Marsha Danzig, RYT 500, has been practicing yoga as an amputee since the 1980s — she lost her leg due to bone cancer — and teaching adaptive yoga for more than two decades. She created Yoga For Amputees 12 years ago in order to broaden inclusivity in the yoga space.
Danzig recently signed on as a yoga instructor for Kakana, an accessible streaming workout platform for people of all abilities that specifically makes sure those with disabilities feel they belong in the fitness sphere. She told POPSUGAR, "When we change the messaging of yoga to be inclusive for all bodies; when we show images of different types of bodies doing yoga; when yoga teacher trainings include courses on making yoga accessible to all; when yoga studios, gyms, and online wellness platforms like Kakana make yoga available to all abilities; and when we personally dismantle our own biases and beliefs about disability, adaptive yoga will be more known throughout the world."
Danzig shared with us an example of adaptive yoga done sitting in a chair. The flow is changed when taught live on Kakana to accommodate each person's capabilities, she noted, adding that it should take up to 20 minutes or so to complete depending on if you need breaks in between the poses.
Keep reading for instructions to go along with each pose. You'll be holding most of them for two deep breaths, two times through. Optional tools used are a yoga block (or objects you can stack, like pillows) and a yoga strap. This gentle sequence is designed for anyone who may need a more adaptive flow — or just wants to do yoga while seated — and is looking to slow down and relax tight muscles.
