Chair yoga is not just for older people. It’s good for everyone, especially the desk-bound

By Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN

(CNN) — Sitting down to exercise may not seem to make sense on first glance. After all, there is a reason why people uninterested in physical activity are often dubbed couch potatoes. But chair yoga is one beneficial form of exercise that embraces the seated posture.

Chair yoga is traditional yoga performed while sitting in or using a chair. Many people assume it’s an exercise for older adults, as chair yoga classes often target this demographic. In addition, many studies have documented its benefits for the older set.

Chair yoga was found to be an effective intervention for women 65 years and older with knee osteoarthritis, according to a small study published in the April 2023 edition of the journal Healthcare. The therapy boosted the women’s functional fitness and daily life activity scores, suggesting chair yoga could help lessen the risk of osteoarthritis progressing to disability.

But chair yoga is great for everyone, no matter your age, especially if you’re glued to your desk most of the day. Fifteen minutes of chair yoga or guided meditation greatly improved several physiological and psychological stress markers in study participants, according to an exploratory study published in January 2012 in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Scores of companies also offer free chair yoga to their employees specifically for stress reduction and improved health.

That’s no surprise to Stacie Dooreck, a certified yoga instructor based in Larkspur, California, who has been teaching chair yoga at companies in the San Francisco Bay Area for several decades.

“It’s safe for all ages and can be very gentle,” Dooreck said. “It also helps with flexibility, posture — people in offices are usually hunched over at their desks — and combats repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome.”

Chair yoga for everybody

Despite yoga’s association with meditation and calm, Dooreck said it actually gives you a lot of energy afterward, plus improves concentration and focus.

Chair yoga also offers people another way to move their bodies, said Ansley Davis, a master trainer for YogaSix based in Chicago. While the people she typically sees opting for chair yoga are older adults, those with injuries, and those who have trouble getting up and down from the floor, she’s a fan of the practice for everyone, no matter the age or ability.

“Chair yoga is great for releasing tension and muscle soreness and for full mobility,” Davis said. “It’s also a great rest-day activity. Plus, the more you can vary your movements, the better.”

The benefits of a regular yoga practice include increased blood flow, improved sleep, better breathing and a boost to feelings of well-being, coupled with decreases in blood pressure, depression and anxiety, chronic pain and inflammation, research has shown.

How to start chair yoga

Ready to give it a try? Aim for five minutes a day to start.

“Five minutes of chair yoga a day is better than doing it once a week for an hour,” Dooreck said. “You want to create a habit. Once you do five minutes, people often want to do more because they feel better.”

If you feel any pain or discomfort while performing a movement, do not force it and ease up or take a moment to pause before moving on to the next pose.

“Whether you’re currently feeling noticeable pain or not, if you’re someone who sits or stays sedentary for a large part of the day, you’ll notice a difference over time,” Davis said. “You might suddenly realize, ‘Oh my gosh, I can look further over my shoulder,’ or, ‘I’m breathing more deeply.’”

Here are a few movements for beginners. As you perform these poses, breathe in and out through your nose. This approach fully engages the diaphragm — the main breathing muscle — and allows for a deeper and calmer breath.

Joint warm-up

Sitting tall on the edge of the seat and facing forward, make circles with your hands and feet together or separately. This motion can prevent issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrists, plus combat fatigue in the legs, Dooreck said.

Cat-cow

This yoga movement involves arching and rounding the spine, Davis said. Sit tall and inhale as you lift your chin slightly and reach your chest forward in the cow pose, which expands the chest. Then exhale and round your spine in the cat pose, which stretches the upper back.

Side bends

Put your right hand up in the air and lean to the left, then switch sides with your left hand up in the air and leaning to the right.

Twists

Twist to one side, hold the pose for three to five breaths, then switch sides.

Seated forward bend

This movement is great for combating tension in your shoulders. Start by placing both feet flat on the floor with your chair pushed back from your desk. Raise your hands in the air, interlace your fingers, then bend forward so your chest is on your knees and your hands touch the floor.

Standing frame

Hold each elbow in the opposite palm, then raise your arms above your head. Think of pulling your arms apart while also holding them together. Hold this pose for five breaths.

Seated pose

End your session with your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting on your thighs. Take slow, deep breaths for several minutes while being aware of your body and listening to the sounds around you. Before getting up or going back to work, place your hands over your heart, one on top of the other.

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer who specializes in hiking, travel and fitness.

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