This format follows the old timey aerobic class workout. The warm up, in which we do a modified Seokmun Hoheup warmup movements. It really works all the places in the body, and warms up the major and minor joints in the body.
Then a traditional strength and stretch section. We use therabands, yoga straps, a chair and yoga block. If you don’t have the gear, minimally have access to a chair!
Lastly we do balance, stretches and more strength building, using two chairs or access to a wall and a chair. Ending with a guided rest & relaxation and gratitude practice.
Checkout my latest video playlist for this movement series.
Chair Tai Chi & Gentle Beginners Yoga for Back Care Classes
February 2025. For Veterans Yoga Project Online Studio, Gail Pickens-Barger, Yoga Instructor/Chair Tai Chi Instructor. New schedule update.
Wednesdays Gentle Yoga for Back Care/ Chair Tai Chi. 11:00am PST(60 min) | Wednesdays | 1:00pm CST(60 min)
Fridays Chair Yoga for Fall Prevention. 11:00 am PST (60 min) | Fridays | 1:00 pm CST (60 mins)
Gail Pickens-Barger
Yoga Teacher, Chair Tai Chi & Yoga Nidra Meditation Teacher
Class Description: Chair Tai Chi / Gentle Yoga for Back Care for Beginners. One week will be chair tai chi, the next week will be gentle yoga for back care for beginners.
Chair Tai Chi Class Description:
Chair Tai Chi is a 45 minute class, consisting of a blend of Yang Style Tai Chi forms (singled out for adaptability in a seated position), Shaolin muscle and sinew exercises, qigong (“chee-kung”) detoxing techniques, hand/finger/eye exercises, acupressure point stimulation, and guided rest & relaxation & gratitude practice.
Benefits: Chronic pain reduction, improved strength and flexibility, range of motion, posture, blood pressure, sleep, digestion, and immunity. Relieves stress, anxiety, and aids in overall well-being. Chair Tai Chi is a unique therapeutic modality being offered in the online Veterans Yoga Project studio.
*Special instructions for Chair Tai Chi: Please have a sturdy chair available.
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Gentle Yoga for Back Care Beginners Class Description:
This 60 minute class is formatted for those of all ages and levels who experience low back pain, whether chronic or due to injury. The use of gear is encouraged to help support you through class which is presented every other week with our resident VYP expert, Gail Pickens-Barger. Class can be done on a yoga mat, or seated on a chair.
Special Instructions Please have on hand: * a strap * a block * access to a non-stick surface (a.k.a. yoga mat) or be seated on a chair
Optional items to have on hand are: * a blanket/cover * access to a wall or chair/table.
You don’t have to bend like a pretzel to do yoga!
Example of Back Yoga for Beginners. Ease your back challenges with simple, effective movements.
Check out my latest “Live” video. I was testing the video quality and sound at a remote location. Sound is not as crisp as I would like, but is tolerable. Movement sequences for hands and fingers for easing pain and arthritis.
Stay Balanced with Chair Yoga for Fall Prevention. Online Studio class from Veterans Yoga Project on Fridays at 1 PM CST.
Stay Balanced with Chair Yoga
A weekly Chair Yoga class where we use two chairs, a block and a strap to help strengthen the leg/hip musculature. Work on our balance in this class too. A few Chair Tai Chi inspired movements are thrown in for good measure.
Check out this new weekly class on Veterans Yoga Project online studio. It’s FREE. Register, book a class, wait for that link one hour prior to class to come on in and take the class. https://veteransyogaproject.org/vyp-classes now to register, book and wait for this class!
Current Playlist for Chair Yoga for Fall Prevention with Gail P-B.
Received some nice feedback on the Fall Prevention Chair Yoga class, that has been added to the schedule for online offerings for Veterans Yoga Project online studio.
It is an hour long class, then we have a discussion afterwards of what worked well for the folks, and what did not work well. Everyone is in a different place in their balance journey, so it is a “balance” (ha ha) to try to please most folks. (Get it, “balance”, Fall Prevention?)
When I was in a breast cancer study at MD Anderson a couple of years ago (get my mammograms at either the Houston, or Conroe location), one of the testing parameters was how many “Sit to Stands” movements I could do, unassisted. If one is below the average in these numbers, then there is a high probability that you will have a fall.
I shared this image a couple of years ago on my Instagram feed. It has stuck with me all these years.
Are you at Risk for Falling?
Check out the free yoga classes over on Veterans Yoga Project website!
How to see Veterans Yoga Project Online Studio on my big TV Screen
I often get asked how I setup for teaching online yoga classes. I’ll just briefly give you an outline of what equipment I use, etc.
A quick photo of my setup for teaching online, and for taking classes online. Left to Right. Ipad, Adapter Lightening Cord, Laptop, Surge protector with my PC, and Apple Charging cord connected, HDMI cord connecting to the back of my TV, Roku device plugged into the other HDMI port, and my older not so smart (ha ha) TV, with the VYP app displayed from my ipad onto the tv.
I teach from my PC and attached camera. Then I have a second screen, where I can do gallery view, to watch the students on my somewhat bigger TV Screen.
A little background, about nine years ago, when I was teaching some educational classes in my home, I would use the apple adapter cord into my ipad/pc, and my televisions’s hdmi cord to view onto my TV. I had a different type of adaptor that I would use for my PC/Mac.
Since then I use the same cord to use as a connection, to display larger onto my Smart TV.
One needs a Smart TV. You use the Roku app on the Smart TV to connect to an iphone/ipad device app. This might be a bit difficult to figure out, as one needs to look at the “streaming store” and find the appropriate “app” for the HDMI hooking up service.
Roku device hooked up to the back of their TV, or a Smart TV that has Roku integrated within the system. ~ $45
A HDMI cord – which plugs into the Apple adaptor cord and into the HDMI port on the smart tv. ~ $10
I use a surge protector strip to plug in for power to the apple charging cord.
When I started teaching online for VYP almost five years ago, I just used the same cord system.
There are other methods to connect to a smart tv, depending if you are using a PC, an android. I’ve used Chromecast, but it was rather cludgy.
When I teach in person at a gym, I sometimes play indoor walking workouts for my clients, prior to the tai chi or yoga class. The facility has an overhead projector system. I’m able to use the cord again, and “cast” onto the large theatre display, using their bluetooth connection technology.
Apple Adapter cord.
Apple adapter into my ipad, with the hdmi cord, and my apple charger cord coming out.
My setup for teaching and taking online classes.
Left to Right. Ipad/Apple adaptor cord, PC, Camera, surge protector strip cord. My PC, Apple Charger cord in the strip cord. Smart TV with a Roku in the back plugged in (it is an older Smart TV), then on the screen I have the VYP app on screen, as it shows up on the Ipad.
One must turn off the audio on the Ipad, or you’ll have reverb/echo noise. I also turn off the volume on the TV, and only use the volume from the PC. Their setup may be different as they will not have the PC or the Ipad both running at the same time. So the sound could either be from their Ipad/Iphone or PC or the Smart TV. It takes a bit to figure this stuff out.
Questions? Complaints? Comments? Complements? Let me know!
Gentle Yoga and Tai Chi with Gail 
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