Looking for ways to keep yourself, your loved one, or your client or patient healthy as they age? You’re right to consider chair yoga for seniors. It offers older folks a gentle yet effective way to stay active, while also promoting good mental and emotional health.
I’m Brandt Passalacqua, the Co-Founder, Director, and Lead Teacher of Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy. I’ve worked with seniors in my own yoga therapy practice, and I’ve also mentored many students as they provide yoga therapy to older populations. Keep reading for my insights on the benefits of chair yoga for seniors, how to get started, what an example chair yoga sequence for seniors could look like, and more.
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Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that can be performed while seated in a chair. Made to be safer and more accessible, you can use chair yoga exercises for seniors regardless of their mobility levels. This allows people to gain the benefits of yoga as they age and may no longer be able to perform floor-based yoga poses.
There are many benefits of chair yoga for seniors, including its accessibility, safety, ability to be practiced almost anywhere, easily adjusted skill level, and conduciveness to breaks and rest. In addition to its physical benefits, chair yoga can improve mental and emotional health as well. In fact, chair yoga is every bit as effective as non-seated yoga!
One of the major benefits of chair yoga is that it makes yoga accessible to a wider audience. Standard yoga poses are adapted to be done while seated in chair, making it more accessible to people with:
When you’re not on your feet and focused on balancing, you can pay more attention to your body and other aspects of your posture. Similarly, you can be more careful with any forward bends or twists while seated. This makes it easier to take care of your lower back and stay safe while practicing yoga.
In general, yoga is easy to practice almost anywhere. It requires little space and equipment, with most people using only a yoga mat and perhaps some yoga blocks.
With chair yoga, all you really need is a chair! You don’t need a yoga mat, and you only need blocks if you require additional support for certain poses. This makes it easy to practice at home, at work, or while traveling.
Yoga techniques can be modified to accommodate different needs and skill levels. Start with easier adaptations of yoga poses, breathing techniques, and meditation exercises. Once you feel comfortable, you can adjust these practices to be more difficult without needing additional weights, equipment, or classes to do so.
When it comes to chair yoga exercises for seniors, taking care of your body is paramount. It’s important to listen to your body and take breaks as needed when exercising.
Chair yoga is especially well-suited for this. As you practice yoga, you become more aware of your body and how it’s feeling. Since you’re already seated, it’s especially easy to stop to take a break or rest. This allows seniors to develop a routine that is safe and moves at their pace, especially if they have certain health considerations or lower endurance levels to take into account.
Although it is often gentler, chair yoga is just as effective as yoga performed while standing. You can still target any muscle group in the body while seated. You can still work on balance, flexibility, and strength. You also still have access to a range of techniques besides asanas (yoga poses), including breathing techniques and meditation. The only difference is that it is more accessible.
When you think about exercising, you’re usually only expecting to improve your physical health. But with yoga, there are also mental and emotional health benefits.
If you’re sold on the benefits of chair yoga for seniors, the next step is learning how to get started. I recommend consulting with a doctor first, then deciding if you’d like to work with a yoga therapist, take a group class, or simply practice at home. Keep in mind risks that are common among seniors so you can safely navigate them, and customize your yoga practice according to your goals, abilities, and conditions. Finally, you can take steps to practice yoga in a comfortable environment and while wearing appropriate attire.
Before starting a new exercise routine, it’s a good idea to run it by your doctor. When you reach a certain age, this becomes even more important, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions or concerns that could affect your ability to practice yoga safely. Ask your doctor:
Once you’re cleared to begin using chair yoga exercises for seniors, the question becomes where you will practice. What you decide will depend on your preferences, goals, and needs.
Generally, chair yoga is a low-risk activity. But there are still some potential safety concerns to keep in mind, such as slipping, overstretching, or improper posture. Know common risks and how to practice yoga safely, including:
Customization is key in chair yoga for seniors, as it allows you to adapt your practice to fit your unique abilities and health condition. Seniors in particular should modify poses to accommodate their comfort levels and physical limitations. This could mean:
For those with specific medical conditions like arthritis or heart disease, certain poses may be particularly beneficial or should be avoided altogether. An experienced yoga therapist can assist in creating a customized practice that considers these factors to promote both safety and effectiveness.
Setting up a space for chair yoga can significantly enhance your experience and outcomes. Even if you’re going to a yoga therapist or yoga teacher in their space, you may be able to request certain changes to the environment. For example:
To get the most out of your chair yoga practice, be sure to wear the right clothing. Choose attire that offers comfort and allows for a full range of motion.
As a yoga therapist, I know that my clients get the best outcomes for their specific goals by using yoga techniques that are tailored to them individually. It’s not possible to provide a chair yoga sequence for seniors that will resolve any individual’s back problems or anxiety—these practices need to take into account your unique circumstances. But to give you an idea of what some chair yoga exercises for seniors could look like, I’ve put together a list of 6 examples below.
Yes! You can use chair yoga for seniors to reduce pain, increase mobility, and maintain physical function, helping to manage chronic conditions. Gentle movements and stretches can improve joint health and comfort. Yoga poses, breathing techniques, and meditation can all contribute to better mental health and emotional resilience, supporting seniors in having a positive perspective about their circumstances.
By strengthening the muscles used for stability, improving posture, and promoting better coordination, chair yoga can help with balance. Better balance can reduce the risk of falling, which is a major health concern for many seniors.
Any kind of yoga can support weight loss, including chair yoga! While it’s not the most effective exercise for burning calories, it can support the mobility and functioning that keep you active, reduce stress that can lead to bad habits, make you more aware of your body, and facilitate habit change.
Practicing chair yoga for seniors three times a week, or about every other day, is great! But any amount of yoga is useful, especially if you keep at it consistently over time.
The time it takes to see results from chair yoga will vary based on your unique circumstances, what you do, how often you practice, and what you’re trying to achieve. Many clients start noticing changes within a few weeks or months.
While Pilates and yoga can both be beneficial to seniors, chair yoga is a great entry point that requires less skill to get started. If you’re looking for group classes, it may be easier to find a yoga instructor with the knowledge and skills necessary to help you. If you’re open to trying yoga therapy, it gives you the option to address specific pathologies, better manage pain, and improve mental and emotional health in addition to physical health.
First, decide if you’re looking for yoga therapy or group yoga classes. To find chair yoga classes for seniors near you, check local community centers, senior centers, gyms, or wellness clinics. If you’re looking for a reputable yoga therapist, the International Association of Yoga Therapists has a database of certified yoga therapists. For those who would prefer to get guidance online, you can find yoga classes or yoga therapists to walk you through techniques from the comfort of your own home. This can also be helpful if you are struggling to find a suitable class or yoga therapist where you live.
At Breathing Deeply, we want to make sure that safe, practical, and effective yoga therapy is available to people regardless of where they are located. Our trained yoga therapists are able to work one-on-one providing chair yoga for seniors over online calls. Visit the page about our online yoga therapy sessions to learn more, and use the contact form at the bottom of the page to get in touch.
Brandt talks about common questions applicants have about the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy Program. Tune in to get the full program details.