Feeling a little rigid? Sometimes sitting for too long or even moving the wrong way quickly can put a stress on our muscles making them a little stiff. Stretching and breathing techniques help us relax and increase the flow of oxygen and blood to our muscles to help loosen them up. Below we have put together a step-by-step guide to help you with two easy chair yoga techniques including an easy hip opener and chair twist.

Easy hip opener

  • Sit toward the front of your chair. Your feet need to be flat on the floor and feet hip distance apart. Knees over ankles.
  • Place the right ankle over the left knee, flex your right foot to protect your knee.
  • Straighten your back, breath in and as you breath out start to bend forward keeping your back straight, lengthen the spine. This is pelvic rotation so you shouldn’t feel pain in your back.
  • Take five deep inhalations and exhalations with each exhalation release any tension or tightness. Use your breath to let go and see if you can feel the right hip releasing and allowing more movement as the muscles relax and length.
  • After your fifth exhalation, breath in and come back up and place the right foot back on the floor.
  • Check that your sit bones are balanced before repeating on the other side.

If your hips are very tight you can spend ten breaths in this pose.

Easy Chair twist

  • Sit facing the right, over the right side of the chair. Knees and ankles together, far enough off the chair so the feet are flat on the floor and knees aligned over ankles.
  • Breath in,straighten your spine and as you exhale start to rotate towards the back of the chair, place your left hand towards the top of left side of the chair back and your right hand on the top of the right side chair back.
  • You should feel a twist through the spine from the right shoulder blade to the lower back depending on your range of motion.
  • Take five deep inhalations and exhalations so you use your arms to turn and deepen the twist, aiming to look over your right shoulder. Keep your knees and ankles touching.
  • After your fifth exhalation, inhale and release your hands and slowly allow the torso to come back to your starting position.

Repeat on the other side.