In the shift from physical classrooms to online classrooms, we are finding big changes to our day - and even bigger challenges.

As teachers, we normally spend a lot of our day on the move. We are not used to sitting down in front of a screen for hours on end. 

A lot of our students and staff are feeling the effects of spending their days like this. And that is why I have been offering chair yoga to my colleagues and to my students. It’s a fantastic way to get movement into your day and release all the unwanted stress and tension in the body.

Teacher wellbeing: Easy chair yoga

Here are some simple exercises to try at home:

Starting posture

Feet flat on the ground, knees no higher than your hips, roll your shoulders back and straighten the spine. Use a cushion behind the lower back, if needed, for support. Take two to three minutes with your eyes closed here, focusing on the breath.

Neck

Move the head to one side, keeping the shoulders relaxed, and take five slow breaths either side. Move the head in slow circles clockwise and anticlockwise five times. Do this very slowly being mindful of tension you may be holding in the shoulders.

Side stretch

Raising both arms above the head, reach tall and breathe. Place the right hand on the hip, keeping the left arm above the head and lean to the right.

This creates a full-body stretch on the left. Keep your gaze forward for a regular stretch and gaze towards the ceiling for a deeper stretch and take five breaths. 

To come out of this stretch, remove the hand from the hip, reaching both hands towards the ceiling, before repeating on the other side. To finish the move, inhale deeply, reaching the arms towards the ceiling and exhale. Release hand back to the lap.  

Forward fold

Inhale, stretch both arms to the ceiling. Exhale reaching the arms forward and begin to reach forward bringing the belly on to the thighs.

Once folded, allow the arms to reach to the ground and rest your face between the knees. Take five breaths. Inhale coming out of this move in the same way, reaching the arms, slowly lifting the belly away from legs and exhaling hands back to your lap.

Cat cow

The well-known yoga asana, usually on all fours, can be done from the chair. Inhale, pushing the chest forward while moving your arms behind, creating an arch in the back.

Exhale, move in the opposite direction, sucking the chest inwards and bring your arms forward, creating a concave shape with your chest. Repeat five to eight times slowly, feeling the spine awakening.

Spine twist

Inhale, raising your arms above your head. Exhale, begin to twist and look around to the right, lowering the arms to support this spine twist and to push you deeper into this stretch.

The hands can hold on to the chair or be placed on the body. Take five breaths here, keeping the spine tall and straight. Release this stretch back to where you began and repeat on the opposite side.  

Downward dog variation

Standing behind your chair, begin to slowly move back to create an L-shape using the arms and legs. Keep the knees slightly bent and hold this position, aiming to have your head between your arms, releasing tension from the shoulders and increasing shoulder flexibility.

If you have any shoulder injury or are restricted in your shoulder movement, be mindful and don’t push too far.  

Just taking a few minutes each day to move the body in a mindful way can reap huge benefits. This sequence of moves can be done with students as well in a quick break during lessons.

Sarah Power is enrichment lead at Forest Hall School in Stansted, Essex, and a qualified yoga instructor. Classes and information available on Instagram @Square_Yoga or via email squareyoga@gmail.com