An introduction to chair yoga

Whether it’s practising with others as part of a guided in-person class, following an online tutorial at home or enjoying a self-led flow in a local park, yoga offers many benefits. An aligned body, clear mind and calm breath beautifully combine to bring a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

A practice may be just a few simple breathing exercises (pranayama in Sanskrit), a guided meditation, a flow of postures (asanas) or a combination of all three. Yet there are many alternatives to achieving what might traditionally be considered a yoga session (one that involves standing or sitting on a mat), and that’s where chair yoga can offer something new and different, challenging perceptions on what yoga ‘should’ look like.

From comfortable beginnings

The word ‘yoga’ is a Sanskrit term meaning ‘to unite’ and refers to the union of body, mind and soul. Among the key elements in a traditional hatha yoga practice are pranayama, meditation and asana, though asana and movement are what come to mind for most people when thinking of it. The availability of more styles has led to the inventive use of props – making postures more accessible to the aspiring practitioner.

Iyengar yoga is one such style, whereby props such as blocks, belts and bolster cushions are used as tools to provide you with the physical support needed to move into asana in a way that suits your individual body type and range of movement. While chairs are often used as part of an Iyengar session, the concept of chair yoga is now recognised as a style in its own right.

Chair yoga was created in the 1980s, originally for those with limited mobility – older people, for example, or those with movement-limiting health conditions, disability or injury. As its name indicates, it involves the use of a chair to help you experience what might otherwise be unattainable. The chair can be used in many ways, such as providing a seated alternative to a (usually standing) forward fold (uttanasana) or reassuring support to steady the balance in triangle posture (trikonasana). It can even be used for a sun salutation (see overleaf).