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Yoga flows

Rest-between-poses yoga for myasthenia gravis: a 20-minute cool-room class, sitting then at a chair, with no breath holds

A 20-minute class in a cool room: arrive and breathe slowly, loosen while sitting, stand at a chair for short holds, then rest propped up. After every pose, sit and rest for at least as long as you held it. The breathing is slow and easy, with no holds and no fast breathing. The structure is our editorial choice, from the UK neurologists' advice on balance and stretch training such as yoga, the rests in the exercise trials and myaware's pacing advice; no study has tested yoga in myasthenia gravis. It sits beside your medicines and your MG team, never instead.

20 minBeginner13 movesA bench or box · Firm cushionBack · Shoulders · Abs · Hip flexors · Quads · Glutes
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Arrive, sitting (about 2 minutes)

  1. Seated upper-back lift (sit tall, shoulders back)3 holds of 5 s
    Beginner · Back, Shoulders, Neck · 3D demoA firm chair in a cool room. Notice your eyelids, speech and swallowing before you startEasier: Elbows backHarder: Prone Y-T-W raises
  2. Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)1 min
    Beginner · 3D demoSmall, easy breaths, in for about 4, out for about 6, with no holdsEasier: Breath reachHarder: Crocodile breathing (prone diaphragmatic breathing)

Loosen, sitting (about 5 minutes; rest 20 to 30 s after each)

  1. Shoulder rolls5 each way
    Beginner · Shoulders, Back, Neck · 3D demoSlow, shoulders onlyHarder: Shoulder CARs (controlled articular rotations)
  2. Cat-cow5 slow rounds
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoSitting (the demo shows all fours): hands on your kneesHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
  3. Thoracic rotation3 each side, 5 s holds
    Beginner · 3D demoSitting (the demo shows it standing): arms crossed, turn gentlyEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch
  4. Seated march30 s
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Quads, Abs · 3D demoHold the seat; small liftsHarder: Standing march

Standing at a chair (about 6 minutes; sit for at least as long as each hold)

  1. Sit to stand, pushing on the thighs5 reps
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Triceps · 3D demoPush on your thighs. Skip it on a weak dayHarder: Bodyweight squat
  2. Mountain pose (Tadasana)5 breaths
    Beginner · Calves, Back, Abs · 3D demoOne hand on the chair backHarder: Tree pose (Vrksasana)
  3. Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)3 breaths each side
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoShort stance, hands on your hips or the chair, arms not held outEasier: Chair pose (Utkatasana)Harder: Extended side angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana)
  4. Tree pose (Vrksasana)3 breaths each side
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip abductors, Calves · 3D demoFingertips on the chair, eyes open, heel at your ankleEasier: Mountain pose (Tadasana)Harder: Standing hand-to-big-toe pose (Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana)
  5. Chair pose (Utkatasana)2 holds of 10 s
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Shoulders · 3D demoHold the chair back; a small bendHarder: Revolved chair pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana)

Rest, propped up (about 5 minutes)

  1. Reclining bound angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)2 min
    Beginner · Adductors, Chest · 3D demoA cushion under each thigh and cushions under your head and chest; or sit back in the chairHarder: Wide-angle seated forward fold (Upavistha Konasana)
  2. Corpse pose (Savasana)3 min
    Beginner · 3D demoPropped up, or sitting back in the chair. Get up slowly

Tips

  • Do it at your strongest time of day, when your tablets are working. Never take extra tablets to get through it: too much can cause muscle weakness.
  • Keep the room cool, wear loose clothes and have cold water to hand. Leave out hot classes, saunas, hot tubs and very hot baths around exercise (our suggestion).
  • Stop and rest if your eyelids start to droop or your vision doubles, your speech becomes slurred or nasal, chewing or swallowing gets harder, your arms or legs start to give way, or you're more breathless than the effort explains.
  • On a weak day, or while your MG isn't controlled, do only the sitting blocks and the rest (our suggestion).
  • No breath holds and no fast, forceful breathing such as kapalabhati or bhastrika (our suggestion: no study has tested yoga breathing in myasthenia gravis).
  • If lying flat makes you short of breath, rest propped up or sitting in the chair.
  • Call 999 (911 in the US) for worsening severe breathing or swallowing difficulties. A normal finger oxygen reading doesn't rule out a crisis.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the rest-between-poses yoga for myasthenia gravis: a 20-minute cool-room class, sitting then at a chair, with no breath holds take?

About 20 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A bench or box, Firm cushion. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 5 of its 13 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.