5 of the best chair yoga and seated floor exercises

Yoga is a versatile form of exercise. It can help loosen your muscles, improve flexibility, or it can be done to build strength - all of which are vital for maintaining balance and preventing falls. Above all, yoga can help reduce stress, pain and fatigue, and the level of difficulty is controlled by you.

Yoga does require some balance but practising yoga in a chair or exercising on the floor is a great way of minimising any risk of injury or falling.

If you need to sit down, grab yourself a sturdy chair, preferably one that doesn’t wobble or have wheels, and sit firmly in the centre of the seat. If you’re worried about falling from a chair, try sitting on the floor first. Once you’re confident, you can upgrade to an exercise ball to raise the difficulty a little.

Before starting any new exercises, it’s important to make sure you feel fit and well enough to do so. If you have any injuries, health conditions, or concerns about your balance or mobility, speak to your GP or a qualified healthcare professional for advice first.

Here are five well-known yoga moves:

1. Seated Upward stretch

1. Sit comfortably on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Keep your knees soft or slightly bent if that’s more comfortable.
2. Sit up as straight as possible and relax your arms by your side.
3. Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, roll your shoulders back, pull your belly button forward and lengthen your neck.
4. Take another deep breath and as you exhale slowly lift your arms in front of you to shoulder height. If comfortable, raise your arms overhead - only as high as feels safe.
5. Hold this pose for three to five breaths, then relax, take a deep breath and repeat.

You should feel your spine extending and your head lifting. Imagine yourself growing taller in your chair. This will engage your core; a vital cluster of muscles needed to stabilise you. Repeat these three to five times. If it is too difficult to hold your hands out, just keep them by your side.

Progression

• If you raise your toes and push your feet into the ground while you do this stretch, it will also engage your leg muscles.
• If you want to engage the core and shoulders more, raise your arms so that your hands meet above your head or put them behind your head and look up just a little.
• If sitting on the floor is difficult, you can do this pose while seated in a sturdy chair. Keep your feet flat on the floor and follow the same steps. This makes the stretch more accessible while keeping all the benefits.

2. Seated Forward Bend

1. Maintain your posture from the Seated Upward stretch. Rest your hands on your thighs.
2. Take a deep breath and, as you exhale, slowly bend forward from your hips. Only go as far as comfortable - your tummy may touch your thighs, or you may stop partway. Both are perfectly fine.
3. As you inhale, raise your body back up.
4. If you feel too unstable to do this on a chair, try moving to the floor and reaching for your toes in a floor seated position instead. It doesn’t matter if you don’t reach your toes.

Progression:

• Use your arms less for support to engage more core muscles.
• If the chair feels unstable, perform this on the floor, try reaching for your toes but it’s perfectly fine if you can’t reach them.
• This will use more of your core muscles and less of your arm muscles.

3. Reverse Arm-hold

1. In an upright seated position, take a deep breath and stretch out your arms either side of you.
2. As you exhale, turn the palms of your hands so that your thumbs point downwards.
3. If you have the flexibility, bring your arms down and place the backs of your hands behind you and rest them on your lower back. If you find this difficult to do, try putting your hands behind your head instead.
4. Take five long breaths here or hold for as long as is comfortable. Repeat these three to five times.

This will stretch out your shoulders and open up your chest. It is great for resetting your seated posture.

Progression:

• Try clasping your hands together behind your back and then pulling your arms away from each other.
• This will use your own resistance to build strength in your arms.
• If you want to try a modified version of this pose, try siting on an exercise ball or try holding a weight or a can of beans in each hand.

4. Seated Twist

1. As you inhale, extend your spine and raise your arms out to the side at shoulder height.
2. As you exhale, gently twist to one side as if you were trying to look behind you. Stop twisting wherever your body naturally stops.
3. Take five breaths, or hold for as long as is comfortable, then slowly return to face forward.
4. Repeat on the other side and repeat both sides two or three times.

This exercise is great for lengthening the spine, loosening the lower back, and for promoting good blood circulation.

Progression

• Try holding weight in each hand (such as a can of beans, if you don’t have exercise equipment) to further build up arm strength.
• If your balance is good, try standing or try sitting on an exercise ball to engage your core muscles as well.

5. Standing Leg Stretch

1. If you feel balanced and comfortable to do so, try standing up behind your chair and holding the back of the seat.
2. Take a deep breath and bend forward as you exhale, aiming to get your head between your arms. You may need to step back a little to do this.
3. Take a deep breath and then stand up slowly as you exhale. You may need to step forward again to keep holding the chair.
4. Take a few breaths while standing to regroup yourself, then repeat three to five times, or whatever feels comfortable for you.

This will stretch both legs as well as your arms and back. It will help you strengthen muscles for balancing when picking things up or bending down. It can also help you get used to controlling any disorientation or any dizzy spells brought on by low blood pressure.

Progression:

• If you feel too unstable on your feet, try sitting down on the edge of your chair and reaching for your toes.
• You can reach for one outstretched leg at a time, and you can use your arms to stabilise yourself by simply walking them down your legs as you lower.

Safety note:

Seated yoga and floor exercises are a great way to build strength and flexibility, which can help prevent falls. If you aren't feeling confident to try these out on your own, ask a friend or family member to join you, or seek out a local exercise group.

If you have any existing health conditions or injuries, it’s a good idea to speak with your GP or healthcare professional before starting new exercises. They can advise you on what movements are safe and suitable for your individual needs.

If you are exercising alone, consider wearing an Age Co Personal Alarm . Should a fall occur, you can call for help immediately at the touch of a button.

Summary:

Key benefits and tips for chair yoga and seated floor exercises:

• They help improve flexibility, strength, and posture.
• They can be done safely while seated or on the floor.
• You can progress gradually by using modifications or props like an exercise ball.
• Consider wearing a personal alarm if exercising alone for extra peace of mind.