How to Do the Chair Pose
Remember how there was always one joker in school who pretended to sit on an invisible chair? That joker might just make an excellent yoga practitioner.
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Learn all the basic yoga poses -- downward facing dog, lotus, plank, and so on -- so you can get toned and find a little inner calmness, too.
You Will Need
- Comfortable clothing suitable for stretching and moving
- A calm place where you won't be distracted or disturbed
- A yoga mat or folded blanket
Steps
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Step 1
Stand at mat
Stand at the front of your mat with your feet hip-width apart and your weight evenly distributed between them, your spine erect, and your arms at your sides.
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You may also start this pose with your feet and knees together for added support.
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Step 2
Transfer weight & reach up
Inhale, slowly sitting back as if sitting down in a chair, transferring your weight back into your hips and heels, while reaching your arms up overhead with your palms pressed together.
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If it's uncomfortable to keep your palms together overhead, keep your arms parallel to each other instead, with your palms facing in.
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Step 3
Expand chest
Breathe evenly, sitting down further with each inhale, and lifting your chin to expand your chest and deepen your stretch.
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Step 4
Hold pose
Hold the pose for 30 seconds to a minute, or as long as you can.
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Step 5
Release pose
Release the pose on an inhale by slowly straightening your legs and lowering your arms. Now the next time somebody tells you to 'pull up a chair,' you know what to do...
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Also known as the Awkward Pose (for obvious reasons), this posture is beneficial to the arms, legs, and cardiovascular system.
