What is chair yoga and who is it best for?

Chair yoga offers benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels.

If you want a gentle way to stay active and improve your overall well-being, look no further than chair yoga. Whether you'd like to boost your flexibility or have a bit of calm after a long day, chair yoga offers numerous physical and mental health benefits. Best of all, it's accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Here's how you can get started.

What is chair yoga?

Chair yoga is a modified form of yoga that is done while seated in a chair for certain poses or using the chair for balance with others. It uses the same elements of a regular yoga practice, such as physical poses (asanas), but adapts them so the chair can provide support. As with regular yoga, there's an emphasis on breathing and staying present.

While numbers vary, a nationwide survey found that the average American sits for nine and a half hours. Chair yoga provides an opportunity to engage in physical activity even if you are confined to a desk for the majority of the day.

Chair yoga may offer several physical and mental health benefits, including:

• Increased circulation: Yoga poses promote blood flow, which can reduce the risk of blood clots.
• Improved sleep quality: Mindfulness has been shown to increase melatonin levels in the body, which can help improve sleep. You may also find it easier to fall asleep when your body is relaxed.
• Enhanced strength: Yoga poses target and strengthen certain muscle groups, especially in the core, arms and legs.
• More flexibility: Regularly stretching your body and lengthening your muscles increases your range of motion and reduces body stiffness.
• Less pain: Physical activity releases endorphins, which act as a natural painkiller. The gentle stretches of different yoga poses can also help relieve tight muscles and stiff joints that can cause pain.
• Decreased stress and anxiety: Mindfulness is a key tenet of yoga. Focusing on your breath and movement can help your body relax and promote mental clarity.

Who can benefit from chair yoga?

Although there is a misconception that chair yoga is for older adults, it may be an option for people who use wheelchairs or those recovering from surgery. Practicing yoga with a chair may also be useful for people with physical limitations due to conditions such as multiple sclerosis or chronic pain.

If you want to start a low-impact exercise practice but are intimidated by traditional yoga, chair yoga is a great entry point for getting into the practice. Office workers or those who spend most of their time at a computer can benefit from chair yoga as a quick and easy way to get moving during work hours. Chair yoga can also be fun and impactful for children and young adults who sit most of the day at school.

How to get started with chair yoga

To get started with chair yoga, aim for five minutes a day and work your way up as you get more comfortable. If you want to make it part of your health and fitness routine, it's more important to build the habit than worry about the duration.

Some beginning poses you can try include:

• Cat/cow: For cow pose, sit up tall through the spine, arch your back, raise your chest, lift your chin slightly and inhale. Move into cat pose by rounding your spine, tucking your chin in toward your chest and exhaling. Hands rest on the thighs, sliding up and down with the movement.
• Side bends: Raise your right arm overhead and lean to the left side, stretching the right-side body. Then switch, raising your left arm up and leaning to the right to stretch the left-side body. Sit up tall through the spine and reach long through each arm before leaning to either side.
• Forward bend: With both feet flat on the ground, raise your hands in the air, lacing your fingers together and pressing your palms to the sky and inhale. Exhale and release your hands, pressing them down to your side, while bending forward until your chest lies flat on your knees and your hands touch the floor.
• Seated twist: Sit sideways on your chair, facing the left. Twist your torso toward the left while holding the back of the chair. Lengthen your spine on each inhale and twist on each exhale. Move your legs around to the right side of the chair and repeat the twist to the right side.

Make sure your chair is on a flat, stable surface to keep it from slipping. Be sure to keep your feet flat on the floor for stability and to avoid putting all your weight on your spine. Although chair yoga is generally safe, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any fitness routine, especially if you have preexisting conditions or are recovering from an injury.