Chair Yoga Class Formula: A Complete Guide for Teachers

Chair Yoga Class Formula: A Complete Guide

Table of Contents

This post is part of my Yoga Lesson Plan Formula Series, which includes:

What Are Yoga Lesson Plan Formulas? A Smarter Way to Teach
— introduces how formulas work and why they save teachers time.

How to Create Your First Yoga Lesson Plan Formula
— shows how to build your first reusable structure step by step.

7 Common Mistakes Yoga Teachers Make When Planning Classes
— helps you identify and fix sequencing errors before you teach.

And now, in this post, we’re bringing everything together with a focus on accessibility — the Chair Yoga Class Formula.

As I’m writing this (October 2025), we’re also adding chair yoga sequencing formulas into the redesigned Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, making it even easier to build safe, creative classes for seniors, beginners, and anyone needing a gentler approach.

Why You’ll Love Chair Yoga Formulas

Chair Yoga isn’t just “yoga with a chair” — it’s a full-bodied, accessible form of movement that helps people of all ages improve strength, flexibility, and confidence.

But because students vary widely in mobility and comfort, structure is everything.

A clear, repeatable chair yoga formula helps teachers:

Save time planning classes.
Build confidence with safe, consistent sequencing.
Ensure every class includes breathwork, mobility, and relaxation.
Offer variety without losing balance or safety.

Instead of starting from scratch each week, you’ll use a formula as your chair yoga class blueprint — a reliable flow that can be adapted for any ability level.

Blissful Breathing Card Deck

Understanding the Chair Yoga Class Formula

Here’s a simple Chair Yoga Class Plan Formula you can use as your starting point:

Section 1. Centering & Breath Awareness (5 minutes)
Gentle seated breathwork, mindfulness, and posture awareness.
Example: Seated Mountain → Abdominal Breathing → Shoulder Circles.

Section 2. Warm-Ups & Joint Mobility (10 minutes)
Focus on wrists, shoulders, spine, hips, and ankles.
Example: Shoulder Circles → Seated Cat/Cow → Seated Twist → Ankle Rolls.

Section 3. Seated Strength & Flow (15 minutes)
Build strength and coordination with dynamic movement.
Example: Chair Yoga Sun Salutation → Seated Warrior Flow (Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III)

Section 4. Standing Support Work (10 minutes)
Using the chair as balance support — builds confidence and stability.
Example: Chair Calf Raises → Chair Sun Salutation → Chair-Assisted Tree → Chair Warrior II.

Section 5. Cool-Down & Stretch (10 minutes)
Relax tension in shoulders, hips, and spine.
Example: Seated Side Bend → Seated Pigeon Fold → Seated Forward Fold.

Section 6. Relaxation & Reflection (5–10 minutes)
Grounding breathwork or short guided meditation.
Example: Seated grounding with hands on heart → Gentle Neck Stretch → Seated Savasana

Each section flows naturally to the next — just like a mat-based yoga class formula — but modified for accessibility, comfort, and confidence.

Top 4 Benefits of Using a Chair Yoga Formula

A chair yoga class formula gives your classes predictability without repetition.

Students feel safe because the structure is familiar, and you can focus on what really matters — your cueing, energy, and connection.

Here’s what class formulas helps with:

Time management: you know exactly how long each section takes.
Safety: prevents over-straining joints or balance.
Creativity: swap in new poses each week without changing the arc.
Confidence: structure supports you when teaching mixed-ability groups.

60-Minute Chair Yoga Class Formula

Here’s how a full chair yoga class might look in practice:

All these chair yoga poses are in the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner…

🕒 Total: 60 Minutes

1. Centering (5 min)

2. Warm-Ups (10 min)

Seated Arm Circles (gradual expansion of range)
Seated Cat/Cow
Seated Side Bend
Seated Twist

3. Strength & Flow (15 min)

Seated Yoga Sun Salutation (arms & core)
Seated Leg Lifts (hip flexor strength)
Seated Arms Up Toes Up (balance)
Chair Warrior Flow (Warrior I, Warrior II, Warrior III)

4. Standing with Support (10 min)

5. Cool-Down (10 min)

6. Relaxation (10 min)

This simple arc (chair yoga lesson plan formula) can be reused weekly — just swap in new warm-ups or peak sequences to keep things fresh.

With the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner you only need to create your “arc” (chair yoga lesson plan formula) once, then simply click a button to copy that plan. All that needs doing now is to delete one or two chair yoga exercises and one or two new ones (which can be done within 5 minute!).

Adapting a Formula for Different Class Lengths

Just like mat classes, chair yoga can flex to different durations.

🪑 30-Minute Chair Yoga Class

3 min Centering
5 min Warm-Up
10 min Strength & Flow
7 min Cool-Down
5 min Relaxation

🪑 45-Minute Chair Yoga Class

5 min Centering
8 min Warm-Up
15 min Strength & Flow
10 min Cool-Down
7 min Relaxation

🪑 60-Minute Chair Yoga Class

5 min Centering
10 min Warm-Up
15 min Strength & Flow
10 min Standing with Support
10 min Cool-Down
10 min Relaxation

🪑 75-Minute Chair Yoga Class

Add an extra 15 minutes of standing balance work or longer relaxation.

The redesigned Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner will include a built-in Class Duration Calculator — so as you build your sequence, the planner automatically totals your class time and alerts you when you’re running over.

20 Tips for Building Chair Yoga Formulas

20 Tips for Building Chair Yoga Formulas

Tip 1. Start with stillness.
Open every class with a minute of breath awareness (Chair Breathwork) to help students arrive and settle.

Tip 2. Keep transitions simple.
Avoid over-complicated changes between seated and standing — clarity builds confidence.

Tip 3. Use clear visual landmarks.
Cue “sit tall with your back halfway up the chair” or “hands on thighs” so students know exactly where to place themselves.

Tip 4. Focus on mobility first.
Start with small joint movements of wrists, ankles, shoulders (Chair Wrist Stretch) before any strength work.

Tip 5. Teach posture awareness often.
Remind students to feel both feet grounded and spines tall (Chair Grounding)— it’s easy to slouch during chair classes.

Tip 6. Alternate effort and ease.
After every strengthening move, include a release (e.g., Chair Cat Cow).

Tip 7. Include micro-flows.
Create mini sequences like Chair Yoga Sun Salutation or “Shoulder Roll Flow” to keep energy moving.

Tip 8. Plan around everyday function.
Include poses that mimic daily movements — reaching, twisting, bending — to build real-world strength.

Tip 9. Include standing work if possible.
Supported standing poses like Chair-Assisted Tree or Chair Warrior II boost confidence and balance.

Tip 10. Use breath cues generously.
Link every movement with an inhale or exhale to create rhythm and relaxation.

Tip 11. Offer multiple options for each pose.
Give variations: “You can stay seated, or if it feels safe, come to standing with hands on the chair.”

Tip 12. Keep prop use simple.
A sturdy chair is your main prop — but add straps, blocks, or small balls sparingly for variety.

Tip 13. Use themes to add meaning.
Chair yoga class themes like balance, gratitude, or letting go turn routine movements into mindful practice.

Tip 14. Include a brain-body challenge.
Add gentle coordination exercises like alternating knee lifts or opposite hand–foot touches to boost cognitive function.

Tip 15. Make space for laughter.
Chair yoga is joyful! Light humour helps students relax and connect. The Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner includes laughter yoga exercises.

Tip 16. Design your formula around energy flow.
Every class should gently rise, peak, and descend — from calm to energised to calm again. You can create the formula once using the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, and simply click a button to copy the plan. That means you don’t need to reinvent the wheel each time you create a plan.

Tip 17. Plan your timing consciously.
Over-plan slightly but be ready to skip poses rather than rush through them.

Tip 18. Always include a cooling pose.
After upper-body work, include gentle neck or shoulder stretches before relaxation. The Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, has lots of cooling poses.

Tip 19. Close with grounding.
End with 1–2 minutes of breath focus, gratitude, or a gentle affirmation to seal the practice. The Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, has lots of grounding exercises.

Tip 20. Reflect after each class.
Note what worked, what didn’t, and adjust your formula accordingly — over time, you’ll develop your own signature teaching rhythm. If using the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, you can make notes within the notes section of the lesson plan.

6 Reasons to Use the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner

Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner

In the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner, you’ll be able to:

Create chair yoga plans.
Choose from hundreds of chair yoga poses.
Drag and drop poses and breathwork.
Save plans to reuse as chair yoga class formulas.
Switch between Short View (for teaching) and Long View (for prep).
Print plans or view on phone, tablet or desktop.

20 Chair Yoga Class Themes

Here are 20 teacher-tested chair yoga lesson plan themes to inspire your next chair yoga lesson plan.

Theme 1. Ground & Grow
Build stability through the feet and spine with grounding poses and slow transitions.

Theme 2. Breathe & Balance
Combine mindful breathing with simple balance poses using the chair for support.

Theme 3. Open Your Heart
Include gentle chest openers, shoulder stretches, and affirmations of self-compassion.

Theme 4. Energy & Focus
Uplift energy levels with seated sun salutations and coordinated arm–leg movements.

Theme 5. Strength from the Core
Develop core stability through seated twists, posture work, and gentle abdominal engagement.

Theme 6. Soften the Shoulders
Release upper-body tension with rolls, shrugs, and supported eagle arms.

Theme 7. Happy Hips
Encourage hip mobility with seated pigeon, leg circles, and supported lunges.

Theme 8. Joyful Movement
Flow rhythmically to music, boosting mood and encouraging playful exploration.

Theme 9. Calm & Centered
Focus on slow, breath-led movements and mindfulness to calm the nervous system.

Theme 10. Flow for Flexibility
Lengthen and open the body with gradual stretches from head to toe.

Theme 11. Strong Legs, Steady Mind
Build strength and balance with seated leg lifts, supported Warrior poses, and mindful standing work.

Theme 12. Twist & Detox
Cleanse and refresh with gentle spinal rotations and breathwork to support digestion.

Theme 13. Neck & Shoulder Release
Ease tension from screen time with slow, supported stretches for the neck and shoulders.

Theme 14. Relax & Restore
Soothe the body with long-held restorative poses and guided breathing.

Theme 15. Move with the Seasons
Align practice with the natural rhythms of the year — renewal in spring, grounding in autumn, rest in winter.

Theme 16. Joy in the Small Moves
Celebrate subtlety through mindful micro-movements of fingers, wrists, and toes.

Theme 17. Breath of Life
Integrate pranayama — such as three-part breath or alternate nostril breathing — with slow, expansive movement.

Theme 18. Confidence & Courage
Empower students through uplifting affirmations and chair-supported Warrior poses.

Theme 19. Stretch & Smile
Bring playfulness to the mat (or chair!) with light-hearted, expressive stretches.

Theme 20. Letting Go
Encourage emotional and physical release with long exhales, gentle twists, and soft forward folds.

George’s Conclusion

A Chair Yoga Class Formula gives you structure, safety, and creative freedom — especially when teaching mixed-ability or senior groups.

With a clear formula in place, you’ll never wonder “what to teach next.” Instead, you’ll flow through every class confidently, knowing your sequence is balanced, accessible, and inspiring.

If you haven’t yet, read the earlier articles in this series:

And if you’d like to explore creating and saving your own formulas, get your yogic hands on the Online Chair Yoga Lesson Planner!

Post Views: 0

Chair Yoga Class Formula: A Complete Guide