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Let’s face it—even a normal day can deplete your social battery, especially for the introverts among us. When you’re exhausted, it can seem like enough of a struggle to keep your eyes open let alone practice an entire yoga sequence. That’s when one *simple* restorative pose, Legs Up the Chair, can help recharge your energy—not to mention offer physical relief for your lower back, legs, and feet.
Benefits of Legs Up the Chair
Legs Up the Chair is a variation of Legs up the Wall (Viparita Karani). Instead of scooching your hips close to a wall and maneuvering your legs straight against it as you do in Legs Up the Wall (which not everyone loves—especially if you have tight hamstrings), in Legs Up the Chair, your legs are bent with your calves resting on the seat of a chair or couch. Legs Up the Chair is easier to get into, not as demanding on the backs of your legs, yet offers the same revitalizing benefits as Legs Up the Wall.
Since you don’t have to worry about keeping your legs against a wall, you can focus more on energy-rich inhalations to help you feel grounded. “That grounding can make it possible to keep going,” says Jeanne Heileman, yoga teacher and founder of Tantra Flow Yoga.
Gentle inversions such as Legs Up the Chair are believed to help reverse the flow of prana, or life force, toward the heart and brain. “The actual state of being upside down, even in a modified approach, cultivates the energy of Udana Vayu, the upward energy,” says Heileman. The energy is believed to cultivate a sense of buoyancy in the body and mind, which can translate as feeling more physically and mentally uplifted.
From a yoga perspective, socializing can drain the battery of our prana, says Heileman. “Lots of talking equals lots of exhaling, and most people don’t make a point to inhale at social functions,” She adds, “For some, this can be very exhausting if they don’t take time to replenish.”
How to Practice Legs Up the Chair
Notice if the world feels a little calmer and you feel more grounded after you’ve practiced this pose. You’ll need a chair or other support of about the same height, such as a couch or ottoman, so your shins are about parallel to the floor when you’re lying down.
How to:
- Sit on the floor facing the chair. Roll onto your back and lift your shins onto the seat (you may have to scooch your hips closer to the chair). Rest your arms by your sides. Let the weight of your legs sink into the chair. Close your eyes or soften your gaze: there’s nothing you need to see or do. Listen only to your breath and let it deepen. Imagine your inhalations inviting new energy; let your exhalations carry away any fatigue. Stay here for as long as you like.
- When you’re ready, come out of the pose gradually. Open your eyes, wiggle your fingers and toes, and gently lift your legs off the chair, roll onto your side, and return to a seated position. See if you can keep a trace of this stillness with you to help you meet whatever comes next.
Variation: Come into Legs Up the Chair and place a bolster or 2-3 folded blankets horizontally across your chest. Lift your hands up toward the ceiling; rub them together to create some warmth. Bend your elbows, rest them against the bolster, and place your palms over your eyes. Close your eyes or keep your gaze downward. Imagine absorbing the cave-like darkness under your hands as your mind absorbs the tranquility. Linger in this private sanctuary.
