Posts Tagged Chair Yoga

Chair Yoga – what is it?

Chair yoga with yoga teacher James Bryan from Knoff Yoga
Chair Yoga is a set of yoga poses which uses a chair. Why a chair? Everyone has a chair, yet not everyone can do a a full yoga class. Using a chair is a very useful prop as it provides stability and safety.

As well, anyone who has attended an Iyengar yoga class, which uses props, will realise how much deeper you can go into a yoga pose with the use of props.

For Liveyogalife.com, James Bryan from Knoff Yoga carefully crafted two sets of chair yoga classes:

  • Level 1 Open is a series of classes that improves your strength, flexibility, stability and mental awareness – all the time you are sitting in a chair.
  • Level 2 Foundation takes these exercises deeper with a more energetic series of exercises that includes standing and balancing using the chair as support.

Check out all of James’ Chair Yoga classes here.

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Australian Yoga Journal – Get your FREE Yoga CD in August 2012 edition

Australian Yoga Journal - Chair Yoga with James BryanWe are once again delighted to be featured in the August / September 2012 issue of Australian Yoga Journal magazine. The magazine comes with a complimentary CD featuring a 30-minute Chair Yoga Open Level Class by one of Australia’s most experienced teachers, James Bryan. James teaches at the Knoff Yoga School in Cairns with Nicki Knoff.

In this class (Chair Yoga Level 2 Class 2 – Chest-Openers & Back Bends), James expertly guides you through postures that work on releasing the shoulders, opening the chest, and releasing tension and strengthening the lower and upper back. Once again, these focus points are high-lights to a complete and whole-body exercise.

These are a series of four guided classes that builds on the Level 1 Program with stronger and deeper physical exercises involving standing-up and using your chair either for support or for stronger and deeper stretches as a prop.

Check out the complimentary class in this month’s issue of Australian Yoga Journal magazine, available at your local newsagent today!

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The Benefits of Chair Yoga

Chair Yoga with James Bryan

Chair Yoga is a fun set of exercises, loosely based on yoga poses, that you can do from the comfort of your own chair. It is great for all levels and abilities. This includes:

  • in an office and needing an exercise program you can do at your desk.
  • with a group in a retirement village looking to maintain your active lifestyles.
  • in a wheelchair and wanting to do something by yourself.
  • recovering from an injury and wanting to increase your core stability and strength quickly.

The benefits of chair yoga are numerous:

  • improved fitness from the comfort of you own chair.
  • more energy.
  • improved flexibility and strength.
  • able to do the class in a group or by yourself.
  • improved breathing.
  • low impact exercise that you can do anywhere.
  • feeling more relaxed.

In these classes you will learn gentle yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation and relaxation methods, designed to develop physical fitness and clarity of mind.

James Bryan is a yoga teacher with over 30 years experience and designed two Chair Yoga series for you to choose from.

For Open / Beginner / Foundation Level – Check out Chair Yoga Series of Classes. Exercise from the comfort of your own chair with experienced Cairns-based yoga teacher James Bryan. No yoga experience required.

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New Product Release: Yoga with a Chair Complete Set

Experienced Hatha Yoga Teacher - James Bryan

Check out this new release – the complete set of 7 Chair Yoga Open Level Classes.

These classes are designed to support you to maintain and enhance your fitness, and quality of life. The physical exercises (called yoga postures) together with the breath-work provide a holistic program supporting you to keep your body, mind and spirit active and healthy.

These classes have been design for use by anyone in the comfort of their own home, or in a group with the assistance of a diversional therapist or suitable qualified health professional.

Each class covers – centring, breath-work, yoga postures, guided-relaxation, and positive philosophy. They provide a well-rounded practice to stimulate your body, mind and spirit.

Level 1 is designed for where you are solely in your chair. Level 2 are more active classes compared to level 1, and have been designed for use by anyone active and stable on their feet, and are specially useful if you need the support of a chair for some balance or support.

Its really easy to start – all that you need is your chair.

Level 1 Class 1 – Breath & Foundation: With this class you will experience a complete practice that exercises your body and stimulates your mind. The intention is for you to feel energised, centred, calm and relaxed. It focuses on stretching your arms and sides, and increasing mobility through twists.

Level 1 Class 2 – Hamstrings & Core Stability: Building on from Class 1, this class further exercises your body and stimulates your mind. It focuses on gently stretching your arms, sides and back, increasing mobility through twists, and increasing your core stability. The intention is for you to feel energised, centred, calm and relaxed.

Level 1 Class 3 – Lateral Stretches & Twists: This class further explores increasing mobility in your arms, and side, and works to stretch your legs, and further develop your core stability. You will exercise your body while stimulating your mind. By the end of the class, you will feel energised, calm and relaxed.

Level 2 Class 1 – Balance & Standing Postures: This class builds on the concepts & principles from Level 1, James takes you one step up into this active set of Level 2 classes. In Class 1, you are introduced to standing postures that work on your balance and grounding. Explore traditional postures like Triangle Pose, Plank Pose, and Downward-Facing Dog, among many others, using a chair for both support and to take you deeper into the pose.

Level 2 Class 2 – Chest-Openers & Back Bends: Building on the foundation from Level 2 Class 1, James guides you through postures that work on releasing the shoulders, opening the chest, and releasing tension and strengthening the lower and upper back. Once again, these focus points are high-lights to a complete and whole-body exercise.

Level 2 Class 3 – Grounding & Leg Stretches: Here James Bryan builds the foundation work from Classes 1 & 2, exploring deeper hip, groin, and hamstring stretches. This holistic class gives you a complete body-mind-soul routine, with James’s consistent emphasis on breath-work, and positive philosophy to assist you in taking yoga off the mat!

Level 2 Class 4 – Core Stability & Twists: This is an energetic class which integrates the balancing and grounding work established in the previous classes, and which focuses on deeper abdominal work, twists, and back bends. A good class for integrating the philosophy, breath-work, strength & stability cultivated through these series of Chair Yoga Level 2 classes.

For Open / Beginner / Foundation Level – Check out Chair Yoga Complete Set (Classes 1 to 7). Exercise from the comfort of your own chair with experienced Cairns-based yoga teacher James Bryan. No yoga experience required.

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