Yoga is gentle yet effective for seniors. This guide details safe poses and modifications for varied flexibility levels.

Key takeaways:

Yoga is an effective and low-impact exercise that can build strength, increase flexibility, and enhance mental health.

Chair yoga is a viable option for older adults with limited mobility.

Using a chair to perform traditional yoga poses can support your body, and protect against falls and injury while you get stronger.

Staying active as you get older has many benefits for your body and mind. Physical activity lowers your risk of disease, lessens pain, improves mood, and enhances cognitive function.

Yoga is an effective and accessible exercise for people of all ages. It is low-impact, and combines strengthening and stretching movements with breathing exercises. That’s good news, especially as the global population continues to age.

But 35% of adults over the age of 70 experience mobility issues that can make a traditional yoga practice out of reach. Fortunately, you can perform many yoga poses using a chair for support and reap just as many benefits.

What is chair yoga?

Chair yoga is a modified form of yoga that allows you to practice traditional yoga poses while sitting on or standing with the support of a chair. These modifications make yoga more accessible and more gentle for people with limited mobility or balance. Like traditional yoga, chair yoga helps build flexibility, strength, and balance. And it can also promote relaxation through breath. Almost any type of yoga pose — from twists to backbends — can be modified using a chair. This allows people of all abilities to reap the benefits of yoga.

Chair yoga benefits

Chair yoga is a safe and accessible version of traditional yoga for older adults or anyone with mobility challenges.

Chair yoga can:

• Offer a low-impact workout: Low-impact exercise is easier on the body. And it’s a good exercise option if you have age-related changes in your joints and muscles. You can still get a good workout without injuring yourself or exacerbating old injuries.

• Boost muscle strength: Pumping iron isn’t the only way to build muscle. This 2016 study shows that yoga is as good as traditional strength training for improving functional fitness. Keep your muscles engaged throughout chair yoga poses. Slowly work your way up to more challenging poses to build strength.

• Enhance flexibility and joint health: Yoga is one of the best exercises to keep your muscles flexible and your joints mobile as you age. Maintaining flexibility and mobility helps you stay independent and prevents life-threatening falls.

• Improve balance: Poor balance is one of the main reasons for falls in older adults. You can use chair yoga to build a foundation of balance. For example, you can progress by performing the seated yoga poses (as shown below) while standing with the support of a chair. This is one way to slowly improve your balance.

• Provide a mood boost: As a mind-body exercise, yoga is well-known for its ability to enhance mood. Yoga offers stress relief, and improves mental and emotional well-being. It also helps with sleep, which is crucial to maintaining a positive mood.

• Help with chronic conditions: Yoga may be an effective supplement to regular medical treatment. It can help treat chronic conditions like heart disease, stroke, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a 2015 research review.

• Relieve aches and pains: The stretching and strengthening movements of yoga have been shown to improve symptoms of fibromyalgia, low back pain, and neck pain.

10 chair yoga exercises

While traditional yoga combines standing and seated poses, chair yoga helps make the poses more accessible. If you are able to stand, you can use a chair for support during standing yoga poses. You can combine those with the following seated poses that fully support your body.

Remember to talk to your primary care provider first, and stick with postures that are right for your body and abilities in the present moment.

1. Chair cat-cow

Cat-cow is a dynamic yoga pose that involves alternating between arcing and rounding the entire spine. It helps to stretch and build mobility in the upper, middle, and lower back. And it enhances flexibility and relieves tension in the spine.

• Step 1: Sit with your feet flat on the floor and sit up tall. Place your hands on your thighs just above your knees.

• Step 2: Inhale and arch your spine. Allow your belly to stretch as you move your chest up and roll your shoulders back.

• Step 3: Gently tilt your head back to look up at the ceiling (if that is OK for your neck).

• Step 4: Exhale as you round your entire back like a cat, to reverse the position of your spine. Gently tuck your chin and tailbone to help with this movement.

• Step 5: Let your breath guide you, as you continue to alternate between the two positions for several breaths.

2. Chair spinal twist

Twisting postures like this seated twist help to build flexibility in the back, improve digestion, and bring fresh oxygenated blood to internal organs.

• Step 1: Sit tall on your chair with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands at your sides.

• Step 2: Put your left hand on the outside of your right thigh just above your knee.

• Step 3: Exhale and slowly rotate your torso to the right. Allow your chest, shoulders, and head to turn, but keep your hips stationary.

• Step 4: Hold here for several slow breaths, as you continue to twist deeper into the pose.

• Step 5: Return to center. Then, repeat the twist in the opposite direction.

3. Chair eagle

In traditional yoga practice, eagle is usually a balancing pose. Sitting removes the balance element, but this modification still provides a deep stretch through the upper back, shoulders, and hips.

• Step 1: Sit tall on your chair with your feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Stretch your arms out in front of your body at shoulder height, then bend both elbows to a 90-degree angle. To begin wrapping your arms, cross your elbows so that your right elbow sits on top of your left. Continue wrapping your forearms by rotating your wrists and pressing your palms together. If this is too big of a stretch, you can grab opposite shoulders instead.

• Step 3: Cross your right leg over your left. Then, wrap your right foot around the back of your left calf, or as far as you can.

• Step 4: Hold here for several slow breaths to stretch your hips, back, and shoulders. Squeeze your thighs together, and lengthen your fingers toward the ceiling to deepen the stretch.

• Step 5: Release, and come back to the starting position. Switch the cross of your arms and legs, and repeat on the other side.

4. Chair forward fold

Forward folding poses stretch your entire back body. They are also a type of inversion pose because your head is below your heart. Inversions promote healthy circulation.

• Step 1: Sit up tall with your feet flat.

• Step 2: Inhale and bring your arms up over your head, parallel to each other.

• Step 3: Exhale as you fold forward. As you bend, keep your spine straight and move from your hips rather than rounding your back.

• Step 4: Come down as far as you can without any low back pain. Rest your fingers on the floor or your shins, and allow your head and neck to relax.

• Step 5: Hold for several breaths. Then, slowly curl your spine up one vertebrae at a time to your starting position.

5. Chair pigeon

This seated version of the traditional floor pose targets the glutes and hip flexors and improves range of motion in the hips.

• Step 1: Sit with your spine tall and your feet flat. Place your right foot on your left thigh, just above the knee. Keep your foot flexed and allow your right knee to open out to the side as far as is comfortable.

• Step 2: Place your hands on your right shin. Stay here, or fold at your hip crease to deepen the stretch.

• Step 3: Hold for several breaths. Then, return to the starting position.

• Step 4: Repeat the posture on the opposite side.

6. Chair warrior 2

This modified version of the foundational warrior pose gently strengthens the legs and arms, opens the hips and chest, and builds balance and focus.

• Step 1: Sit toward the edge of your chair with a tall spine and your feet on the floor.

• Step 2: Step your right foot out to the right. Point your toes to the right side, and keep your foot flat. Keep your knee bent and aligned with your toes. Then, move your left leg out to the opposite side, stretching your leg long. Turn your left toes slightly in toward the right.

• Step 3: Inhale and extend your arms out to your sides and parallel to the floor. Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward, and rotate your trunk and head to the right. Lengthen your spine. Hold this pose and continue to breathe slowly for several rounds.

• Step 4: Keep both feet flat throughout the pose. Keep your arms and legs engaged and your spine erect.

• Step 5: Return to center and switch sides.

To deepen the stretch on either side, grasp the chair seat between your legs and extend and rotate your back leg. Your inner thigh will rest on the seat.

7. Chair reverse warrior

Follow warrior 2 with this gentle backbend that stretches the sides of your body, and the front of your hip on the back leg.

• Step 1: Start with your arms outstretched in chair warrior 2 to the right. Inhale while tilting your left arm down to your back leg and your right arm up above your head. Breathe in and out while stretching the sides of your torso.

• Step 2: Keep your neck long and your core muscles contracted.

• Step 3: Repeat on the other side.

8. Chair camel pose

Camel is a backbending posture that stretches the front of your body, including your abdominals and chest. It also strengthens the back muscles.

• Step 1: Sit in your chair facing forward.

• Step 2: Scoot your hips forward so you are sitting near the edge of your chair. For stability, keep your feet under your knees and not behind them.

• Step 3: Inhale, and bring your arms out and around your back, placing your hands in the small of your back. Your fingers should be facing down toward the seat of your chair.

• Step 4: Exhale, then inhale again and push your chest out and up to the ceiling. Allow your back to arch, and drop your head back slightly.

• Step 5: Keep your neck long and hold this pose while taking several slow, deep breaths. Slowly straighten your spine, and come back to your starting position.

9. Chair horse pose

Seated horse pose provides a deep stretch for the groin muscles. Adding side-to-side dynamic movement also builds mobility in the hips and upper body.

• Step 1: Sit down in your chair and open your legs wide. Keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

• Step 2: Lean forward slightly, and place your palms on your thighs just above your knees. Use your hands to push your knees farther apart until you feel the stretch in your groin.

• Step 3: On an exhale, press your palms into your thighs and twist your torso to the right. Drop your left shoulder down for a deeper stretch on the left side.

• Step 4: Inhale and come back to center.

• Step 5: Exhale as you repeat the move to the other side. Continue to move back and forth with your breath, for several rounds.

10. Chair King Arthur’s pose

King Arthur’s pose provides a deep stretch for the quadriceps and hip flexor muscles. It’s a particularly good move to counteract the effects of sitting all day.

• Step 1: Sit in your chair facing forward, with your feet flat on the floor. Slide your hips forward so your tailbone is in the middle of the seat.

• Step 2: Reach down with your right hand to grasp your right ankle. Lift your ankle up toward your hip, while letting your knee drop toward the ground.

• Step 3: Keep your torso tall, and breathe deeply as you gently stretch the front of your thigh.

• Step 4: Hold for several breaths, then release the foot. Come back to your starting position, and switch sides.

Tips for your first chair yoga class

If you’ve never tried yoga before, it can be pretty intimidating. But the answers to these commonly asked questions can help you feel confident and get started with chair yoga.

What should you wear when doing yoga?

You don’t need any special clothing to do yoga. Just wear comfortable, stretchy clothes that are easy to move in.

What equipment do you need to practice chair yoga?

All you need is a chair. Make sure it’s sturdy, without wheels, and has a standard seat height of about 18 inches. When you’re sitting down, your feet should be flat on the floor and your knees should be at a 90-degree angle. A metal folding chair with a cushioned seat is a great option if you have one. If you have a yoga mat, you can set it up underneath the chair for extra stability and grip.

How often should you practice chair yoga?

There’s no definite answer for how often you should practice yoga. As little as once a week is enough to gain some benefits, according to a 2021 study.

But the American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing flexibility exercises 2 to 3 days per week. A regular chair yoga practice can also fulfill the CDC’s recommendation for older adults to do balance activities 3 or more days per week.

Are there any health risks from chair yoga for older adults?

Like any activity, chair yoga can cause injury if it’s not done safely or using proper technique. Start out slowly, and take your first few classes with a teacher who can show you the correct technique. An experienced teacher will also help you find poses that fit your current abilities. It's also a good idea to check in with your primary care provider before starting an exercise program.

The bottom line...

Yoga is scientifically proven to help people of all ages build strength and flexibility and improve mental health. Chair yoga is an excellent alternative to a traditional yoga practice for older adults who have limited mobility. You can perform many yoga poses in a seated position using the chair to support your body. Start slowly, and gradually raise the challenge as you get stronger and more flexible.

Why trust our experts?

Written by: Jody Braverman, CPT, RYT

Jody Braverman has worked in the health and fitness industry –– as a trainer, yoga teacher, nutrition and lifestyle coach, writer, and editor –– for more than two decades. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of Maryland and maintains several accredited certifications.

Edited by: Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by: Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.