Regular yoga classes generally involve floor-based postures, but if getting down on to and up from the floor is uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean you can’t practice yoga.
Michelle A. Thielen, a yoga therapist and founder of faith-based teacher training school YogaFaith, has shared a yoga routine specifically designed to be done seated.
This routine takes a few popular yoga postures and modifies them for the chair.
“Practice with a sturdy, armless and wheelless chair,” Thielen advises. “Be sure all parts of the chair are on a non-slip floor. Placing the chair on a sticky yoga mat is best unless you are practicing on carpet. Feel free to keep non-slip tennis shoes on as you practice.”
Make sure you feel comfortable and supported while seated so place a block under your feet if your feet don’t touch the floor. You can also sit on a cushion or the edge of a folded blanket to elevate your hips.
While we’ve included suggestions for how long to hold or repeat poses, Thielen encourages you to take your time, and to breathe, connect and notice.
Five chair yoga poses for beginners
1. Easy pose (sukhasana)
- Sit toward the front of your chair with your feet flat on the floor or on a block or bolster.
- Place a cushion or folded blanket under your sitting bones for elevated hips.
- Focus on maintaining a natural spinal curve.
- Rest your hands on your thighs or in prayer position at your chest.
- Take five deep breaths, focusing on abdominal breathing.
- Inhale through your nose, filling up your belly, exhale through your mouth, exhaling loudly if you like.
Tip: Feel your ribs expand each time you inhale, and lengthen and exaggerate your exhalations each time.
2. Seated forward fold (paschimottanasana)
- Begin in easy pose. Inhale.
- As you exhale, fold your torso forward.
- As you inhale, return to easy pose.
- Continue for five breath cycles, or as long as you wish. Fold down over your thighs, reaching your hands toward your feet and the floor.
Tip: You can also reach your arms overhead during easy pose, then reach them forward as you fold forward.
3. Staff pose (dandasana)
- From an upright seated position, place your hands on the chair beside your hips.
- Press your hands into the chair to support extending your legs out in front—one at a time or both together.
- If you feel confident, raise your arms overhead.
- Hold for five breaths.
4. Seated spinal twist (vakrasana)
Reps: 5 each side
- From an upright seated position, inhale to lengthen your torso.
- Exhale, rotate your torso to the right bringing your left hand to your right knee.
- Inhale to return to center and repeat on the other side.
- Continue for five rotations on each side, or as long as you wish.
5. Seated savasana
- From a comfortable seated position, rest your arms on your lap, palms up or down.
- Support your back with a cushion if needed.
- Become aware of your whole body and breath.
- Stay for at least five breaths, or longer if you have time.
Tip: “Remember that savasana, while appearing simple, is often considered the most challenging posture as it requires complete surrender and stillness (when practicing as a final posture),” says Thielen. “This is also considered the most important posture as it allows the integration of your practice.”