The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word \u201cyuj\u201d which means \u201cto yoke\u201d or \u201cto join together\u201d. In contemporary yoga practice, this is often translated into the union or integration of mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is not gymnastics, a sport, or competitive practice. It doesn\u2019t require us to do handstands, headstands, or the splits. All you need to do yoga is to show up with curiosity, mindfulness, and a willingness to learn.<\/p>\n
As a longtime yoga teacher and yoga therapist, I\u2019ve learned that yoga can be easily adapted in myriad ways to meet the specific needs of the individual. One of my favorite ways to make yoga accessible is through chair yoga.<\/p>\n
What is Chair Yoga?<\/h3>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/seated-reverse-warrior-card.-750.jpg\")
Seated Reverse Warrior card, one of the poses featured in The Chair Yoga Deck by Lauren Maher. Courtesy of Adams Media.<\/p><\/div>\n
Chair yoga is a gentle practice that adapts traditional yoga postures to be done seated, or with the support of a chair. This style of yoga is quite different from practices that you might see in a traditional yoga class. It is inherently low impact, and since you have the support of the chair, there is no need to transition up and down off the floor.<\/p>\n
This can make it an ideal practice for a variety of concerns and conditions, including arthritis, balance or mobility issues, injury recovery, and chronic illness.<\/p>\n
Chair yoga is designed to be a safe, beginner-friendly practice that minimizes the risk of strain or injury that may accompany more traditional fitness practices.<\/p>\n
What are the Benefits of Chair Yoga?<\/h3>\n
Chair yoga provides a host of physical and mental benefits.<\/p>\n
Improved flexibility and joint health<\/h4>\n
Regular, gentle stretching and movement increase overall flexibility, help keep our joints mobile, and can reduce pain and stiffness.<\/p>\n
Better balance and fall prevention<\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/supported-dancer-pose-card-750.jpg\")
Supported Dancer Pose card, one of the poses featured in The Chair Yoga Deck by Lauren Maher.
Courtesy of Adams Media.<\/p><\/div>\n
Gentle chair yoga postures help build core strength and improve strength and flexibility in the legs, ankles, and feet \u2014 all of which are needed for good balance. Additionally, yoga increases our sense of proprioception (the body\u2019s ability to sense its own movement and position in space), which is another key component of fall prevention.<\/p>\n
Increased strength and mobility<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga poses gently increase strength and mobility and support the muscles that we use in our daily life while standing, walking, and lifting.<\/p>\n
Improved mood and stress relief<\/h4>\n
Mindful breathing practices and gentle movement reduce tension and stress and can help us feel calmer and less anxious.<\/p>\n
Better sleep, circulation, and overall well-being<\/h4>\n
Long, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the long-term processes in our body, such as sleep, digestion and elimination, and immune function. Gentle movement supports our circulatory and lymphatic systems.<\/p>\n
How to Get Started<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga does not require any prior yoga experience. You can do it just about anywhere, and no special equipment is needed. All you need is a sturdy chair (preferably without arms). You may opt to join a local chair yoga class, or if you are practicing at home with a deck, book, or video, you may want to start with 10-15 minutes several times a week and then build as you go.<\/p>\n
How to Practice Safely<\/h4>\n
Start slowly, try to stay connected to your breath, and notice how your body feels as you go. Yoga should never feel painful \u2014 if something feels like it’s too much, back off and stay within a comfortable range. As with all exercise practices, check with your doctor first about any health concerns.<\/p>\n
Most people choose to practice barefoot, but you can also practice with non-slip socks or shoes. If you are standing and using the chair for support, make sure the surface under the chair is not slippery. You may also want to set the chair against a wall or a sturdy door.<\/p>\n
Staying active through consistent, gentle movement supports well-being throughout the aging process. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, practicing chair yoga is a great way to feel better in your body, calm your mind, and take a mindful break for yourself.<\/p>\n
Lauren Maher (LMFT, C-IAYT) is a certified yoga therapist and licensed psychotherapist who practices in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of The Chair Yoga Deck<\/em><\/a> (Adams Media). To learn more about her practice, please visit: www.laurenmaher.com<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Certified yoga therapist explains chair yoga’s surprising benefits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[222,224],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2026","category-fall-2026-columns"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17657"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17909,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657\/revisions\/17909"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Seated Reverse Warrior card, one of the poses featured in The Chair Yoga Deck by Lauren Maher. Courtesy of Adams Media.<\/p><\/div>\n
Chair yoga is a gentle practice that adapts traditional yoga postures to be done seated, or with the support of a chair. This style of yoga is quite different from practices that you might see in a traditional yoga class. It is inherently low impact, and since you have the support of the chair, there is no need to transition up and down off the floor.<\/p>\n
This can make it an ideal practice for a variety of concerns and conditions, including arthritis, balance or mobility issues, injury recovery, and chronic illness.<\/p>\n
Chair yoga is designed to be a safe, beginner-friendly practice that minimizes the risk of strain or injury that may accompany more traditional fitness practices.<\/p>\n
What are the Benefits of Chair Yoga?<\/h3>\n
Chair yoga provides a host of physical and mental benefits.<\/p>\n
Improved flexibility and joint health<\/h4>\n
Regular, gentle stretching and movement increase overall flexibility, help keep our joints mobile, and can reduce pain and stiffness.<\/p>\n
Better balance and fall prevention<\/h4>\nSupported Dancer Pose card, one of the poses featured in The Chair Yoga Deck by Lauren Maher.
Courtesy of Adams Media.<\/p><\/div>\n
Gentle chair yoga postures help build core strength and improve strength and flexibility in the legs, ankles, and feet \u2014 all of which are needed for good balance. Additionally, yoga increases our sense of proprioception (the body\u2019s ability to sense its own movement and position in space), which is another key component of fall prevention.<\/p>\n
Increased strength and mobility<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga poses gently increase strength and mobility and support the muscles that we use in our daily life while standing, walking, and lifting.<\/p>\n
Improved mood and stress relief<\/h4>\n
Mindful breathing practices and gentle movement reduce tension and stress and can help us feel calmer and less anxious.<\/p>\n
Better sleep, circulation, and overall well-being<\/h4>\n
Long, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the long-term processes in our body, such as sleep, digestion and elimination, and immune function. Gentle movement supports our circulatory and lymphatic systems.<\/p>\n
How to Get Started<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga does not require any prior yoga experience. You can do it just about anywhere, and no special equipment is needed. All you need is a sturdy chair (preferably without arms). You may opt to join a local chair yoga class, or if you are practicing at home with a deck, book, or video, you may want to start with 10-15 minutes several times a week and then build as you go.<\/p>\n
How to Practice Safely<\/h4>\n
Start slowly, try to stay connected to your breath, and notice how your body feels as you go. Yoga should never feel painful \u2014 if something feels like it’s too much, back off and stay within a comfortable range. As with all exercise practices, check with your doctor first about any health concerns.<\/p>\n
Most people choose to practice barefoot, but you can also practice with non-slip socks or shoes. If you are standing and using the chair for support, make sure the surface under the chair is not slippery. You may also want to set the chair against a wall or a sturdy door.<\/p>\n
Staying active through consistent, gentle movement supports well-being throughout the aging process. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, practicing chair yoga is a great way to feel better in your body, calm your mind, and take a mindful break for yourself.<\/p>\n
Lauren Maher (LMFT, C-IAYT) is a certified yoga therapist and licensed psychotherapist who practices in Los Angeles, California. She is the author of The Chair Yoga Deck<\/em><\/a> (Adams Media). To learn more about her practice, please visit: www.laurenmaher.com<\/a><\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Certified yoga therapist explains chair yoga’s surprising benefits<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":17713,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[222,224],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fall-2026","category-fall-2026-columns"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17657"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17909,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17657\/revisions\/17909"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17713"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17657"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17657"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17657"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Supported Dancer Pose card, one of the poses featured in The Chair Yoga Deck by Lauren Maher.
Courtesy of Adams Media.<\/p><\/div>\n
Gentle chair yoga postures help build core strength and improve strength and flexibility in the legs, ankles, and feet \u2014 all of which are needed for good balance. Additionally, yoga increases our sense of proprioception (the body\u2019s ability to sense its own movement and position in space), which is another key component of fall prevention.<\/p>\n
Increased strength and mobility<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga poses gently increase strength and mobility and support the muscles that we use in our daily life while standing, walking, and lifting.<\/p>\n
Improved mood and stress relief<\/h4>\n
Mindful breathing practices and gentle movement reduce tension and stress and can help us feel calmer and less anxious.<\/p>\n
Better sleep, circulation, and overall well-being<\/h4>\n
Long, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the long-term processes in our body, such as sleep, digestion and elimination, and immune function. Gentle movement supports our circulatory and lymphatic systems.<\/p>\n
How to Get Started<\/h4>\n
Chair yoga does not require any prior yoga experience. You can do it just about anywhere, and no special equipment is needed. All you need is a sturdy chair (preferably without arms). You may opt to join a local chair yoga class, or if you are practicing at home with a deck, book, or video, you may want to start with 10-15 minutes several times a week and then build as you go.<\/p>\n
How to Practice Safely<\/h4>\n
Start slowly, try to stay connected to your breath, and notice how your body feels as you go. Yoga should never feel painful \u2014 if something feels like it’s too much, back off and stay within a comfortable range. As with all exercise practices, check with your doctor first about any health concerns.<\/p>\n
Most people choose to practice barefoot, but you can also practice with non-slip socks or shoes. If you are standing and using the chair for support, make sure the surface under the chair is not slippery. You may also want to set the chair against a wall or a sturdy door.<\/p>\n
Staying active through consistent, gentle movement supports well-being throughout the aging process. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, practicing chair yoga is a great way to feel better in your body, calm your mind, and take a mindful break for yourself.<\/p>\n