Chair Yoga for Seniors (With Pictures)

Who these moves are for

Chair yoga suits adults over 60, 70 and 80 who want gentle stretching, steadier balance and a calm few minutes in the day. It works for complete beginners and for people who used to do yoga on a mat and now prefer a chair. Most poses are seated, and the standing poses use the chair for support.

The 8 moves

1. 

   Seated Mountain

   Sets up a tall, relaxed sitting position and slow breathing, the same posture that helps at the dinner table or the desk.

   1. Sit tall, feet flat, hands on your thighs.
   2. Lengthen up through the crown of your head.
   3. Close your eyes and breathe slowly.

   Easier

   Lean back against the chair.

   Harder

   Breathe in 4, out 6.

   Coach tip

   Tall spine, soft shoulders.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

2. 

   Seated Cat-Cow

   Moves the whole spine with the breath, which can ease stiffness after sleeping or sitting for a long time.

   1. Hands on your knees.
   2. Breathe in: lift your chest and arch gently.
   3. Breathe out: round your back.

   Easier

   Make the movement smaller.

   Harder

   Move slower with longer breaths.

   Coach tip

   Move with your breath.

   Week 1

   4 reps

3. 

   Seated Twist

   Turns the spine gently, the same movement you use to look behind you in the car or reach for a seat belt.

   1. Sit tall, feet flat.
   2. Turn gently to one side, a hand on the chair back.
   3. Breathe, then turn the other way.

   Easier

   Turn only a little.

   Harder

   Hold for 5 breaths.

   Coach tip

   Grow tall, then turn.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

4. 

   Seated Eagle Arms

   Spreads the shoulder blades and stretches the upper back, which often feels tight after reading or carrying bags.

   1. Sit tall.
   2. Cross one arm under the other and hug your shoulders.
   3. Lift the elbows a little and breathe.

   Easier

   Just hug your shoulders.

   Harder

   Wrap the forearms and press palms.

   Coach tip

   Spread the shoulder blades.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

5. 

   Seated Pigeon

   Opens the hips, which can make it easier to put on socks and shoes or get in and out of a car.

   1. Sit tall, feet flat.
   2. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
   3. Sit tall or lean forward a little. Breathe.

   Easier

   Rest the ankle on the shin.

   Harder

   Hinge forward a little more.

   Coach tip

   Long back, soft hip.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

6. 

   Supported Tree

   Builds standing balance with a hand on the chair, helpful for steady footing on stairs and uneven sidewalks.

   1. Stand beside the chair, one hand on its back.
   2. Turn one knee out and rest that foot on your ankle or calf.
   3. Free hand to your heart. Breathe.

   Easier

   Keep the toes on the floor.

   Harder

   Rest the foot higher on the calf.

   Coach tip

   Find a still point ahead.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

7. 

   Seated Forward Fold

   Lets the back lengthen and relax after the standing work, and gives the body a moment to settle.

   1. Sit near the front of the chair, feet wide.
   2. Fold your chest gently toward your knees.
   3. Breathe, then roll up slowly.

   Easier

   Rest your forearms on your thighs.

   Harder

   Let the arms hang loose.

   Coach tip

   Head comes up last.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

8. 

   Hands-to-Heart Breathing

   Slows the breath with hands at the heart, a simple way to feel calmer before bed or after a busy day.

   1. Sit tall, palms together at your heart.
   2. Breathe in slowly through your nose.
   3. Breathe out longer through your nose.

   Easier

   Rest your hands on your thighs.

   Harder

   Breathe in 4, out 6.

   Coach tip

   Slow and soft.

   Week 1

   hold 15 seconds

A simple routine to start

In week 1, flow through these 8 poses once, 5 days a week. Hold each pose for 15 seconds, do 4 slow rounds of Seated Cat-Cow, and spend 20 seconds in the breathing poses. Do the twist, pigeon and tree on both sides. Keep breathing smoothly the whole time.

How to progress over 4 weeks

• Week 2: practice 6 days a week, hold each pose for 20 seconds and do 5 rounds of Cat-Cow.
• Week 3: practice every day, hold each pose for 25 seconds and do 6 rounds of Cat-Cow.
• Week 4: practice every day and hold each pose for 30 seconds. Try the harder option on poses that feel easy.

Stay safe and comfortable

• Place the chair against a wall so it stays still, and keep one hand on its back during standing poses.
• Breathe throughout. If you notice you are holding your breath, make the pose smaller.
• Twist and fold only as far as feels comfortable, and come up from a forward fold slowly, head last.
• If you have a hip or knee replacement, glaucoma or a balance condition, ask your doctor or physical therapist which poses suit you.

Chair yoga for seniors over 70 and over 80

Chair yoga for seniors over 70 or over 80 can stay fully seated at first. Do the seated poses and skip the Supported Tree until you feel steady, or keep the toes on the floor. Rest the ankle on the shin in Seated Pigeon, simply hug your shoulders for Eagle Arms, and rest your forearms on your thighs in the forward fold. Short holds of 10 seconds are a fine start.

Questions

Is chair yoga good for seniors?

Yes, chair yoga is a gentle way to stretch, move the spine and practice balance with support. The chair takes away the need to get down to the floor. It can help with flexibility and calm breathing, and every pose can be made smaller or larger.

Is there free chair yoga for seniors I can do at home?

Yes. The 8 poses on this page are free, with a photo for each one. You need only a sturdy chair without wheels or armrests and a quiet corner. Follow the week-1 holds and practice 5 days a week.

How long should seniors do chair yoga?

About 12 to 18 minutes is a comfortable session for most people. Start with short holds of 15 seconds and build to 30 seconds over four weeks. Practicing a little most days works better than one long session a week.

Can you do chair yoga over 80?

Yes, many people in their 80s and 90s enjoy chair yoga. Start with the seated poses, use the easier options and keep holds short. Add the standing poses later with a hand on the chair back.

Is there a free printable chair yoga sequence for seniors?

You can print this page to keep the 8 poses beside your chair. The full 28-Day Chair Yoga plan is a printable PDF with all 16 poses and photos, a 4-week plan, a daily tracker and a large-print wall poster.