Chair pose is a wonderfully strengthening pose which is within most people’s range of ability. When we add a simple twist to it the strengthening effects are increased with the added vitality of a twist. This pose lends itself to teaching us postural awareness because there can be a tendency to try to achieve to pose through compensations in the spine and pelvis.
Let’s try it:
- Stand in Mountain Pose, your feet can be together or hip distance apart.
- As you exhale bend your knees and swing your hips back bringing your torso parallel to your shins.
- Inhale as you lengthen the spine and bring your hands together in prayer at the chest.
- Exhale lean forward from your hip creases.
- Inhale lengthen your spine again.
- Exhale gently twist your shoulders and rib cage to the left and let your right elbow align with your right shoulder. The best alignment is elbow between the legs.
- Turn your head to look towards your left shoulder if your neck allows it.
- Stay for 5 or more breaths and then return to Mountain Pose and repeat on the other side.
Variations & Modifications
- If your back or hips are tight keep your feet hip distance apart.
- If your feet are apart you can keep your knees aligned by placing a block between the thighs.
- For more challenge the arms can straighten.
Compensations
- Watch for the knees losing their alignment with each other. This will indicate that the hips have moved into the twist.
- Don’t let the back round or over arch.
By Vrndavan Dasi
Founder and Principal of Veda Yoga Teacher Training