Chair yoga is not a lesser version of floor practice. A stable seat can make movement more accessible and easier to fit into the day.
This sequence is designed to use a stable chair to make a short practice more accessible. It gives you a clear order to follow while leaving room to shorten holds, use props or skip anything that does not suit your body today.
Before you begin
Time: about 15 minutes. What you need: Stable chair without wheels. You do not need to complete every position for the practice to “count”. Set up enough space to move comfortably and keep any useful props within reach.
Keep both feet well supported whenever balance is uncertain. A chair with no wheels is important, and you can stay seated for the entire practice if standing is not comfortable.
Sequence
- Seated Mountain, 5 breaths.
- Seated side bend, 4 breaths each side.
- Seated Cat–Cow, 6 rounds.
- Seated Figure Four, 5 breaths each side.
- Seated twist, 4 breaths each side.
- Chair-supported standing Half Forward Fold, 5 breaths.
- Chair-supported Low Lunge stance, 4 breaths each side.
- Standing calf raises holding the chair, 8 repetitions.
- Return to the chair and finish with 5 slow breaths.
How to pace the practice
Let the breath be a guide rather than a stopwatch. In flowing sections, use a pace that allows you to arrive in each shape before leaving it. In held poses, come out earlier if the breath becomes strained or you start bracing unnecessarily.
Make it work for you
Stay seated for the full sequence if that is the more useful option. For standing movements, keep one or both hands on the chair and reduce the range until you feel secure.
On a low-energy day, reduce the number of repetitions and make the final resting position longer. If you want a little more movement, repeat the central section once rather than adding unfamiliar poses at random.
What to pay attention to
A useful practice should leave you with information about how you are moving today. Notice where you can breathe easily, where you are gripping, and whether a prop or smaller range improves the pose. That feedback is more valuable than making the sequence look a particular way.
Practice note: This is general yoga guidance, not individual medical care. Work within a comfortable range and stop if you experience pain, numbness, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath or any symptom that concerns you.