We’re not here to sugarcoat facts. Plain and simple, lifestyle changes are necessary after 50 to stay in great shape. Metabolism is not always kind as people age, making diet tweaks and a solid workout plan an essential recipe for healthy living. There’s no need to stress because we have you covered. If you’re over 50, we’re here with a trainer’s essential chair yoga exercises to do daily—and why you need to do them.

“You can reap the benefits of doing yoga on a mat from just the chair,” says Tamara Teragawa, ERYT-500 and master trainer for YogaSix. “Things like improved mobility, balance, strength, breathwork, better sleep, lifted spirits, and more can all be done from the chair. It makes yoga even more accessible to those 50 years of age and older by offering the support of the chair and making this practice even lower impact.”

Chair yoga is essentially a gentler version of yoga that delivers all the amazing benefits of the practice. Maintaining your breath, strength, and balance as you age is crucial to continue seamlessly performing everyday tasks without getting fatigued or injured.

“Being able to move from one pose to the next helps with balance to decrease the chances of falling, which tends to be one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths in seniors,” explains Teragawa. “All of the benefits one receives from chair yoga can significantly contribute to an improved quality of life.”

1. Seated Cat/Cow

1. Start seated on the chair with your hands on your thighs.
2. Be forward enough on the chair so your feet touch the ground.
3. Sit tall, keep a neutral spine, and activate your abs.
4. Breathe in, lift your chest, and pull your shoulders down and toward each other.
5. Breathe out, grab onto the backs of your thighs, and round your spine.
6. Perform this exercise for 3 to 5 rounds of breath.

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2. Seated Mountain with Spinal Rotations

1. Start seated on a chair with your feet on the floor.
2. Breathe in and reach both arms overhead.
3. Breathe out and rotate your torso to the left.
4. Position your right hand on your left thigh and your back hand on the back of the chair.
5. Breathe in, come back to the center, and stretch your arms overhead.
6. Repeat on the other side.
7. Complete this exercise for 3 to 5 rounds of breath.

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3. Seated Warrior II to Reverse Warrior

1. Begin seated facing to your right.
2. Grab onto the back of the chair with your right hand for support.
3. Keep your hips facing the front edge of your chair, and bend your right leg to position your foot on the ground before you.
4. Extend your left leg past the left side of your chair.
5. Reach your arms out wide and look over your right hand.
6. Breathe in, bring your left hand to your left leg, and extend your right arm up and back.
7. Breathe out and stretch your arms out to the start position.
8. Repeat the exercise for 3 to 5 rounds of breath.

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4. Seated Goddess Squat

1. Start seated with one leg positioned on each side of the chair.
2. Face the back of the chair for added support, or face away so your back rests against the chair.
3. Sit tall and engage your glutes.
4. Remain in the seated position as you focus on externally rotating your hips and contracting your abs.
5. Repeat for 5 to 10 breaths. Rest, then begin again to complete 3 sets in total.

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5. Seated Marches

1. Start seated with your feet on the ground and your back away from the back of the seat.
2. Sit tall and engage your abs.
3. Begin slowly marching your feet, alternating between bringing your left then right leg up to your chest.
4. Perform the exercise for 30 seconds to a minute. Take a short break, and continue to complete 3 sets in total.

Alexa Mellardo