Using props in restorative yoga can provide support to our bodies as they open up.  Blocks, straps, mats, walls, exercise balls, and more are all used during classes.  Another versatile prop is an everyday chair (while people do remove the backing from folding chairs to make an extra-awesome yoga chair, it isn’t necessary to re-do your dining room set for some yoga!).

Using a chair for yoga, like any prop, can assist me into a pose or teach me about where my body still has room to grow in mobility.  I can also use a chair as the center of my yoga time – supporting my body weight while I get to freely move my limbs.  This is often called “Chair Yoga” or “Office Yoga” and I love how it makes yoga accessible at any time of the day (email breaks, YES!), and to people who need to lay off the knees or weight bearing because of illness, injury, or age.

Chair yoga can be done at your desk at work or at the dinner table at home.  I’ve played around a little at home with using a chair as a prop for yoga poses and doing all my yoga while sitting in a chair.  Since I’m only beginning to explore this, I’m sharing some resources that I’ve found:

• A 20 minute chair yoga flow from the Chopra Institute
• 8 yoga poses using a chair
• Some seated postures for yoga (even without a chair!)
• An example of modifying standing poses for yoga using a chair
• Images to guide you through a Sun Salutation on a chair

Have you ever done chair yoga?  What are your favorite supportive props for yoga?  Let us know!

image via (and info on teaching chair yoga!)