Watch the full workout video above and follow along at your own pace.
Want to feel steadier on your feet and stronger when you get up from a chair? Those everyday movements call on several abilities, including leg strength, comfortable joint movement, posture, and body awareness.
Join Mom and me for a 15-minute chair yoga workout for beginners that explores some of those foundations while staying seated from start to finish. We'll warm up, move through seated yoga poses, and finish with a quiet cooldown. All you need is a sturdy chair and enough room to reach comfortably.
👉 JOIN MOM AND ME FOR THE WORKOUT
How this seated practice supports everyday movement
In this workout, Mom and I both demonstrate seated poses from my book, 10-Minute Chair Yoga Exercises for Seniors. You can move along with us at your own pace, keeping your stretches small or lowering your arms whenever you like.
Here's what we'll practice and how it connects to daily life:
Foot pressure and forward movement: Seated Chair lets us practice pressing our feet into the floor and leaning from the hips. Both are parts of the setup we use before standing up.
Upright posture and body awareness: Seated Mountain encourages us to notice our position, sit tall, and relax unnecessary tension.
Comfortable reaching: Warrior poses, Triangle, and Gate give us opportunities to move our shoulders and torso, using motions involved in reaching for clothing or objects beside us.
Controlled movement: Moving slowly into and out of each pose gives us time to coordinate our movements and choose a comfortable range.
A calmer finish: Seated Forward Fold and Seated Rest offer time to ease out of the active poses and settle into relaxed breathing.
This workout complements strength and balance exercise. Because we remain seated, it doesn't practice balancing on your feet or lifting your body out of a chair. You can enjoy the entire seated flow as a movement break, choosing the range and pace that work for you.
The chair yoga poses we'll practice
We begin with Seated Mountain pose to settle our feet and notice our posture, followed by Seated Cat-Cow for gentle movement through the back.
Next, we move into Seated Chair, then practice Seated Warrior I and Warrior II on both sides. Take your time adjusting your position, and reach your arms only as high or wide as feels comfortable.
Seated Triangle and Seated Gate bring gentle reaching and seated side stretches into the flow. You don't need to reach far to participate. Choose a range that lets you breathe comfortably.
We finish with Seated Forward Fold and Seated Rest, giving ourselves time to slow down and notice how we feel after moving.
Make the practice your own
Choose a stable chair without wheels, preferably with no arms so you have room to move. Begin with your feet supported and enough space around you for the side reaches.
Keep your arms lower if reaching overhead feels uncomfortable.
Make each stretch smaller or stay upright when you need to.
Pause the video if you want more time to reposition.
Breathe naturally rather than holding your breath during a pose.
Stop or modify a movement if you feel pain or dizziness. If you have movement restrictions, follow the guidance of your healthcare team.
Come back for another gentle movement break
If this practice feels comfortable, save the video and repeat it on another day. You might notice that a familiar pose becomes easier to follow or that you feel more comfortable choosing your own range. There's no need to stretch farther each time.
When you'd like a longer session, try our 20-minute chair yoga workout.
Which pose would you like to practice again? Let us know in the comments on YouTube. We'd love to hear which movements you enjoyed.
More ways to move with Mom and me
📱 Looking for a complete exercise program? Join the Get Moving 50+ App, where you'll find guided workout plans, monthly calendars, and the encouragement to help you build healthy habits and stay consistent.
Explore more free workouts at Yes2Next on YouTube, including walking, strength, balance, and seated exercise.
For more seated yoga poses, my book, 10-Minute Chair Yoga Exercises for Seniors, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Want to hear when our next workout is ready? Sign up for our email list in the footer below.
Thank you for moving with Mom and me.
Keep moving. Stay strong.