This is very common in many classes, especially if you are teaching in community settings or public spaces, where you are likely to encounter students of all ages, experiences, and abilities.
There could be a multitude of reasons why a student does not feel comfortable moving up and down off the mat, from vertigo, high or low blood pressure, injuries, pregnancy or disabilities. It is important to be able to adapt your class so it remains inclusive and accessible to all students and allows them to feel empowered in their practice.
The use of a chair and being close to a wall would be recommended for these students. The wall or the back of a chair can be a great resource to hold onto during standing and balancing poses to help with stability and grounding. Sitting in a chair is a great option for seated or reclined asana and avoids students having to get down to the mat if this is not accessible. You can also offer the student blocks or a folded blanket under the feet while sitting in a chair, to fill any gaps between their feet and the floor, and for added warmth if the floor is cold.
You can adapt most asana to a chair and there are many online resources to learn more about chair adapted yoga. There are links below to explore using a chair in yoga:
Our faculty member Joanna has created a Chair Yoga Progressive Series, which is available on Udemy.com. The series focuses on a specific area of the body in each class and may be useful if you have students that would benefit from using a chair in your classes. The link is below:
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.