Yoga For Busy Women - Eight Easy Chair Yoga Poses For Relaxation And A Quick Energy Boost

As a working mother your time is precious. Chair yoga is an excellent way for busy mums and women working from home to fit a simple yoga lesson into your hectic schedule.

In this article I want to share with you eight easy chair yoga stretches you can do at home or at work whenever you feel tired, frazzled and need a quick energy boost of to get through your day.

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What Is Chair Yoga?

Yoga For Busy Women - Eight Easy Chair Yoga Poses For Relaxation And A Quick Energy Boost

Simply put, Chair Yoga is taking the mindfulness of traditional yoga (asanas, breathing exercises, meditation and relaxation) and instead of standing or using a yoga mat, you practice seated on a chair. This makes Chair Yoga the ideal way to add yoga into your schedule, especially when time is short and you do not have the time to fit in a full yoga class.

Side note: As with all forms of exercise, consult your doctor if you have any medical conditions or suffer from back pain before you practice this sequence. Remember to be gentle with your body, show respect and be patient as you breathe through the routine.

3 Benefits Of Chair Yoga

  1. You can practice yoga seated at your work station, so you don't have to worry about finding child care/leaving work, changing your clothes and rushing to a class.
  2. The stretches will help to release tension in your neck and shoulders and ease everyday aches and pains.
  3. The routine quickly refreshes your spirit and helps you stay calm and focused, especially when working to a tight timeline.

Anytime you feel your energy slipping, and you struggle to concentrate and focus on what you are supposed to be doing, rather than waste more time and energy, take a five minute break and practice this simple Chair Yoga sequence. You will feel energised, refreshed, refocused and more able to resume work..

Eight Easy Chair Yoga Exercises For Relaxation And Quick Energy Boost

  1. First of all, sit comfortably on your chair. Lengthen your spine, lift your head so your chin is parallel to the ground and your neck in a straight line with your head. Lower your shoulders, relax you jaw. Take a slow steady breath in through your nose and slowly breathe out. Repeat 3-5 times. Next stretch and wriggle your toes and place your feet firmly back on the floor.
  2. Palms In Front Of Chest

Staying in the above sitting position, breathe in and slowly bring your palms together at your chest. Close your eyes. Inhale deeply for a count of three and, slowly exhale, for a count of three. Repeat 3-5 times

3. Straight Arms Above Head

Keep palms touching; slowly stretch your arms up in the air above your head. Keep shoulders lowered and relax jaw. Keep your head cantered and look straight ahead with a soft gaze. Take 3-5 rounds of deep breaths as you lengthen the sides of your body.

4. Stretch Arms To The Right/Left

Next, interlock your fingers; release your index fingers so they are pointing upwards. Keep your bottom rooted to the chair, stretch your body to the right, and keep your chin parallel to the ground. Try and keep your shoulders and hips in a straight line. Take 3 more deep breaths then return body to centre. If your arms feel tired, return your hands to your lap and allow your breath to settle. Slowly repeat stretch, this time stretching over to the left. Take 3-5 slow steady breaths and return to centre.

5. Seated Cobra

Place your hands on your thighs. Check to make sure your feet are still flat on the ground and facing forward. Breathe in and as you breathe out, gently lift your chest, lower your head back and arch backwards. Keep shoulders lowered and allow your jaw to relax. Breathe in and slowly breathe out. Repeat 3-5 times. Slowly return body to centre.

6. Rotate Wrists

Rest palms on thighs, raise arms up to shoulder level. Make a fist with your hands and rotate your wrist, 5-7 times in each direction. Then release your fist and gently shake your hands for 30 seconds. Rest palms on your lap.

7. Seated Spinal Twist

Reposition your body so your feet are firmly resting on the floor, lengthen your spine and relax your jaw. Cross your left leg over your right leg. Place your right hand on your crossed knee. Keeping your back straight, slowly turn your body to the left as you look over your left shoulder; keep your back nice and straight as you take 3-5 rounds of deep breaths. Slowly come back to the centre. Uncross your legs. Check your feet and body is correctly aligned then, cross your right leg over your left leg, place your left hand on your crossed knee and slowly turn your body to look over your right shoulder. Again, keep the spine lifted as you look over your right shoulder. Take 3-5 deep breaths and return to the centre.

8. Focus on Your Breath

Resting your hands on your lap, with the palms facing upwards, straighten your back, close your eyes and spend the last few moments of your Rest-Break your breath and the senses and sensations flowing through your body.

When you are ready, slowly open your eyes, smile and give yourself a hug.

Yeah. High Five. Well Done! You can now return to your work, refocused, calm and energised.

Yoga For Busy Women - Eight Easy Chair Yoga Poses For Relaxation And A Quick Energy Boost

And now, you can get more tips on how yoga helps you rest, relax and re-energise when you visit my blog and subscribe to my Free YogaInspiresYou enewsletter. When you subscribe you will get your Free copy of "Yoga For Beginners-All The Facts And Advice You Need To Start Your First Yoga Class" eBook. Click here for more info> http://www.yogainspires.co.uk

Thank You

Stay Blessed and Be Well

From: Ntathu Allen, Yoga and Meditation Teacher

Yoga For A Flat Stomach - 4 Effective Asanas

Yoga is an excellent component of any health and fitness routine. It helps to reduce stress, aid mobility and exercise al parts of the body. And, you can use yoga in such a way as to target certain parts of the body including your stomach.

There are numerous yoga positions which can be used to exercise your stomach muscles. Called Asanas, these exercises come in varying degrees of difficulty. It is important to assess your skill and fitness levels and chose Asanas which you are comfortable with. Start with one which seems easy and work up to the more complex over a period of time. Do not be led to take on more than you are comfortable with. Be sure to seek medical advice before undertaking any new course of exercise and make sure that you warm up to avoid injury.

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Some of the Asanas to improve stomach tone;

Yoga For A Flat Stomach - 4 Effective Asanas

1. Pavan-Muktasan
First lie on your back ideally on a yoga mat or towel to protect your spine. When first starting yoga, this exercise can be completed one leg at a time. Bend your knees to your chest so your thighs touch your abdomen. Hug your knees, using one hand to hold the other. Lift your head so that your nose touches your knees then take a deep breath and hold this for thirty seconds. Release your legs and slowly lower to the starting position.

2. Bhujangasan
For this exercise, lie on the floor and roll onto your stomach. Place your hands under each shoulder as if to do a push up. Using only your back muscles, lift your upper torso from the ground so that your head becomes upright. You need the muscles from your back to do all the work so do not help with your hands. Although predominantly making use of your back muscles, this asana will help with developing better muscle tone in your stomach.

3. The Bow
This is a more advanced asana. The stomach exercise is similar in many ways to the Bhujangasan asana, but is more difficult. It starts from the same basic position - flat on your stomach - but now you also curl your legs upwards in addition to lifting your upper body. In a perfect example the soles of your feet come toward the back of your head forming a circle. Once you can, grab your ankles, pull with your hands, push using your legs till only your stomach touches the floor. Hold this for at least thirty seconds before releasing and returning to the starting position.

4. Paad-Pashchimottanasan
This asana is also more advanced. Start lying on your back, relaxed with your legs straight, arms extended over your head. Point your palms to the ceiling. Using only your stomach muscles sit up, keeping your back straight and hands overhead. Your legs stay fixed to the floor throughout. Lean forward so your head is between your arms and grab your toes with both hands. Hold for 2 minutes before releasing and slowly returning to your starting position using your stomach muscles to lower yourself to the floor.

Yoga like every other form of exercise or wellness routine will be more effective when combined with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

Yoga For A Flat Stomach - 4 Effective Asanas

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Hot Yoga For Detoxification Benefits

Hot yoga or bikram yoga is gaining popularity as the new way to detoxify and to remove toxins from your body. For this method, you just need to think of yoga as if you are in a sauna. In fact, it is thought so effective for cleansing purposes that some natural health treatment centres are including it as part of the regimen for chronic liver diseases like hepatitis C.

Your skin is one of the best waste disposal systems in nature. While it is different from your waste-extraction organs like kidneys or livers, your skin is an equally effective organ for removing waste, especially toxic wastes. It does this through sweat.

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Hence, hot yoga provides the perfect channel for detoxification to happen. You would be tapping the ability of your skin to convert toxins that come from various fats into simpler and water-soluble compounds that can be easily removed. At high temperatures, you will begin to sweat. Amonia and urea is eliminated as well as sugars and salts.

Hot Yoga For Detoxification Benefits

When you do hot yoga, exercises are performed in a room heated to temperatures of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Once inside, you go through a program of specified postures in a vigorous but very aerobic workout. The internal heat generated by the yoga exercises combines with the external heat of the room to make you break out in torrents of sweat.

On its own, yoga is already a powerful healing regime. When you do yoga exercises, you are working out every muscle in the body, making them strong, supple, and flexible. Aside from being able to help in cardiovascular problems, yoga is also excellent for people suffering from arthritis, stress reduction, and a host of other body conditions.

Every posture in the hot yoga for detoxification exercise is complemented with proper breathing techniques to assist you in reaching the maximum limit of the movement. Thus, you may notice that apart from the regular Bikram yoga exercises, you are also trained in the proper breathing techniques. Proper breathing techniques is vital in detoxification and cleansing.

By boosting circulation and metabolism through deep breathing and yoga posture, hot yoga accelerates the result of any detoxification program. Additionally, you also get to learn the techniques of meditation. You learn to relax your mind, thus addressing stress toxins. In conclusion, bikram yoga or hot yoga for detoxification is a powerful means to achieving balance between mind, body and spirit.

Hot Yoga For Detoxification Benefits

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Yoga Room Decorating And Design Ideas

A room in which a person can practice a yoga routine must be one of comfort. In order to truly reap the benefits of yoga, a person must be able to move around freely and in perfect comfort. When considering your yoga room decorating and design you must be sure to add things that will free you mentally while in the yoga practice so that its benefits will be felt to their fullest.

Yoga, which comes from the ancient practice of meditation, is a moving practice in which you are trying to train your muscles in certain directions while also concentrating on making them more firm. In order to do this practice, there are certain items that you will need to use. Yoga mats should be used to provide your body ultimate cushion and support. There are yoga balls that get used as well as several other tools. These can be added to the décor of your yoga room.

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The color that you choose for your yoga room should be an earthy tone. Perhaps a rosy yellow or a waterfall blue/white combination would be a great color for this room. This will add to the calming effects of yoga while in practice of it. Another color choice may be a deep red to reflect the color of décor that yoga originated from. Either way, you want the color to help your mind relax as you concentrate on particular muscle groups in your practice.

Yoga Room Decorating And Design Ideas

Candles are another important part of yoga. The colors of the candles you choose can either match or contrast with the colors that you've chosen to paint the room. They will grace your practices as you light them and reflect upon their glow when you are doing yoga. Their flames will add to the décor and feel of warmth in the room. Other knickknacks throughout the room may include Buddha statues or paintings of waterfalls. These add unity to the room as you bring together your own tastes and the history of the practice of yoga.

A final touch that will enhance the use of this room would be a set of speakers to surround the person practicing. This would be something that's both functional and decorative. Speakers can come in several different colors or they can reflect the wood grain that they are made out of. They can be on stands in several places throughout the room, or they can be placed within the walls themselves. Ultimately, as they are used in the yoga practices, they will create the feel of tranquility that is so important.

A yoga room should create a feeling of relaxation while remaining functional. Though you are certainly not relaxing while doing yoga, your mind should be free to concentrate on the muscles being worked. By adding these decorative touches in your yoga room decorating and design efforts, you are freeing the mind to be where it should be while your body is prepared for the stretches and practices of yoga.

Yoga Room Decorating And Design Ideas

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