes off of the mat or The graft and you're gonna hold here for five nice balance challenge for four th three four two and one other side lift hold for five for four first three two and one right here we're just gonna March for the last 10 seconds remember a slow pace is perfect wherever you are this is the end of our chair yoga practice today just five keep breathing four you've got this three I believe in you two and one slowly make your way back to your chair from here close your eyes take a few moments to notice how you feel and we just worked really hard so maybe sending yourself a little bit of gratitude for making the time to do this workout today this chair yoga practice taking a few slow breaths with your eyes closed and really coming into this mindful place letting your entire body absorb all of your hard work and you can bring your hands right over your heart give yourself some love some appreciation and then maybe sending out some of that same love and appreciation to someone in your life that needs it just creating this environment of loving kindness all around you it has been such an honor holding the space for you today thank you for practicing chair yoga with me namaste thank you guys so much for joining me today if you liked this video make sure to give it a thumbs up drop a comment maybe even for more chair yoga videos just like this one if you'd like to follow me along off of the mat you can at Kirsty page and also check out some of my other offerings on my website which is listed in the description Namaste everybody I'll see you next time thank you