Setting up
- A steady chair without wheels or arms that get in the way.
- Sit near the front edge, both feet flat, knees roughly over the ankles.
- Tall back, soft shoulders, hands resting on the thighs to start.
Four seated moves to start with
- Holding Up the Sky. Hands rise in front of you on the in-breath, lower on the out-breath.
- Cloud Hands. Hands drift side to side as the waist turns a little. Steps in Cloud Hands.
- Separate Heaven and Earth. One hand rises, the other presses gently down, then swap.
- Wise Owl Looks Back. A small, easy turn of the head and shoulders to one side, then the other. Never force the turn.
Who chooses the chair
People at a desk who cannot stand up right now, people who feel stiff in the morning, people who prefer to sit, and anyone on a day when standing does not feel right. The chair version is a full practice, not a lesser one.
Chair Pilates too
Zenbo pairs each tai chi move with one gentle Pilates move, and those have seated versions as well. See chair Pilates.
Zenbo is gentle movement for calm, not medical advice. If you have an injury, a health condition, balance problems or are pregnant, check with your doctor first. Move within your comfort, use the chair version if you like, and stop if something hurts.
Questions
Is chair tai chi real tai chi?
It keeps the arm paths, the waist turns and the breathing of the standing moves. The footwork and weight shifting are left out, so it is an adapted version, which many classes also teach.
Can I switch between standing and chair?
Yes. In Zenbo you change it under Practice, and the next session follows your choice.
Is it safe for me?
Zenbo is gentle movement for calm, not medical advice. If you have an injury, a health condition, balance problems or are pregnant, check with your doctor first. Move within your comfort, use the chair version if you like, and stop if something hurts.
