Home/squat/Chair Pose

Chair Pose

Difficulty: ⭐ Beginnersquat

Home Setup

Practice on any flat surface with enough space to extend your arms overhead without hitting anything

yoga mat or carpetwall for balance support if needed

💡 Pro tip: Place a rolled towel under your heels if you struggle to keep them grounded

Gym Setup

Yoga mat in an open studio space

Safety: Ensure adequate space around you and avoid if you have knee injuries without proper modifications

💪 Muscles Worked

QuadricepsGlutesHip FlexorsCoreShoulders

⭐ Why This Exercise?

Chair Pose builds lower body strength and endurance while improving posture and balance. This foundational yoga pose strengthens the ankles, thighs, and calves while opening the chest and shoulders, making it excellent for developing mental focus and physical stamina.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Wall-Supported Chair Pose

wall

Provides back support to reduce load on legs and improve balance confidence

2. Higher Chair Pose

none

Less knee bend reduces quadriceps demand and makes the hold more sustainable

3. Chair Pose with Arms at Heart Center

none

Lowering arms reduces shoulder fatigue and allows focus on lower body engagement

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Chair Pose with Heel Lift

none

Rising onto toes increases calf engagement and challenges balance significantly

2. Twisted Chair Pose

none

Adding rotation engages obliques and increases core activation while challenging stability

3. One-Legged Chair Pose

none

Removing one leg doubles the load on the standing leg and dramatically increases balance demands

↕️ Similar Movements

Goddess Pose
Similar squat hold with wider stance and external hip rotation
Warrior III
Complementary balance pose that transitions well from Chair Pose in flow sequences
Wall Sit
Similar isometric squat hold with back support, common in strength training
Garland Pose (Malasana)
Deeper squat variation that increases hip and ankle mobility demands
Mountain Pose
Foundational standing pose that Chair Pose builds upon with added squat component

Form Checklist

✓Weight in heels, knees tracking over toes without extending past them
✓Sit hips back as if lowering into an invisible chair
✓Lengthen spine upward while drawing shoulder blades down the back
✓Engage core by drawing navel toward spine
✓Keep arms parallel to ears with palms facing each other

Common Mistakes

  • •Knees collapsing inward instead of tracking over the middle toes
  • •Leaning too far forward with chest instead of sitting hips back
  • •Arching lower back excessively rather than maintaining neutral spine
  • •Lifting heels off the ground, shifting weight to toes
  • •Tensing shoulders up toward ears instead of keeping them relaxed

📈 When to Progress

When you can hold Chair Pose with proper form for 60 seconds without trembling excessively, maintain steady breathing throughout, and can immediately repeat the hold for another 30-45 seconds after a brief rest