Experts Explain Why Chair Yoga Is Great For Seniors

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Most forms of exercise aren't performed sitting down—but instructors agree that practicing yoga isn't like most exercise. Whether you opt for two legs or four (via furniture), chair yoga has the same benefits as a traditional practice, say instructors Jennifer Mast and Lakshmi Voelker.

While most of their chair yoga students are seniors looking to enhance their mental and physical well-being, adapting traditional yoga poses to a seat is also great for those with mobility issues and people who work from home and spend a lot of time sedentary at a desk.

Below, we outline what chair yoga is and explain how chair yoga for seniors can be an especially valuable fitness routine for those aging in place.

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What is chair yoga?

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Chair yoga adapts traditional yoga poses from standing to sitting.

Simply put, chair yoga adapts most traditional yoga poses ("asanas"), so they are performed sitting instead of standing. Some chair yoga poses are performed standing but use the chair for balance.

Lifeline offers a printable guide of 12 common seated yoga poses like cat-cow and warrior 2, while Allinna Health has a descriptive guide with images of five poses to get you started.

Putting less emphasis on flowing to poses from a standing position can enhance focus on proper breathing and build flexibility, balance, and strength for anyone of any age or ability, say the instructors.

The philosophy behind chair yoga is similar to standing yoga modifications, and such modifications ease or uplevel poses. "Working with the aging population has shown me that chair yoga starts with seeing it just like a block, a strap, or a mat," says Massachusetts-based Mast. "A chair is about allowing our bodies to find movement that feels right but debunking myths that we all have to fit our bodies into the same pose. There's no shame in modification. Everyone's body and ability level is different on any given day."

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Chair yoga is also a great place to start for seniors who have never practiced traditional yoga and need to build a basis of knowledge, say the instructors.

"No longer am I doing power yoga. Chair yoga, for me, has demonstrated that we can take this path, and we can get really, really strong with it," says Mast. "This is about building muscle, balance, and flexibility. It's about range of motion, but perhaps most importantly it's about building confidence because there's so much fear around aging, especially if someone has had a fall or has had a hip replacement or a knee replacement."

What are the benefits of chair yoga for seniors?

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Chair yoga aims to increase both flexibility and mobility.

Increasing flexibility and mobility—primarily in the hips, knees, and ankles—is essential for fall prevention for seniors, says the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)—which also notes that, per year, one in three seniors a year experience a fall. Those injuries can lead to not only a need for medical attention but a loss of independence.

For seniors, NSCA recommends strength and power training (like squatting and bending), as well as balance training. Yoga offers both along with flexibility, says California-based Voelker.

Plus, there are more benefits to practicing than the physical ones, she says. "Each pose benefits a different body part, a different gland and organ, and a different part of our emotional and physical outlook," she explains. "Just the eight spinal movements at your desk chair, getting into postural alignment, deep breathing, and doing gentle spinal movements can change your life and your productivity."

Kith and Kin Yoga has a comparison video of what the eight spinal movement poses look like, both standing and seated, side by side.

Even one session of deep breathing exercises has been found to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels, note senior health researchers referenced in Scientific Reports.

What are some of the best chair yoga poses?

The spinal movement poses, and many more, are just as beneficial if performed standing or while seated, says Voelker.

Her classes and her book include seated modifications of poses like:

• Tree: Traditionally a standing balancing position with arms above the head or pressed together at the chest. One foot is on the ground, while the opposite leg is akimbo. Here’s a video of Yoga Journal's seated variations. Tree promotes spinal flexibility and combats the slump of a sedentary lifestyle.

• Triangle pose: Strengthens the legs and back and improves digestion. The stance spreads the legs far apart, with the front toes facing forward and the back toes making a 90-degree angle. The arm in the front rests on a chair, and the opposite arm rests on the hip of the leg in the back. (See how to perform the chair triangle pose at YogaUOnline.)

• Mountain pose: Helps improve posture and balance. Standing, it involves keeping feet parallel with a slight bend in the knees, pulling in the navel, while drawing shoulder blades back. The seated mountain pose, outlined by Northern Zen Yoga on YouTube, can be performed with yoga blocks under the feet. The same video also features a standing method that uses the back of the chair for support.

SilverSneakers—a health and fitness program for seniors that's included in many Medicare plans—shares a sample chair yoga class with key poses.

How can seniors practice chair yoga safely?

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A sturdy and stable chair is essential.

The choice of seat to practice chair yoga is crucial, says Voelker. "It has to be sturdy and stable, with a cushioned seat, straight back, and not wobble or roll around. If it has wheels, you should be able to lock them." The chair also should preferably not have arms to allow for maximum movement of the arms of the person practicing in it.

Like any kind of yoga practice, part of safety in chair yoga for seniors means having dialogue with care teams about whether your body and your space are ready, says Mast. "Safety is always at the forefront of my mind because, even in a chair yoga class, people can slip," she says. Even sitting, seniors shouldn't practice in socks, on slippery linoleum floors, or in clutter-filled rooms, Mast advises.

So, what is chair yoga? To those who practice and teach its essentials, it's a great way for seniors to build confidence and some physical strength in the process. There’s no denying yoga’s universal appeal. Chair yoga for seniors just proves that factors like age and mobility shouldn’t hold potential practitioners back.