Chair Yoga Sequences

Chair yoga is a general term for practices that modify yoga poses so that they can be done while seated in a chair.

In addition to a good stretch, chair yoga participants can also enjoy other health benefits of yoga, including improved muscle tone, better breathing habits, less stress, and a sense of well-being.

Chair Cat-Cow Stretch

  • With your spine long and both feet flat on the floor, place your hands on your knees (or the tops of your thighs).
  • (Cow) on your inhale, arch the spine and roll the shoulders down and back.
  • (Cat) on your exhale, round your spine and drop your chin to your chest, letting the shoulder and head come forward.
  • Continue to cat and cow for five breath counts.

Chair Raised Hands Pose

Urdhva Hastasana
  • Root your sit bones in your chair.
  • Inhale your arms above your head, toward the ceiling, reaching upwards with your fingertips.
  • Let your shoulder blades slide down your back.

Chair Forward Bend

Uttanasana
  • Inhale your arms over the head.
  • Exhale forward into a forward fold over the legs, letting the head hang heavy.
  • If your hands reach floor, let them rest on the floor.
  • Repeat this movement several times, remembering to move with your breath.

Chair Extended Side Angle

Utthita Parsvakonasana
  • From the forward fold position:
  • Bring your left fingertips to the floor on the outside of your left foot.
  • Twist the right hand up straight to the ceiling, opening your chest. Keep your gaze to the ceiling, and hold this extended side angle for a few breaths.
  • When you are ready, exhale the right arm back down to the floor and switch sides.

Variations:
  • If your hand can't reach the floor, you can use a block or bring your hand to your knee, and then twist.
  • For a deeper twist, bring the fingertips to the outside of your foot.

Chair Pigeon

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
  • Rest your right ankle on your left thigh, keeping your knee in line with your ankle. Stay in this position up to five breath counts.
  • Gently release your leg to the floor and switch sides.

Variation:
  • Deepen the stretch by leaning forward.

Chair Eagle

Garudasana
  • Cross your right thigh over your left thigh. If you can, wrap the right foot all the way around the left calf.
  • Cross your left arm over the right one at the elbow. Bend the elbows and bring your palms to touch. 
  • Lift your elbows, drop your shoulders away from your ears, and hold up to five breath counts.
  • Gentrly release your arms and your legs, then switch sides.

Chair Spinal Twist

Ardha Matsyendrasana
  • Sit sideways on the chair, facing to the left.
  • Twist your body toward the chair, holding onto the back of the chair.
  • With each inhale, lengthen your spine.
  • With each exhale, twist a little deeper.
  • Hold for five breaths.
  • Move your legs to the other side of the chair and repeat.

Chair Warrior I

Virabhadrasana I
  • Sit sideways on the chair, facing to the right.
  • Swing the left leg behind you, straigthening the left leg and planting the sole of the left foot on the floor.
  • Plant the sole of the right foot on the floor, parallel to the seat.
  • Keep your body facing over the right leg, and inhale your arms up towards the ceiling.
  • Hold up to three breaths, and then switch sides.

Chair Warrior II

Virabhadrasana II
  • Sit sideways on the chair, facing to the right.
  • Swing the left leg behind you, straigthening the left leg and planting the sole of the left foot on the floor.
  • Plant the sole of the right foot on the floor, parallel to the seat.
  • Keep your body facing over the right leg, open your arms with the right arm reaching forward and the left arm reaching back.
  • Pull the left hip back and rotate your body to the left.
  • Hold your gaze to the right fingertips and hold for three breaths.

Reverse Warrior

  • Lower the left arm down the left leg and inhale your right arm up to the ceiling. Hold for three breaths.
  • Bring both legs to the front of the chair before coming to sit sideways on the chair and switch sides.
Final Meditation
Take a few minutes to sit with your eyes closed and hands in your lap at the end on your practice. This seated savasana will help your body absorb all the good effects of the poses you have done and transition you into the rest of your day.