Accessible Yoga for Physical Disabilities Classes on Hold until 2021

Hello friends in the Accessible & Abilities Yoga community.

Many of you expressed interest in joining our online chair yoga classes (originally on Tuesday/Thursday, changed to Monday/Friday). However, as with many things during this unusual time in our society, events and classes start and sometimes attendance dwindles; people get “Zoom fatigue,” their lives fill up with a myriad of other activities, jobs come back online, or sadly sometimes health issues take precedence.

I have offered these classes as a community service and would like to continue to do so, but I think we need a break from “another online class” for now. Many thanks to those that tested the waters; please know that I intend to start the class again in the new year. Classes will STILL be free (donations always accepted but NEVER required), but we will pre-register folks for 4 (maybe 6) weeks at a time, have just ONE class per week, for about an hour. Still accessible, still adaptive, and when there are more regular students I can more readily tailor the classes to your needs!

If you have a vested interest in the classes, please respond to this email and I will keep you on the list for January. Please know you are welcome to join my free Daily Chair Yoga classes that occur Monday through Friday at 11AM PST that are gentle (they are Silver Sneakers sanctioned) with a fitness as well as mind/body approach. Just email me and I”ll send you the link.

Just so you know, The Abilities Expo has another virtual event November 20-22 (https://www.abilities.com/virtual/ sign up for free), and I will be showcasing Accessible Chair yoga as an event there again. 

Wishing you well this Autumn, in the Jewish New Year, and well into 2021 friends. 

Day 17 of 22: 22-Second Chaturanga/Pushup Hold

Some days, you need to find stillness. So, today's challenge is about holding that pushup in lowered position for the duration (22 seconds). 

Many fitness classes will have "plank hold" challenges, ranging from 30 seconds to start, working up to 60 seconds, and even up to two minutes during the course of the class (personal training might include much longer holds). During my gentle yoga classes, the goal is help students set themselves up for success. So before the challenge I offered the option of holding in a fully extended plank (less intense) or joining me in the lowered (bent arm) version. This challenge can also be taken at less steep (or more) angle, or even weightless. 

I set the timer for 30 seconds, set up for the pose, and at 22 seconds, began. A nice long slow inhale and exhale breath cycle carried me through, and hopefully shows that a pushup challenge doesn't have to be physically complicated to fit the bill.

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 16 of 22: Standard Style Pushups

After a six day break, I was hard pressed for a creative pushup so I went back to the basics: just a regular ol' pushup, but on a gentle incline. Since practicing yoga I've been doing my pushups "chaturanga style," meaning the elbows bend back towards the ribcage and I only descend to a 90 degree bend. So this particular change created a challenge for me even though many might say it was "just" a basic pushup. 

If anything going back to basics gave me an opportunity to refine technique even more. The position of the upper back and shoulders, the engagement of hte legs, core, and glutes all play into the support required for a strong, consistent descent and lift back out of a pushup. I don't super strong pectoral muscles so I'm counting on my whole body to support me through this series!

Two sets of eleven gets us to our goal of 22 for day 16!

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 15 of 22: Plank to Pike/Down Dog

Wednesday is core focus day in Gentle Yoga, and a good plank-to-downward-facing-dog-at-a-chair can help tune in to engaging the core in a supportive role for the back. It's also our way of joining the #22pushup challenge today. This particular exercise in a standard mat yoga class is a serious "core burn" and shoulder strengthener. This adaptation makes it accessible and enjoyable for those that can do some weight bearing on the arms (hands or forearms) in a standing position.

As I always say, yoga is for every body, but not every pose is for every one. So, adapt as needed. I took the forearm variation to intensify the core work, but also it gives my hands (that struggle with some arthritis/overuse issues) a much needed rest). 

This can absolutely be modified to include a step forward for a more upright plank and a step back for the down dog to make it even more gentle for the back and reduce any strain on the spine/sacrum.

An adaptation from a seated position would be to place the hands on the back of another chair or a table and slide the hands forward for the fold, and up for the plank. All these versions will activate not only the core but the latissimus dorsi (the muscles that bring the arms close to the body) and the core. 

Once set of eleven with a few pausing breaths in down dog then a final set of eleven complete our 15th day of the challenge!

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/

Day 14 of 22: Tricep Push-ups

 Our focus in class this week is on the heart chakra, so instead of a forward facing push-up I thought I might try a "heart opening" style. Like traditional chaturanga this one is triceps intensive, but has the shoulders in a rear extension, which can be intense on the anterior deltoid and the pectorals if they are tight. It's also a bit of a internal shoulder rotation. so those with any impingement or pain when holding the arms down at the side and rotation the thumbs inward might want to do this either non-weight bearing or try an overhead press instead.

I used a chair for a horizontal "grip" but a wall could suffice as well. A lower support surface that takes the body lower will of course create more intensity. As this is gentle adaptive yoga, we keep it simple: gentle bend in knees, more upright posture, hands pretty close to the body, and the "dips" are not extreme.

Two sets of eleven for the challenge, with forward bends to stretch out the lats, teres major, triceps, and serratus among other muscles. Enjoy!

To donate to my challenge, click here: https://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraiser/2872670

To start your own challenge, click here: https://activeheroes.org/22pushups/