Chair yoga is a light and gentle type of yoga that can be done using a chair while sitting down. Some poses can also be done standing while using the chair for balance and support.
You may be surprised that most traditional yoga poses can be performed on a chair. This is a great option for people who have limited mobility or conditions that don’t allow them to practice traditional yoga on a yoga mat.
Benefits of chair yoga
Chair yoga exercises can increase your flexibility, improve your concentration, build strength, and also make you feel less stressed or anxious.
While chair yoga exercises are performed seated or standing using a chair for assistance, they follow the same principles as traditional yoga. The physical poses stretch and strengthen many of the same muscles and the breath work is based on traditional pranayama and harnesses the power of the mind for meditation.
Chair yoga can be especially beneficial for older adults. A recent review found that practicing chair yoga can help older adults build muscle and maintain upper and lower body strength. Another study that followed adults in a retirement community for 12 weeks found that those who practiced yoga twice a week (mostly with chair assistance) had less fear of falling and more confidence in their physical abilities, plus better lower-body flexibility and balance.
While chair yoga is a great option for those with reduced mobility, that doesn’t mean that everyone can’t find benefit from it. If you sit all day at work, chair yoga is a great option to avoid tension and pain from sitting in the same position and helps combat poor posture. And one study even found that chair yoga done at the office can reduce stress and elicit a relaxation response.
10 chair yoga poses
Here are 10 simple chair yoga poses you can do anywhere.
Chair cat-cow
Sitting on a chair with your feet planted on the floor as wide as your hips, place your hands on your knees. Inhale and arch your upper back, looking up as high as you can…
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