Chair Yoga

Yoga helps your mental and physical health. There are a variety of ways to practice yoga. Chair yoga is great for beginners or people who need extra support while performing yoga poses.

Suggested Equipment: Sturdy chair

Workout Directions: Hold chair yoga poses for 3-5 breaths or 30-60 seconds. Complete poses on both sides of the body. Complete poses 1-3 times. Breathe throughout poses, do not hold your breath. Tighten abdominal muscles and maintain core strength during poses.

Participating in this activity is purely voluntary. If you are not regularly active, it is recommended to consult with a physician before starting physical activity.

Chair Yoga Poses:

var activities = [ { "title":"Cat Pose", "img":"https://food.unl.edu/physical-activity/chair-yoga-cat-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-cat-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, place your hands on your knees. Round your upper back, tuck your chin and hold for one breath. Move into Cow Pose." }, { "title":"Cow Pose", "img":"https://food.unl.edu/physical-activity/chair-yoga-cow-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-cow-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, place your hands on the middle of your thighs. Keep your elbows in by your sides, push your chest out, squeeze your shoulder blades and look up. Hold for one breath. Move into Cat Pose. Continue alternating between Cow Pose and Cat Pose for 8-12 repetitions." }, { "title":"Eagle Pose", "img":"https://food.unl.edu/physical-activity/chair-yoga-eagle-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-eagle-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, pull your shoulders back and down. Cross your left foot over your right. Hold your left arm up at a 90 degree angle. Wrap your right arm around your left arm and grab your left thumb or wrist. Slowly push your hands up towards the ceiling and hold for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side." }, { "title":"Pigeon Pose", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-pigeon-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-pigeon-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, take your left ankle and place it on your right thigh. Keep your spine long and shoulders back and down. Lean forward slightly. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on opposite side." }, { "title":"Warrior II", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-warrior-II.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-warrior-II-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, take your left leg and move it out to the left side of the chair and point your toes to the left. Drop your right knee towards the floor. Keep your hips open and facing forward. Lift both arms up and look at your left hand. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on the opposite side." }, { "title":"Reverse Warrior", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-reverse-warrior.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-reverse-warrior-loop.gif", "desc":"Sitting up tall on the front of a chair, take your left leg and move it out to the left side of the chair and point your toes to the left. Drop your right knee towards the floor. Keep your hips open and facing forward. Lift both arms up, turn your left palm up to face the ceiling. Lift your left arm up towards the ceiling. Let your right arm drop as the left arm rises. Look up at your left hand. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on the opposite side." }, { "title":"Pyramid Pose", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-pyramid-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-pyramid-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Stand up tall behind a chair. Place your right foot back about two feet behind you. Line your feet up as if you are standing on a balance beam. Hold the chair for balance if needed. Keeping your spine long and chest out, lean forward towards your left foot as far as you can. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on opposite side." }, { "title":"Downward Dog Pose", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-downward-dog.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-downward-dog-loop.gif", "desc":"Stand behind a chair at a distance where your fingertips touch the back of the chair with arms straight. Lean forward and hold the chair. Pushing your hips back, bring your head between your arms; not letting it hang, and push your chest towards the floor. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths." }, { "title":"Warrior III", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-warrior-III.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-warrior-III-loop.gif", "desc":"Stand up tall behind a chair with your shoulders back and down. Keeping your spine long, pick your left foot up off the floor and slowly lean forward. As you lean forward, keep your left leg straight and pull your heel towards the ceiling. Hold the chair for balance if needed. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on opposite side" }, { "title":"Thread the Needle", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-thread-the-needle.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-thread-the-needle.gif", "desc":"Stand behind a chair at a distance where your fingertips touch the back of the chair with arms straight. Lean forward and hold the chair. Bring your left arm up and reach toward the ceiling while looking at your hand. Bring your left arm down and across your body, going under your right arm. Inhale as you reach up and exhale as you move across your body. Repeat for 5-8 breaths. Repeat on the opposite side." }, { "title":"Triangle Pose", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-triangle-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-triangle-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Stand beside a chair with a wide stance. Point your feet forward. Pull your shoulders back and down. Lengthen your spine. Keeping your arms straight with palms facing forward, raise them up to shoulder height. Keep your chest facing forward and open while bringing your left hand toward your left foot, resting on a chair. Your right arm should be vertical to the floor. Hold for 3-5 deep breaths. Repeat on opposite side." }, { "title":"Tree Pose", "img":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-tree-pose.png", "gif":"physical-activity/chair-yoga-tree-pose-loop.gif", "desc":"Stand up tall behind a chair. Bring the bottom of your left foot to your right leg as high as you can, but not on your knee. Using the chair for support, bring one or both arms up into a 'Y' shape. Be sure to not let your hip move out to the side, but keep it in line with your shoulders. Hold for 3-5 breaths. Repeat on opposite side." }, ];

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