We all know the importance of including physical activity in our daily schedule, but hardly we get started with it. A lot of people find it difficult because, with time, other health issues also increase. Chair yoga exercises are very beneficial in such cases; they are flexible, comforting, and do not need a lot of equipment to start. It just needs your time and will to start with something new to make your body healthier.

Health benefits of chair yoga:

1. Helps with flexibility: For older adults who start with sitting yoga poses, chair yoga helps them with better mobility, improvement with stiffness and more flexibility. It also includes some targeted stretches, which help with the healing process.
2. Better strength: Muscle strength helps with a lot of day-to-day tasks; along with this, it also keeps your muscles, which support mobility, balance, and independence in old age. In particular, chair yoga poses for seniors help with fall prevention. 
3. Reduced stress and anxiety: Yoga, even if it’s sitting yoga, helps you with lowering your stress and anxiety. It calms your mind and promotes relaxation. 
4. Better Posture and Mobility: Chair yoga exercises focus on core strength. It helps with alignment for better joint mobility. Daily tasks become easier if we are working more on the alignment and posture of the body.
5. Improves Overall Well-Being: Yoga for seniors and sitting yoga asanas help with overall fitness. It motivates us to be on track. Mentally, we feel more clear and active, which provides us with the energy to do our daily tasks very easily. 
6. Supports heart health: Yoga enhances heart health and lowers blood pressure.

Different types of chair yoga for seniors:

Chair yoga asana includes a lot of simple and effective yoga poses. Here are some poses that you can start with:

1. Chair Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana Variation):

Why do it:

This asana helps with spinal mobility, improves digestion, and reduces tension in the back. 

How to Do It:

1. Sit sideways on a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor. On a sturdy chair, sit sideways; your feet should be flat on the floor, holding the seat backrest with both hands.
2. Inhale, lengthen your spine, and exhale; with this, gently start twisting your torso toward the chair’s backrest.
3. Gaze over your shoulder and try to relax.
4. Hold for 3-5 breaths as long as you are comfortable, then you can switch sides.

2. Viparita Virabhadrasana (Reverse warrior) with a Chair:

Why do it:

Sitting in yoga poses like this improves spinal muscle tension and helps with breathing difficulties as well.

How to Do It:

1. For this pose, you have to sit sideways on a chair, extending your one leg to the side and the other one to a 90-degree angle.
2. On the chair’s backrest, keep your back arm, and then do a stretch with your front arm overhead; you have to lean slightly backward. 
3. Hold this pose for 15-20 seconds, or as long as it’s comfortable for you.

3. Chair Tadasana (The Mountain Pose):

Why do it:

Such chair yoga exercises will increase strength of your legs and abs, support your gut health, and help develop a better balance.

How to Do It:

1. On a sturdy chair, put your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart. 
2. Start extending your arms overhead; your palms should face each other, and your spine should be straight with your shoulders relaxed. 
3. Your feet should be grounded, and you should be able to touch the feet firmly and then stretch them upwards with your fingertips. 
4. Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds, or as long as it’s comfortable for you. Focus more on your breath and keep a check on your posture.

4. Seated cow/cat pose:

Why to do it:

This pose improves posture, helps with blood circulation, and reduces body stiffness.

How to Do It:

1. Sit at the edge of the chair with your flat feet; hands should be on your thighs.
2. Inhale, lift your chest and look upward (cow pose). Exhale again, keep your chin to your chest, and keep your belly inward (cat pose).
3. You can do this pose for 5-8 breaths as long as it’s comfortable for you.

5. Garudasana Chair Pose:

Why do it:

This pose will improve your focus and heal your upper back, making it the perfect exercise for sedentary individuals. 

How to Do It:

1. It’s a variation of the traditional eagle pose and gives a gentle stretch to the body. 
2. Sit tall on a chair; feet should be flat, and the right thigh should be towards your left. Keeping your arms forward, cross your arm over the left side.
3. Bend your elbows and palms together, keeping it as close as possible.
4. Hold this pose for 15-20 seconds, or as long as it’s comfortable for you. Focus more on maintaining balance.

Precautions to take while doing chair yoga poses:

1. Take a strong and sturdy chair: The chair should be strong enough to handle the pressure of your body while doing the yoga poses; grip is necessary. 
2. Posture should be proper: While doing any exercise, your posture should be correct to avoid any inconvenience while doing the asanas. When you sit on the chair, your legs should perfectly touch the ground, create an almost 90-degree angle, and make sure your legs are not hanging.
3. Overstretching should be avoided: Always start slow, and with time increase your intensity towards any kind of stretch or exercise.
4. Consult a Doctor: Yoga for senior citizens can be a little tricky sometimes. In case you have any existing medical conditions, do make sure to check with your doctor what kind of exercises you can start practicing once. An expert opinion can help you in choosing your set of exercises without any hindrance.
5. Never ignore your body: If you feel any kind of discomfort in continuing with the exercise, take short breaks, then start and rest if needed.

Conclusion

Yoga for senior citizens is one of the best ways to stay active. All our lives we just wait for that perfect moment to start doing something better for our body and fail to do so; it can be because of many responsibilities, work pressure, and a busy lifestyle. But we all know. It’s never too late to start anything that your heart desires. 

Take the first step by joining Habuild 14-Day Yoga Challenge and experience the difference yoga can make in just a few weeks. So start today, you can also recommend these poses to your parents/elders; a healthier, happier lifestyle is waiting for you:)