Yoga is one of the most accessible exercises to help keep us mentally and physically fit as we age. Whether you’ve been doing it for decades or you’re taking it up this year, regular yoga workouts are a great way of keeping the body strong and flexible.
However, traditional mat-based yoga exercises may not be possible for everyone. This could be due to injury, mobility limitations, or preference. It’s in these circumstances that chair yoga can be a great alternative. It can also be really beneficial for those of us who are desk-based for work and might want to do some simple stretches for tight hips, glutes, and lower back throughout the day to release tension and increase blood flow. You can adapt the poses and continue to move your body.
Kelly-Rhian Harris, a yoga teacher at yogacourse.com, explains that “unlike mat-based yoga, chair yoga reduces the need to get up and down from the floor, which can be challenging for people with limited mobility, joint issues, balance concerns, or recovering from injury”. It offers traditional elements of yoga, such as breathwork, relaxation and awareness, she says, but in a more inclusive way for some.
You may like
“For many people, chair yoga offers a way to continue moving confidently without fear of falling or overloading the joints,” she says.
A chair yoga workout to follow
Dina Cohen is an instructor working with Dynamic Flow Yoga. She recommends the following chair yoga workout.
Try taking 5 to 10 breaths for each exercise to really relax and settle into the pose.
1. Seated side bend
A side bend will help to release tension in your back and waist, making it one of the better back exercises for those doing yoga for beginners.
You might not feel it – just as many people with tight hips don’t realise the problem is in their glutes, for example – but as soon as you do the exercise, you’ll notice the benefit.
Here’s how to do it:
(Image credit: Dina Cohen)
Sit on the chair with your feet flat on the floor, resting your hands at your sides.Inhale, reach your left arm over your head to the ceiling, feeling your spine lengthen.On the exhale, lean your upper body to the right side.Make sure you stay fully seated on the chair during the movement, with your shoulders stacked and chest facing forward.2. Seated twist
A seated twist helps to support spinal health, digestion, and coordination. It’s a gentle rotation of the spine, so make sure to keep the movement slow and controlled.
You may like
Here’s how to do it:
(Image credit: Dina Cohen)
Sit on the edge of your chair, feet on the floor and hip-width apart. Make sure your knees sit stacked over your ankles.Inhale, pull your belly button in, and roll your shoulders back and down.Exhale, twist to the right with your entire upper body to the right.To support yourself, put your right hand on the back of your chair in the direct you move in. Put your left on your knee.Breathe in and out gently to deepen the stretch.3. Supported chair warrior
Using the chair for balance, this pose helps build leg strength, stability, and confidence, which are essential.
Here’s how to do it:
(Image credit: Dina Cohen)
Sit sideways on the chair, or if using the chair for support, stand behind it.Push your back leg out behind you, angling your back foot out.Bend your front knee at 90 degrees, making sure it doesn’t go beyond the line of your toes.Keep your spine tall, hips facing forward.If you’re using the chair as a support, place your hands on the back of the seat.4. Seated Pigeon pose
The pigeon pose is an advanced stretch that opens the hip flexors. Those new to yoga or to stretching can make it easier by doing it as part of a chair yoga workout, building up to a mat-based position.
Here’s how to do it:
(Image credit: Dina Cohen)
Sit on the edge of a chair, making sure your feet are hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Position your ankles under your knees.Lift your right knee to your chest, rotate your thigh and rest your ankle on top of your left thigh. Let it sit just above the knee.Gently, lean forward from your hips, lengthening your spine, and bringing your elbow to rest on your bent knee. If that feels too intense, bring your hands to your knees and just lean forward as much as is comfortable.5. Downward dog with chair
This is one of two poses that use the chair exclusively for support. The downward dog strengthens the arms, shoulders, core, and lower-body muscles, including the quadriceps (thighs), while stabilising back muscles to improve posture.
As your heart can sit slightly above your head in this position (what’s known as an ‘inversion’), depending on your flexibility, it can also help boost circulation.
Here’s how to do it:
(Image credit: Dina Cohen)
Make sure the chair is secure. If you’re unsure, place the back against a wall.Stand with your feet hip-width apart and facing the chair.Carefully, reach forward to the seat of the chair by hinging forward at your hips. If you’re unsure how to do this, imagine there’s a button on the wall behind you that you’re trying to press with your hips.Place your palms flat on the seat of the chair, then step backwards until your spine is straight.Make sure your feet stay flat on the floor by bending your knees if needed.Benefits of chair yoga 1. Suitable for all
Dina says how much you use the chair will depend on your mobility. Some people may move through all the poses while sitting down, while others will be able to stand next to a chair and use it for balance.
“Classes can be gentle or strong, and whatever we can do in a mat-based class, we can adapt for a chair-based class,’ she says, which makes the workout suitable for all.
2. Improves mobility and flexibility
As with mat-based yoga, chair yoga poses stretch and strengthen our muscles, reducing stiffness in the joints, and improving circulation. This aids overall mobility and flexibility, which is important for balance.
Better balance also means we also have a reduced risk of falls later in life.
3. May help prevent lower back pain
Chair yoga poses improve our posture and strengthen our core, which can help reduce any stress or strain on our spine and hips. It can also be a great way of alleviating any lower back pain that comes with spending a lot of time sitting down.
4. Boosts longevity
Longevity is not just living for longer, but living better. Chair yoga is often recommended as one of the best exercises for the over-60s and beyond, as bone density and muscle mass fall with age. Weight-bearing exercises like yoga can prevent this from happening.
5. Helps lower stress levels
All types of yoga are great for our mental health and for helping us wind down. Studies by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences show that it can have a direct impact on brain activity, relax the muscles, and reduce activity in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which is responsible for our ‘fight or flight’ response.
By focusing on our breath and mindful movement, we can improve stress levels and it can help us sleep better.
How often should you do chair yoga?
There’s no limit on how often you can do chair yoga as long as you’re performing the poses correctly and within your body’s capabilities. The five poses mentioned above could all be done in 10 to 15 minutes every day.
If you want a longer, more intense workout you can look for a chair yoga class run by a qualified instructor in your local area. These will be similar to a mat-based class, with plenty of time to focus on your breathing and relaxation, as well as incorporating poses which suit all levels.
Doing chair yoga with others could have added benefits as well, says Kelly. “Regular movement may help people stay socially engaged and confident in their bodies, which plays an important role in maintaining independence and overall quality of life,” she says.
Is chair yoga safe?
Kelly says chair yoga is a safe form of exercise, but you should ensure you always move gently and without overextending or forcing yourself into positions that cause pain or discomfort.
She recommends seeking medical advice if you’ve had recent surgery, have an acute injury or any medical issues such as unmedicated high blood pressure, severe osteoporosis, dizziness or balance-related conditions or advanced arthritis.
As with all types of exercise, listening to your body is key, along with making sure you take breaks and adapt the movements to your ability. Some people find having more support underfoot is beneficial. For example, with a thick yoga mat.