You can easily perform this exercise in the comfort of your office chair
Being in lockdown and confined to one’s home has left many people stressed and anxious, making it essential for all to focus on one’s physical, mental and emotional health. There is also a growing need to find a balance in life; while everyone prepares themselves for the ‘new normal’. This is where yoga comes in, a discipline that helps to help keep immunity in check as well as manage stress and anxiety.
In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a minimum of 40-45 minutes of physical exercise in a day is recommended, which can be anything from walking, running, working out in the gym to yoga. So here is one such exercise which you can easily perform in the comfort of your office chair at home – chair Surya Namaskar or chair sun salutations.
This variation of Surya Namaskar is beneficial for elderly people and those who have limited mobility. It helps to keep the spine intact and protect the backbone while improving digestion, reducing any swellings and enhancing breathing capacity.
Here is a step by step guide to help you master the Chair Surya Namaskar
* Start by sitting on a chair with feet close to each other and hands folded in Namaste in front of your chest.
* Make sure to sit straight, without resting the torso on the back of the chair, extending the spine and the torso upwards. Close your eyes and begin slow deep breathing. Continue this for 60 seconds.
* While exhaling, extend the arms beyond the head and the shoulders. Stay in this position for about 4 breaths, being aware of the breathing process.
* Exhale and go forward bending at the torso.
* While exhaling slowly, take the arms down and place them close to your feet, resting the torso on the thighs, placing the chin close to the knees and looking down at your feet.
* Breathe slowly while pushing the torso closer to the thighs, and stretching the shoulders to place the entire palm on the floor. Stay in this position for 4 breaths.
* Inhale and come up to sit straight on the chair. Raise the right leg up, and hold the right thighs with your hands while bending the knee.
* Exhale and press the thighs towards the chest, while flexing the right knee and hip. Balance the right leg holding it well in your hands while keeping your eyes closed for about 6 breaths or more. Make sure the left foot is firm on the floor.
* You could also rotate the ankles here to get that extra benefit of moving the foot joint.
* Now moving into the next pose. Release from the lunge pose. While exhaling, press the thighs and rest the nose on the knee for about 6 breaths.
* Finally while inhaling, release and move back to the initial pose placing the feet on the floor and stretching the arms above the head and shoulders.
* Stay here for about 6 breaths, stretching deeper than the first time.
* Breathe out and get back to the original position, with hands back in prayer position.
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