Chair yoga is an exercise that seems to be designed primarily for older adults and those with mobility challenges. This gentle and accessible practice offers a modified version of ancient movement and meditation exercises that are typically performed from a seated position. In this practice, participants are not asked to go to the ground or stand in difficult positions alone, making it ideal for those with limited strength or balance.
Benefits of Chair Yoga for Everyone
However, experts believe that chair yoga should not be limited to seniors, as everyone can benefit from it. Divya Balakrishnan, a yoga instructor in New York, says, "This is a practice that meets you wherever you are." This exercise allows individuals to use their strength and flexibility in new ways.
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Lakshmi Völker, a yoga teacher, first adapted some yoga movements to a chair in 1982 to make the practice more accessible for a student with arthritis. Since then, many instructors have found various ways to use the chair in adapted versions of traditional yoga movements.
Challenges and New Benefits
In traditional yoga classes, students typically sit, kneel, or lie on the ground, but the chair brings the ground closer in a way. Some chair yoga classes are conducted entirely seated and perform modified movements from classic yoga sequences without asking participants to stand. Other classes alternate between sitting and standing, using the back of the chair for greater balance.
Research has shown that chair yoga helps improve functional fitness and reduce pain in daily life. This research has primarily focused on seniors, who typically have a lower baseline fitness level than younger adults. However, this practice can also be beneficial for individuals at peak fitness.
While chair yoga may not create diamond-level strength and agility, experts believe that this practice still offers many benefits. Mitchell says, "We can all benefit from relaxation, observing body sensations, and doing a little stretching."
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