If you think you need to be super flexible to practice yogalates then perhaps think again. The practice of the fusion of Yoga and Pilates, yogalates, is achievable for anyone. Yogalates has been shown to improve overall health both physically and mentally when practiced regularly.
For people of all ages and levels of fitness, the breathwork, strengthening, balance and stretching components yogalates can help minimize blood pressure, strengthen bones, improve balance, prevents injury and reduce stress. Plus, it’s easily modified for different levels of ability.
Chair based yogalates is a moderate form of yoga and Pilates poses that you can practice at home, in the office or anywhere – as long as you have a straight-backed chair handy! As I physiotherapist I prescribe these chair-based exercises regularly and also use them when leading yogalates classes.
Just Breathe
It seems rather simple, but first, focus on your breathing. One of the most valuable parts of practicing yogalates mindful breathing. Slow controlled breath helps us with the mind body connection, enhances focus and can affect our mood and heart rate.
Begin to notice your breath, relax the shoulders and upper chest. Commence the breathing exercise by counting to three as you inhale through your nose. Now pause, and then exhale from your mouth to the count of three.
With more practice, you can work up to longer breaths. Just make sure you’re inhaling and exhaling for the same amount of time. As you’re breathing, gradually straighten your spine and place your hands on your lower rib cage.
After three minutes, open your eyes, take your hands off your ribcage and rest in your chair.
You’ll be impressed by how this simple breathing exercise can enhance your yogalates journey!
Seated Mountain Pose
Once we’ve got the whole breathing thing down, we can move on to the Seated Mountain Pose. Mountain pose is sometimes called “samasthiti,” otherwise known as equal standing. Most of the time, this pose is practiced at the beginning of a class or between poses as a way to reset and balance the body. Start by slowly scooting to the front of the chair while keeping your spine straight and feet on the floor. Keep your ankles directly under your knees and let your hands rest on your knees. Once you’re in the proper position, lift your chest and try to push your lower body into the chair. Keep your chin up and focus on something across the room. Hold this pose for a minute or two and continue to focus on your breathing.
Core activation (switch on the belly)
This is an exercise for activating your core, the abdominal girdle. When your abdominal girdle is strong and toned, it will help support your lower back and pelvic organs and will release tension placed on the pelvic floor. It’s a good exercise to incorporate into the following chair yogalates exercises below.
Begin Seated with your back straight and well supported on the back of your seat. Align your knees to your hips. Place your hands under your belly button.
Take a deep breath and exhale, pulling your belly button in toward your spine and upward, as if you want to bring it up into your chest. Make the exhale last for 10 seconds.
Repeat 10 times.
Neck Stretch
When we get stressed, we often feel it in our upper back and neck. You can combat neck tension with a simple neck stretch. Slide to the front half of your chair and make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Take your right hand and reach over your head while breathing in. Grab the left side of your head and gently pull your head to the side, toward your right shoulder, while exhaling. If you feel any pain, do not continue this stretch. Try to keep your spine as straight as you can. Hold this position for a few seconds while focusing on your breathing. Repeat on the other side, raising your left hand, grabbing the right side of your head, and stretching your neck to the left side.
Seated cat cow
The seated cat-cow chair yogalates exercise, arches the spine forward. Then rounds it back, can open the chest, take pressure off the spine, and stretch the back. Sit at the edge of your chair with both feet flat on the floor.
Rest your palms on your knees. As you inhale, press the chest forward.
As you exhale, tuck your chin to your chest and round the spine forward. Repeat three to five times, following your breath.
Spine twist
Keep sit bones even on the chair. Sweep hands to the right and hold back of chair, look over right shoulder, take 2 slow breaths. Repeat other side.
Side bend
In the same seated position, you can do side bends and twists to release the compression between the vertebrae and increase your range of motion. First, inhale and sweep your arms overhead. Hold your left wrist with your right hand, keep your arms by your ears, exhale, and bend toward the right.
Hold the stretch for five breaths, inhale to centre, switch your hands, exhale, and bend to the left. Hold for five breaths. Inhale back to centre, release the grip on your hands, exhale, and twist to the right, letting your hands fall to the outside of your thigh or chair.
Calf muscle toning
Give your calf muscles a workout by raising your legs up on the very tips of your toes while remaining seated. Your calf muscles should start to burn after a few seconds. Hold for ten seconds and then repeat ten times.
Seated pelvic floor exercise
Begin sitting with your back straight and well supported by the back the chair. Keep Knees aligned with the hips.
Contract the muscles of your pelvic floor. To do this, visualize that you want to close your vagina, or you want to keep from passing gas. It’s as if you want to close your vagina from front to back and side to side. I often use the we of ‘picking up a jelly bean’ with your vagina. This movement is performed by the muscles of the pelvic floor. Be aware what happens in your vagina during the contraction and also during the relaxation. The most important thing is to feel the lifting and letting go of these internal muscles.
Hold the contraction for 1 second and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.
Strained eye exercise
Too much phone and screen time and even prolonged periods of reading can result in strained eyes and possibly headaches, blurred vision, and itchy eyes. To alleviate strain and strengthen your eyes, try these simple eye rolls.
Sit up straight, keep head and neck still, moving the eyes only. Begin by looking down to your right, roll your eyes toward the sky, then to the left and down back to the ground. Then roll your eyes in the opposite direction. Do this twice each way.
Chair Raised Hands Pose – Urdhva Hastasana
On an inhalation, raise your arms toward the ceiling.
Maintain good upper body posture with the shoulders relaxed and rib cage sitting naturally over the hips. Anchor your sit bones in your chair seat and reach up from your rib cage right through to the fingertips.
Lightly draw belly to spine and don’t arch the back. Draw shoulders down. Lengthening through to fingertips. Hold for three breaths. Repeat x 3
Chair Forward Bend – Uttanasana
On an exhalation, come into a forward bend over the legs. The chest may rest on the knees Let the hands rest on the floor if they reach it. Or use a yoga block for support. Let the head hang heavy.
On an inhalation, raise the arms back up over the head. Repeat this movement between a raised arms position and a forward fold five times, moving with the breath.
Chair Pigeon – Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Sitting tall without back resting on the chair. . Bring your right ankle to rest on your left thigh, keeping the knee in line with your ankle as much as possible. Hold this chair pigeon for three to five breaths.
You may forward bend to deepen the stretch if needed. Repeat with the left leg. Do this twice in each side.
Chair Eagle – Garudasana
Cross your right thigh over your left thigh for eagle pose. If you can, wrap the right foot all the way around the left calf.
Cross your left arm over the right one at the elbow. Bend the elbows and bring your palms to touch.
Lift the elbows while dropping the shoulders away from the ears. Hold three to five breaths.
Repeat twice each side.
Chair Warrior I – Virabhadrasana I
A seated lunge. Begin with the right leg in position over the side of the chair, toes pointing outward. Then gently slide the left leg behind you.
Plant the sole of the left foot on the floor roughly parallel to the seat of the chair and straighten the left leg. Press through the outer blade of the back foot.
Keep your torso facing over the right leg as you raise your arms up to the ceiling, drawing shoulder blades down. Hold this pose for three breaths.
Chair Warrior II – Virabhadrasana II
Move into this pose from the above warrior 1.
On an exhale, open up the arms with the right arm coming forward and the left arm going back.
Draw the left hip back and turn the torso to the left, so that it is aligned with the front of the chair.
Gaze out over the right fingertips and hold warrior II for three breaths.
Reverse Warrior
Progress into this posture from the above warrior 2. Begin by letting the left arm come down the left leg and lift the right arm up to the ceiling on an inhale for reverse warrior. Hold for three breaths.
Bring both legs to the front of the chair before coming to sit sideways on the chair facing left and going through the series of three warrior poses on the left side.
Repeat the above three warrior sequences twice on each side.
Tummy Crunches
Move to the edge of your seat and lean back on the backrest. Then lift your straightened legs a 20 cm above the ground and raise your back off the backrest. Feel the contraction in your abdominal muscles and hold for ten seconds. Eight reps of ten seconds each can strengthen your core considerably when done regularly.
Leg lift
Starting with both feet flat on the floor, do leg lifts, starting first with the right leg and then the left. Lift each leg until it is straight. Feel the quadriceps (thigh) muscle contract.
Do ten sets of eight reps to strengthen your thigh muscles and your core.
Modified downward dog
When we sit for long periods, the lower spine contracts, and the posterior muscles in our legs, particularly the hamstrings, shorten. A modified yoga down-dog pose using your desk or kitchen table will stretch the entire back of your body. Start by standing, with your chair out of the way, and place your palms flat on your desk.
Walk backward until your arms are extended and your body is in an L shape with your feet under your hips. Press your hands into the table, elongate your back and push your hips up and back. Hold for five to 10 breaths.
Final Relaxation: Chair Savasana
Take a few minutes to sit with your eyes closed and hands in your lap at the end of your practice. This seated savasana will help your body absorb all the good effects of the poses you have done and transition you into the rest of your day.
Get to it!
Being busy is never an excuse to not stay fit. While you should always try to make time for proper cardio and weight training, never forget that there are many other ways you can incorporate yogalates exercise into your daily routine. Doing a chair yogalates routine while sitting at home or in the office each day can, when done regularly, help to improve your mindset, posture, flexibility, muscle tone and strength.
Experience Be Yogalates and our Workout Library for FREE! Get Started with a 7-Day Free All Access Pass.
