Meet Lisa: Finding Strength and Flexibility Again
When Lisa left her review of Chair Yoga: Accessible Sequences to Build Strength, Flexibility, and Inner Calm, we could immediately sense there was more behind her words:
"At 62, I thought my yoga days were behind me after my hip replacement surgery. This book has been a game-changer! The spiral binding is perfect - I can keep it open on my kitchen table while following along. It's given me back confidence in my body that I didn't think I'd have again."
A heartfelt note—but filled with quiet triumph. What we found was a woman who refused to let physical limitations define her possibilities.
The Active Life, Interrupted
Lisa had always been the active one. For thirty years, she was the first to sign up for hiking trips, the neighbor weeding her garden at dawn, and the grandmother chasing kids around the playground.
But after her hip replacement surgery, everything changed. "I went from being someone who could touch her toes to someone who couldn't even reach for a coffee cup without wincing."
That Tuesday morning in March, when she couldn't reach for her coffee mug without sharp back pain, was her breaking point. She felt scared of her own body.
The Search for Something Different
Lisa's first instinct was to look for online yoga videos, but they all seemed designed for people who could easily transition from a floor to a standing position. The modifications felt like afterthoughts, and she struggled to follow along while managing her physical limitations.
That's when she discovered chair yoga through online forums for recovery after hip surgery. When she read about Christina D'Arrigo's background as a 500-hour trained yoga teacher and former dancer who'd dedicated her practice to accessible yoga, it felt like a sign.
Why This Book Worked
Lisa ordered the spiral-bound version after reading it would lay flat. When it arrived, she was struck by Christina's approach. Instead of treating chair yoga as a consolation prize, Christina presented it as a complete practice.
"I started with the basic morning routine with gentle movements I could do in my kitchen chair while my coffee brewed,"
The spiral binding made all the difference. You don't realize how helpful it is until you've tried following yoga instructions while seated. This book stays open to whatever page you need without fighting with it or losing your place in the middle of a passage.
Small Movements, Big Changes
Week by week, Lisa noticed changes. The morning routine became a cherished ritual, a way to greet the day with intention rather than trepidation. The seated spinal twists became her favorite – they reminded her of traditional yoga classes but without the fear of losing her balance.
The breakthrough came six weeks in. Lisa was working in her garden – something she'd avoided since surgery – when she realized she'd been kneeling and bending for over an hour without discomfort. The core strength and flexibility she'd been building through chair yoga had translated into real-world capabilities she thought were lost forever.
The Transformation
Three months into her practice, Lisa's life looked remarkably different. Her back pain, which had been constant since surgery, had virtually disappeared. She moved with greater confidence, knowing that her body was once again strong and reliable.
But the changes went deeper. She no longer felt like a patient recovering from surgery. She felt like someone actively building strength and vitality. The practice gave her back trust in her body's ability to grow stronger.
Her family noticed immediately. Her daughter commented on how much more confident Lisa seemed, and her grandchildren were delighted to have their energetic grandmother back.
Advice for Others
"If someone had told me a year ago that I'd be doing yoga in my kitchen chair every morning, I would have laughed," Lisa admits. "But this practice taught me that adaptation isn't about settling for less – it's about finding new ways to honor what your body needs."
Her advice to others facing similar challenges: Don't wait for your body to return to its previous state. Start where you are, and trust the process.
And about finding the right resource: "Christina's book met me exactly where I was, and that made all the difference."
The Right Book Makes All the Difference
Lisa didn't need expensive equipment or a complete lifestyle overhaul—she just needed one great book that respected her physical reality. And with Chair Yoga: Accessible Sequences to Build Strength, Flexibility, and Inner Calm, she found it.
The combination of thoughtful instruction, accessible sequences, and spiral-bound design gave her the confidence to move from "I thought my yoga days were behind me" to "I'm actually getting stronger and more flexible again."
Today, the spiral-bound book remains open on her kitchen table, a daily reminder that adaptation leads not to limitation but to possibility. At 62, Lisa learned that our bodies are remarkably adaptable, and this book gave her back the confidence she thought she'd lost forever.
Ready to start your own yoga journey?
Chair Yoga: Accessible Sequences to Build Strength, Flexibility, and Inner Calm is a practical, accessibility-minded guide that stays open while you work, supports your physical reality, and helps you build confidence one gentle movement at a time.
