Chair Yoga: A Guide to Poses, Benefits, & Techniques

Chair yoga is a simple and accessible form of yoga where asanas are modified to be performed on a chair. Developed in the 1980s to make yoga more accessible for people with limited mobility, it offers all the benefits of regular yoga—improved strength, flexibility, and balance—without the need to get on the floor.

This makes chair yoga a great option for seniors, individuals with arthritis or mobility challenges, desk workers who spend long hours seated, and anyone seeking a low-impact yet effective way to stay active or lose weight.

So, whether you’re looking to improve strength and balance or seeking a low-impact form of exercise, chair yoga can help you reach your goals safely and effectively. Continue reading to learn more about chair yoga, its benefits, safe and easy poses, and tips to get started.

What Is Chair Yoga?

Chair yoga is a form of yoga where traditional poses are adapted to be performed while seated or using a chair for support. It’s an excellent option to build strength, improve flexibility, and boost balance without needing to get up and down from a mat. This makes it a highly accessible practice for individuals of all fitness levels and abilities.

Chair yoga originated in the 1980s when yoga teacher Lakshmi Voelker recognized the need for safer exercise options for people with mobility limitations. Over time, yoga teachers like Howard Kent, Susan Ward, and Jivana Heyman helped popularize this practice globally. Today, it's practiced in homes, hospitals, senior centers, and workplaces by anyone looking for a low-impact yet effective way to stay active, manage stress, or even lose weight.

Chair Yoga vs. Traditional Yoga: The Difference

While traditional yoga typically involves movements on a mat, often transitioning between standing, seated, and floor-based poses, chair yoga keeps most of the practice supported. In chair yoga:

• Poses are modified to be done while sitting.

• Standing poses are supported by holding onto a chair for balance.

• Transitions are slower, making it safe and reducing the risk of strain or injury.

This makes chair yoga especially helpful for seniors, those with joint issues, people recovering from injuries, office workers needing movement breaks, and beginners who want to start gently.

Setting Up Your Space for Chair Yoga

You only need a few essentials to create a safe and comfortable space to practice chair yoga. This includes:

• A sturdy, armless chair: Choose a chair that doesn’t swivel or have wheels. A simple kitchen or dining chair works best.

• A yoga mat: By placing a yoga mat under the chair, you can prevent it from sliding, especially on hardwood or tile floors.

• Supportive props: Yoga blocks, straps, or cushions can offer extra support and make poses more comfortable.

• Comfortable clothing: Wear loose, breathable clothes that allow you to move freely.

Once you have these essentials, find a clutter-free space with enough room to stretch your arms and legs without obstruction.

Who Is Chair Yoga For?

Chair yoga is for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or experience. Its gentle, adaptable approach makes it accessible to a wide range of people, especially:

• Seniors: Chair yoga offers a safe and low-impact way for seniors to stay active and improve balance and coordination. Studies show it can help reduce the risk of falls and enhance functional mobility, promoting healthier aging. Learn more about chair yoga for seniors here!

• Beginners: Chair yoga is a great way for beginners to start, especially if they feel intimidated by traditional classes. It provides all the core benefits of yoga—strength, flexibility, balance, mindfulness—at a pace that feels accessible and achievable.

• People with limited mobility: Arthritis, multiple sclerosis, surgeries, recovering from injuries, or other conditions can limit your mobility and make it challenging to sit on the mat. Chair yoga makes it possible to reap the physical and mental benefits of yoga without needing to get on the floor.

• Individuals managing chronic health conditions: Research suggests that chair yoga can support people living with arthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and other chronic illnesses. It can help manage pain, reduce stress, improve circulation, and boost overall quality of life.

• Desk workers and professionals: Sitting for long hours can take a toll, leading to tight hips, stiff shoulders, back pain, and high stress levels. Studies have found that practicing chair yoga, even for 15 minutes a day in the office, can ease physical discomfort, reduce psychological stress, and boost energy and focus.

Want to give chair yoga a shot? Book a free 1-on-1 session with a coach here!

Benefits of Chair Yoga

Chair yoga offers the same benefits as traditional yoga but in a way that's more accessible and gentle. Here’s what it can help you with:

Physical Benefits

• Improves flexibility: Gentle stretching can increase range of motion and reduce stiffness, especially in seniors.

• Builds strength and balance: Like traditional yoga, chair yoga also strengthens key muscle groups, which can improve posture and reduce the risk of falls. Poses like Warrior Transitions also build balance and coordination to reduce falls.

• Boosts circulation: Gentle movement and chest-opening exercises can increase blood flow and support heart health.

Mental Benefits

• Reduces stress and anxiety: Yoga practices, including chair yoga, have been linked to increased levels of serotonin and decreased symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression.

• Sharpens focus: Regular yoga practice can enhance executive brain functions such as memory and attention, especially beneficial for older adults.

Accessibility Benefits

• Ideal for limited mobility: Research supports seated yoga as effective for improving mobility and quality of life in those with chronic conditions.

• Fits busy lifestyles: Because it requires minimal setup, chair yoga is practical for office workers with limited time and frequent travelers.

10 Essential Chair Yoga Poses

Chair yoga offers all the benefits of yoga while staying seated or using a chair for support. Here are 10 simple poses you can practice anytime:

1. Seated Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

This pose is a great way to improve posture and alignment while strengthening the core and building body awareness.

1. Sit tall with feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Lengthen your spine, roll your shoulders back and down.
3. Make sure you do not slouch your back or let your chin forward.
4. Rest your hands on your thighs or let them hang by your sides.
5. Gently engage your core
6. Breathe for 8-10 deep and steady breaths.

Modifications:

• If your feet don't comfortably touch the ground, place a block or firm cushion under them.

2. Chair Raised Hands Pose (Urdhva Hastasana)

This pose helps stretch the sides of the body and the spine. Holding the pose also increases lung capacity and boosts energy.

1. From Seated Mountain, inhale and raise your arms overhead.
2. Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
3. Be conscious of your shoulders—do not tense them.
4. Reach up through your fingertips without straining.

Modifications:

• If raising both arms feels tiring, lift one arm at a time.

3. Chair Eagle Arms (Garudasana Arms)

Eagle Arms are a great way to improve flexibility and circulation in the arms. It also helps open the shoulders and upper back.

1. Sit tall and bring your arms out in front of you. Make sure you’re not hunching.
2. Cross your right arm under the left at the elbows.
3. Bend your elbows and try to bring the palms together.
4. Lift elbows slightly and move hands away from the face.

Modifications:

• If wrapping the arms fully is uncomfortable, just hold the opposite shoulders.

4. Seated Side Angle Pose

This pose stretches the sides of the torso and improves spinal flexibility.

1. Sit tall and place your right hand on the seat beside you.
2. Inhale and reach your left arm up and over your head, leaning to the right.
3. Keep the hip bones grounded—do not lift the opposite hip off the chair.

Modifications:

• Rest your hand on a block or cushion if reaching the seat feels too deep.

5. Seated Shoulder Stretch

The seated shoulder stretch helps relieve shoulder stiffness and tension while improving upper-body mobility.

1. Bring your right arm across your chest.
2. Use your left hand to gently press your right arm closer to your chest without straining.
3. Hold and breathe, then switch sides.
4. Make sure you don’t twist your torso to the side—keep it squared.

Modifications:

• Keep the supporting hand light to avoid forcing the stretch.

6. Chair Pigeon Pose

This is an excellent pose to open tight hips and relieve lower back tension.

1. Sit tall and place your right ankle over your left knee.
2. Flex your right foot and gently press the right knee down.
3. Hinge slightly forward from the hips if you want a deeper stretch.
4. While hinging forward, make sure you do not round the back.

Modifications:

• If placing the ankle over the opposite knee feels uncomfortable, simply cross your ankles instead. This gentler option still encourages hip opening without putting too much pressure on the joints.

7. Seated Neck Release

This is a great stretch for desk job workers as it releases neck tension and improves posture.

1. Sit tall and drop your right ear toward your right shoulder.
2. Make sure you tilt your head sideways and not forward or backward.
3. Let the left arm relax down by your side or gently hold the seat.
4. Hold and breathe, then switch sides.

Modifications:

• If you feel tightness in the neck, keep the movements small and gentle.

8. Chair Leg Extensions

Leg extensions can strengthen the legs and improve circulation.

1. Sit tall and extend your right leg forward, keeping the heel on the ground or lifting it a few inches.
2. Engage your thigh muscles and flex your foot.
3. Make sure you do not lean backward.
4. Hold, then switch sides.

Modifications:

• Keep the leg lower if lifting it feels too intense.

9. Seated Butterfly

This stretch opens the hips and inner thighs while relieving tension from prolonged sitting.

1. Sit near the edge of the chair while ensuring you do not slouch.
2. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees open outward.
3. Hold your feet or ankles gently, sitting tall.

Modifications:

• If the knees are very high, place blocks or cushions under them for support.

10. Chair Warrior Pose

This is an excellent pose to build strength in the legs and improve balance.

1. Sit sideways on the chair, facing right.
2. Extend the right leg forward and the left leg back, coming into a lunge position with the chair supporting you.
3. Raise your arms overhead or hold onto the chair.

Modifications:

• Shorten the stance for more stability.

Safety Guidelines for Chair Yoga

Even though chair yoga is generally safe and gentle, it’s important to keep these tips in mind before you start:

• Check with your doctor: If you have any medical conditions or recent injuries, get a healthcare provider’s approval before starting.

• Pick a stable chair: Choose a sturdy, armless chair with a straight back and no wheels. If needed, place it on a yoga mat to prevent slipping.

• Sit tall: Keep your feet flat on the floor, sit up straight and upright, and avoid slouching during the poses.

• Move gently: Stretch comfortably, not forcefully. Observe the difference between a minor stretch and sharp discomfort, and stop immediately if you feel pain or dizziness.

• Breathe naturally: Maintain a steady, relaxed breath. Never hold your breath during movements.

• Use props if needed: Yoga blocks, cushions, or straps can help make poses more comfortable and accessible.

• Know when to stop: If you experience chest pain, breathlessness, or unusual discomfort, pause and seek medical advice.

While these guidelines can ensure a safer and more effective practice, it’s best to work under the guidance of an experienced coach. Try this guided group class on chair yoga to learn from a chair yoga expert! Or book a free 1-on-1 session here!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is chair yoga "real" yoga?

Yes! Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that adapts traditional poses to a seated or supported position. It retains the essence of yoga—mindful movement and controlled breathing, and syncing the mind and the body—while making it accessible to a wider audience.

How often should I practice chair yoga?

Depending on your goals, practicing chair yoga 2–4 times a week can lead to noticeable improvements in flexibility, strength, and stress levels over time. Even short daily sessions of 10–20 minutes can offer significant benefits in the longer run.

Can I lose weight with chair yoga?

When combined with a balanced lifestyle and mindful eating, chair yoga can support weight loss. While it may not burn calories at the same rate as vigorous exercise, it improves muscle tone, boosts metabolism, reduces stress-related eating, and encourages overall physical activity.

Is chair yoga safe during pregnancy?

Chair yoga can be a safe and supportive option during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters when balance may be more challenging. However, it’s important to get clearance from a healthcare provider and work with a qualified yoga instructor to ensure poses are appropriately modified for each stage of pregnancy.