Chair yoga is not just for the elderly, it’s for everyone!

Mike Odbert leads chair yoga every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. in the Zehrs common area.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Mike Odbert sets up the chairs in the Zehrs common area and waits for participants to show up.

People from all walks of life join him and sit together in community to participate in the weekly chair-yoga sessions.

“These guys that are joining are forming their own little groups,” said Mike Odbert, the man behind the weekly chair yoga. “They have drinks, go for coffee; it’s a good way to make friends. Everyone’s kind of stuck in the house; it’s a good way to get everybody to connect again.”

Odbert has been practicing yoga for eight years. His idea for bringing the chair yoga to Stratford’s Zehrs came from a session he led in Kitchener for a friend. After successfully leading chair yoga in Kitchener, he wanted to bring it to Stratford. With the help of the Zehrs manager, he was able to secure a spot in the common area of Zehrs for free.

“A. It’s free,” said Odbert. “B. It’s a place they are comfortable coming to; it’s not a gym. You can wear your normal clothes, bring a friend, it’s a little bit more sociable. It fits.”

The benefits of chair yoga are endless. From increased flexibility to increased strength, balance, control and improved mood, the list goes on.

“They’re learning now,” said Odbert. “Because a lot of these people were new, they just wanted to get exercise because they’re getting old. So, I’ve been taking them from level one to level two to level three. We’re starting to get into level three now. You have to ease into it because some of this stuff is really hard. I don’t want to hurt any of them because some of them have hip replacements or knee replacements, strokes. This rehabilitates them. I’ve heard I don’t know how many times, ‘Now I can do stuff! I got my license back!’ Nothing but good stories from people that come here.”

To join chair yoga, come to Zehrs and find the common area, near the produce section, before 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The chairs will be set up and waiting.

“It’s a good way of connecting,” said Odbert. “It’s healthy. We can heal ourselves from anything, we just got to add the right ingredients.”