Chair Yoga

Man stretching to the left

Use some of the postures described below, or play part of a chair flow yoga video found on YouTube.

  • Check-in posture: sit tall in chair with two feet flat on the floor and hands in lap
  • Shoulder shrug: lift shoulders up and down
  • Arm across body: stretch and hold arm across your body, alternate sides
  • Eagle arm & leg: twist your arms and cross your legs, then twist/cross the other way
  • Twist: look behind you using arms as supports to keep twisting
  • Cat/cow: breathe in while sticking stomach out, breath out while hunching back like a cat
  • Hip opener (#4 squat): place your ankle on your knee to make a figure 4 shape, alternate sides
  • Hamstring stretch: reach down to touch your toes without curling your back
  • Boat pose: lift arms and legs up and hold to engage abdominal muscles
  • Tree pose: stand behind your chair (holding the back of it for balance) and place the bottom of one foot on your calf, lift one arm up like a tree

Why do it?

This practice releases tension in the body from stress buildup and can be done from a seated position in the classroom. Breath work is incorporated which helps to clear your mind and make space for learning.

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