Chair yoga for seniors: Poses with steps

When people grow old, they tend to face balance issues and fall often. Improving strength and staying fit is also needed to carry out daily activities with ease. Walking, a low-impact exercise, may help elderly people. Doing chair yoga for seniors can also be beneficial. It can help to increase joint mobility and flexibility, improve posture, and more. All they have to do is sit on a chair or use it to support the body. Stretching, twisting, and bending can all be done with the help of the furniture. The good news is this type of yoga can also be done by people with knee problems.

What is chair yoga?

It is a form of yoga that can be done while sitting or standing. A chair is used as a supportive device while doing yoga, allowing people, especially senior citizens, with fear of fall and balance problems to practice safely. “Elderly people with balance issues, knee, hips, or back problems who cannot exercise standing, can do chair yoga for seniors,” says fitness coach Dr Mickey Mehta.

It can be done anywhere, anytime, but just make sure the chair does not have wheels, and is stable. You can use a wooden chair, or a metal folding one, preferably backless.

What are the benefits of chair yoga for seniors?

Chair yoga for seniors is beneficial especially for people with lower body problems. During an analysis published in the International Journal of Scientific Research in 2023, chair yoga was found to be more effective in elderly people with lower extremity problems. Another study published in the Healthcare journal in 2023 showed that it helped in improving the functional fitness and daily life activity scores of elderly women with knee osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease.

Here are some of the benefits of doing chair yoga for seniors:

• Increased joint mobility and flexibility: “Chair yoga for seniors helps improve flexibility, particularly in the spine, shoulders, and hips,” says the expert.
• Muscle strengthening: By using postures and motions tailored to the chair, it works the muscles in the lower, upper, and core regions. During a 2019 study published in the Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation journal, researchers found that the participants who did chair yoga saw an improvement in upper and lower limb muscle strength, agility and balance.
• Better posture: By fostering spinal alignment and strengthening back muscles, it aids in better posture.
• Improved circulation: “The mild motions improve blood flow and circulation, particularly for people who might sit for extended periods of time,” says Dr Mehta.
• Fat reduction: Doing yoga helps reduce body fat by increasing blood flow to muscles and fat cells. “This releases fat for energy, and so, helps in weight loss,” says the expert.

Chair yoga for seniors: 10 poses you can try

1. Chair Tadasana or Mountain Pose

• Sit straight on the chair to do the seated version of the Mountain Pose.
• Interlock your fingers, inhale and stretch your hands upwards with your palms facing the ceiling.
• Exhale and gradually bring down your hands.

2. Chair Vakrasana or Spinal Twist Pose

• Sit straight on your chair.
• Inhale and twist your body towards your right side while holding the back of your chair with both the hands.
• Exhale then do it on the left side.

3. Chair Garudasana or Eagle Pose

• To do chair yoga for seniors, sit on the furniture, inhale, cross your right arm over the left one at the elbow, and try touching both your palms.
• Exhale, cross your right thigh over the left one, and try turning your right foot at the calf of your left one.
• Then, do it on the other side.

4. Chair Uttanasana or Forward Bend

• Sit, inhale and bend forward over your legs.
• Loosen your hands and touch the floor if you can.

5. Chair Utthita Parsvakonasana or Extended Side Angle Pose

• Sit on the chair, inhale and bend forward over your legs.
• Loosen your hands and touch the ground.
• Take your right hand next to your left foot.

6. Chair Pawanmuktasana or Wind-Relieving Pose

• Sit, inhale, raise your right leg upward towards your chest and try touching your forehead to your knee.
• Exhale, do it with your left leg.

7. Chair Bhujangasana or Cobra Pose

• Stand behind the chair, holding its back rest. Inhale and stretch upward to do the Cobra Pose.
• Exhale, stand straight and relax your body.

8. Chair Virabhadrasana or Warrior Pose

• Keep your right leg folded at 90 degrees on the side of the chair. Your left leg should be straight and extended behind.
• Inhale and raise your hand at the shoulder level.
• Raise both your hands upward, and press them together.

9. Upavistha Ardha Utkatasana or Seated Figure Four Stretch

• Sit upright with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your right ankle on your left knee, creating a “figure four” shape with your legs.
• Gently press down on your right knee to deepen the stretch.
• Hold for several breaths and then switch sides.

10. Chair Urdhva Hastasana or Raised Hands Pose

• To do chair yoga for seniors, sit, inhale, and take your arms up.
• Relax your shoulders and maintain good upper body posture.

Chair yoga for seniors can be done by elderly people, and even beginners. But if your body hurts while doing any of the poses, it is best to take a break and consult a doctor.