INTELLIGENT SEQUENCING

IN CHAIR BASED YOGA

Potential chair yoga students are usually faced with greater challenges than general yoga classes.
The feel of the class is not the same and therefore the purse of chair yoga classes should not be the same either.

In general yoga classes we will find that challenging flows or sequences is likely to attract quite a big audience, while this is not true for chair based yoga classes.
The sequences in chair yoga classes should be centered around those that attend the classes, and meeting their needs.
Beyond asana, we must look at the other issues these students may be facing. 

In chair yoga classes, it is important to deliver practices that students will benefit from really deeply, even if they’re not doing all of it.
Because chair yoga students are generally less able, maybe in pain, less mobile, potentially feeling frail, afraid or even dealing with grief and loss.
All these other challenges are significantly greater than being able to stretch in a particular way or to move in a particular way and they must be addressed.

Some of the considerations that need to be made are:

1. Independence: hand mobility, sit to stand.
2. Functional movement: reach up overhead and reach for things, sit up and sit down on the toilet.
3. Balance practices: dynamic for walking.
4. Mindset: reflection of on the past
5. Connection and Community addressing isolation and creating a social opportunity
6. Focus and concentration: improving memory
7. Fun: incorporating some music
8. Good posture and core strength
9. Hand to eye coordination
10. Sensory integration

It with these considerations, that classes must be sequenced in order to offer comfort, connection, balance. With these considerations we, the class leaders, can be of service to our audience and have a positive impact in their lives.

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The Chair Yoga Handbook