Statistics suggest that around 70-80% of adults over the age of 65 have high blood pressure, heart disease, and/or another cardiovascular condition. As a chair yoga instructor for seniors, my mission is to help make yoga more accessible to those who need it most. With hypertension and other cardiovascular issues affecting so many older adults, I felt called to outline some of the key modifications to make when practicing yoga with a heart condition.

Today, we'll discuss the do's and don'ts of yoga for heart patients and walkthrough how to modify 10 traditional yoga poses into heart-friendly chair yoga variations. Read to the end to download a FREE printable chair yoga exercises for seniors pdf guide with step-by-step pictures and instructions for a heart-friendly, chair yoga sequence. As a bonus, I've also included a printable 28-day chair yoga challenge to help make practicing this 15-minute chair yoga routine a daily habit.

Don't attempt inversions

Traditional yoga routines tend to include a lot of inversions. What are inversions? Inversions are any posture in which your heart is positioned above your head. Obvious examples are headstands and handstands but even some beginner yoga poses, such as adho mukha svanasana (downward-facing dog) and uttanasana (standing forward bend), can be considered inversions.

Generally, inversions are great for improving circulation and providing an energy boost. However, inversions can pose health risks to elderly adults with high blood pressure or existing heart conditions. This is because positioning your head below your heart causes blood to rush toward your head. Blood pressure temporarily increases around the brain, eyes, and heart making inversions risky for seniors who are already at a higher risk of heart attack or stroke.

While most seniors probably aren't too concerned about being able to stand on their heads, beginner poses, such as down dog and standing forward bends, offer many benefits outside of their role as inversions. And you deserve to experience the benefits of yoga just like anyone else!

Here are a few modifications, you can use to turn these traditional yoga poses into a heart-friendly chair yoga workout.

Modification #1: Chair yoga down dog

Downward-facing dog is traditionally practiced with the hands and feet flat on the floor, positioning the heart above the head. To modify this, we want to use a chair.

Bend your knees and place your hands either on the back or the seat of the chair. Press your weight into the heels of your feet, and press your chest down in between your shoulders. Keeping your weight in your heels and length in your spine, slowly start to straighten the legs. It doesn't matter if your legs are all the way straight. It just matters that your spine is straight and you're feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.

Hold this posture for 3-5 slow deep breaths.

Modification #2: Chair yoga uttanasana

Uttanasana, or standing forward fold in English, is exactly what it sounds like. The traditional asana involves trying to bend over to touch your toes while keeping the legs straight. To get the same hamstring stretch without the inverted position, we're going to convert this standing forward fold into a seated, single-leg stretch.

Sit down in your chair, extend one leg out long in front of you, and flex your ankle so that your toes point toward you. Raise the arm level with your shoulder on the same side as the extended leg. Inhale, lift your chest, and get long through the spine. Exhale, pick a point in front of you to focus on as you start to bend forward, trying to touch your toes with your hand.

Make sure that as you reach forward, you keep your spine long and your chest lifted. Don't curl your chin in or hunch through your back to try and reach further. It doesn't matter how far you get or how the pose looks. You're not auditioning for the circus. You're just trying to feel a good stretch.

Hold this chair yoga pose for 3-5 breaths before inhaling to come up and then repeating the same process on the other side.

Don't practice deep backends

Backbends are often called " heart-openers " In the yoga world. This is because, backbends open up the chest, stretch the back, and can create a sense of physical vitality and emotional oppeness. All of this makes backbends an essential part of any chair yoga practice.

However, intense backbends can cause a sudden increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which can be dangerous for seniors with heart conditions. Even as a young person conditioned to deep back-bending poses, my heart rate typically increases by 50 bpm when doing heart-opening poses, like wheel-pose.

But this doesn't mean you can’t practice backbends as an older adult! It just means that you should modify by using the chair for support and holding the poses for shorter durations to reduce the intensity.

Here are a few examples of how you can adapt a few traditional back-bending yoga stretches to be appropriate for chair yoga.

Modification #1: Chair cow pose

This chair yoga variation of cow pose is a perfect seated stretch for seniors. You can get all the benefits of wheel pose but in a seated position. The pose is demonstrated by Haiden Maples, the best personal trainer for seniors in Austin & Dallas.

One of the most common heart-openers in yoga is urdhva dhanurasana, also known-as wheel pose. However, this is both an intense backbend and inversion, neither of which is appropriate for a chair yoga program for seniors with heart conditions. As simple way to get the same stretch through your back and shoulders is to practice a chair yoga cow stretch.

To practice, sit comfortably in a chair, and place your hands over the top of your knees. As you inhale, slowly pull your chest forward and squeeze your shoulder blades together behind you until you feel a gentle stretch in your mid-back. Be careful not lift your chin or gaze up, and make sure your breaths remains deep and even.

Hold for a count of 3-5 slow, deep breaths.

Modification #2: Chair camel pose

Try this camel pose modification, perfect for chair yoga! Learn chair yoga with Haiden Maples, the best private yoga instructor offering senior fitness classes in Austin, TX and Dallas, TX.

Camel pose, or ustrasana, is another popular backbending yoga pose. However, like wheel pose this asana can be intense, especially for beginners. The good news, is that seniors with heart conditions can still experience the benefits of camel pose through using the chair for support.

To practice, stand with the back of your legs facing the right side of the chair. Hold onto the back of the chair with your right hand, and bring your left shin up to rest on the seat of the chair. Fix your gaze on a point ahead to help you balance.

Squeeze through your core muscles and glutes so that your tailbone moves forward into posterior pelvic tilt. Continue this engagement as you push your hips forward slightly. Inhale, lift your left arm up and overhead, and think about creating length through the spine. Imagine you were trying to reach for something just out of reach above your head.

Hold this posture for 3-5 slow, deep breaths. Come out immediately if you feel dizzy or nauseous at any point.

Do reduce the intensity of strenuous exercises

Yoga isn't just about stretching! It is a true workout that can help increase core strength and muscle mass in your legs. However, some of the best strengthening yoga poses require significant physical effort. This exertion can overwork the heart, which is dangerous if you're already at a higher risk of cardiovascular events.

Especially if you're attending your first chair yoga class, opt for easier variations of strengthening poses. Wait until the beginner versions of a chair yoga pose become effortless before moving on to the intermediate and advanced options.

Here are examples of three different levels for the common strengthening yoga poses warrior I and warrior II. Start with the easiest variation and work upward only when you are able to perform the pose with minimal effort.

Modification #1: Chair warrior I

To practice level one of chair warrior I pose, start by coming to sit comfortably in your chair. Turn so that your right leg and chest are facing toward the right side of your chair, and extend the left leg out long behind you. Hold onto the back of the chair with your right hand for support, and bring your left hand up and overhead on the inhale.

You can stay here to get a stretch through the front of your left hip flexors. However, if you want to work on building leg strength, press both feet strongly down into the ground, trying to lift your hips off the chair. It doesn't matter if you can actually press-up. If you're pushing against resistance, you're getting stronger.

If level one feels easy for you, you can move on to level two of chair warrior I pose. To practice, start by placing the chair at the top of your yoga mat with the back facing toward you. Hold onto the back of the chair for balance, and set your right foot down at the front of the mat in line with the right leg of the chair. Bring your left foot to the back of the mat in line with the left leg of the chair. Inhale, engage through your core muscles and exhale, start to bend into the front right knee.

Most seniors find that level two offers enough challenge. However, after an extended period of regularly attending chair yoga classes you might eventually find this pose to be easy. Under the supervision of an experienced chair yoga instructor, you can move on to level three in which you lift one or both hands off the back of the chair.

Whichever level you land at, hold the pose for 3-5 slow, deep breaths and then repeat on the other side.

Modification #2: Chair warrior II

Chair warrior two highlights the benefits of yoga vs. weight training for seniors. Strengthening exercises you can do in a chair help tone muscles and improve balance and mobility. Get started with online chair yoga for seniors!

There are also three levels for practicing chair warrior II pose. To practice level one, start by coming to sit in your chair. Adjust your position so that your right leg is opened out the side. The inside of your right knee should be touching the right edge of the chair. Hold onto the chair for support and extend your left leg out to the left side of the chair with your toes pointing toward the long side of the mat.

Just like with chair warrior I, you can stay here for a hip stretch or you can press the ground away and try to lift the hips up to work on building leg strength. If you are too tall or too short for your chair, you can place a yoga block or book under your right foot or pelvis to make this pose more comfortable.

Once, this is easy, you can move onto level two of chair warrior II. Bring the chair to the top of the mat with the back of the chair facing toward you. Hold onto the chair with your right hand, and bring your right foot to the top of the mat in the center line of the chair. Step your left foot back with the outer edge of the foot parallel to the back of the mat. Align the heel of your front foot with the arch of your back foot. Engage through your core, and lunge through the right leg. Extend your left arm toward the back of the mat, level with your shoulder.

If this feels easy, you can eventually move on to level three by hovering the right hand just above the chair and trying to hold the pose without support.

Find the level that is best for your body and hold the pose for 3-5 slow, deep breaths before repeating on the other side.

Do emphasize slow, gentle movements

Moving through your chair yoga sequence too quickly can also increase your heart rate. In general, cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart health. However, if you are, for whatever reason, at higher risk for experiencing a cardiac event, this needs to be approached with caution.

Always practice chair yoga under the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher. Start with slow, gentle movements to warm up and pace yourself when moving on more challenging chair exercises. Stop immediately if you feel excessively tired, chest pain, breathlessness, or nausea.

Here are some chair yoga tips on two ways to modify the classic surya namaskar or sun salutations often used as a warm up at the beginning of a chair yoga class.

Modification #1: Seated chair sun salutations

Seated sun salutations are one of the best sit down exercises for seniors! Learn how to modify surya namaskar for a chair yoga class. Get started with the best online chair yoga classes for seniors today!

The beginner-level for chair yoga sun salutations is practiced entirely sitting down. Start in seated mountain pose by bringing your palms together in a prayer position in front of your chest. You can close your eyes and take a moment to ground into your practice before getting started.

When you're ready, inhale, and lift your arms up and over head. Exhale, place your palms on the top of your thighs, bend your elbows, and lean forward over your thighs. Make sure your chin stays lifted, and your gaze is forward. Inhale, grab your left knee and bring it up into your chest. Exhale, try to touch your forward to your knee. Inhale, release the knee, bring your foot back down to the ground, and lift your hands up and over head again.

Repeat this same process on the right side to complete one round. Practice 1-3 rounds, making sure your movements are slow and gentle. Feel free to stay in any of the steps for more than one breath if you need to, and stop immediately if you feel light-headed or nauseous.

Modification #2: Standing chair sun salutations

How to modify sun salutations for high blood pressure? Yoga on a chair for seniors with heart conditions or higher risk of stroke is a great exercise to increase strength. Get personalized instruction with the best senior fitness classes near me.

For most seniors, I recommend even short home workouts with at least 1-2 rounds of seated sun salutations. However, if you have extra time, you can add in 1-2 additional rounds of standing chair sun salutations.

To start, bring your chair to the top of your yoga mat with the seat facing toward you. Come into tadasana, or mountain pose, with your palms together in front of your heart. Inhale, lift both arms up and overhead. Exhale, place your hand flat on the seat of the chair and keep your gaze forward as you bend forward any amount. Inhale, straighten through your elbows but keep your hands on the seat of the chair.

Exhale, step back into a plank position with the shoulders in line over your wrists. Inhale and drop your hips down, keeping the chin level as you think about pulling your chest forward through your shoulders. Exhale, use the core to lift the hips up and back into downward dog. Hold down dog for 3-5 breaths slow, deep breaths.

Inhale, step up to the top of the mat with your gaze forward and hands flat on the seat of the chair. Exhale, keep the chin lifted as you bow forward any amount. Inhale, lift the arms up and overhead. Exhale, bring the palms together in front of the chest.

Just as with seated sun salutations, make sure you move through these poses slowly and stop right away if you feel excessive fatigue, chest pain, dizziness, nausea, or any other negative symptoms. Standing sun salutations are great at building strength, flexibility, and endurance but are not appropriate for many seniors. It's best to first practice standing chair sun salutations with a qualified chair yoga teacher to ensure your safety before practicing on your own at home.

Do avoid certain breathing exercises

Last but not least, I want to talk about pranayama, or breathwork. Yoga isn't just about tying yourself up in knots or balancing on your head. It also includes breathing exercises and meditation. These are great options to include at the end of a short chair yoga practice.

However, certain types of breathwork as not safe for those at higher risk for heart attacks and stroke. There are two main types of practices to avoid: rapid breathing and breath retention. Holding the breath can increase intrathoracic pressure, putting strain on the heart and causing a spike in blood pressure. Breathing vigorously increases heart rate and can raise blood pressure as well. This is an obvious risk for heart patients.

Here are two examples of traditional yogic breathing techniques that are unsafe for yogis with high blood pressure and/or heart conditions and how you can modify them to support your body's unique needs.

Modification #1: Bhastrika pranayama

What pranayama are dangerous for high bp? Bhastrika is contraindicated for seniors with heart conditions. Learn how to modify and get personalized instructions with the best fitness coach for seniors in Austin, TX and Dallas, TX.

Bhastrika, also known as bellows breath, is traditionally practiced in a cross-legged seat, breathing vigorously in and out through the nose as the hands are lifted up and down, in sync with the breath. However, this rapid pace of breathing and the strenuous hand movements can be unsafe for seniors with heart health conditions.

To modify come to sit in a comfortable chair with adequate support for your spine. First, instead of breathing rapidly, we're going to practice ujjayi pranayama or victory breath. Hold your hand in front of your mouth and exhale through the mouth like you were trying to fog a window. Do this again, this time exhaling through your nose. Continue breathing in and out through the nose with this slight constriction in the back of the throat.

Once you have the breathing down, you can add in the hand movements. Slowly lift your arms up and overhead on your inhales and bring them back down on your exhales. Make sure your breaths and movements are too fast or too slow. You don't want to move so fast that your heart rate increases, and you don't want to breathe so slowly that you feel light-headed.

Practice this patterns of breathing for 5-10 rounds.

Modification #2: Alternate nostril breathing

Who should avoid alternate nostril breathing? Breath retention is not recommended for seniors at high risk for heart attack and stroke. Learn how to modify nadi shodhana for heart patients. Try out the best online chair yoga classes for seniors today

Alternate nostril breathing is a simple breathing exercise commonly taught in yoga studios. However, there are actually two different methods of practicing alternate nostril breathing. The first, most widespread version is nadi shodhana and involves holding the breath at various points. The second version, anulom vilom, does not include breath retention and is better for seniors with increased risk for heart attacks and stroker.

To practice anulom vilom, start by closing your eyes and bringing your thumb to close your right nostril. Inhale through your left side. Next, switch your fingers so that your thumb lifts and your ring finger plugs your left nostil. Exhale through the right side. Inhale through the right side, and then switch the fingers again. Exhale through the left side.

Once, you make it back to the left side, you've completed one round and can repeat the process again. Practice for 2-3 minutes or about 5-10 rounds. Make sure to stop if you feel light-headed at any point.

Grab your FREE printable chair yoga poses for seniors pdf

Download this free printable chair yoga exercises for seniors pdf guide. Learn how to modify your chair yoga practice for seniors with heart conditions. Track you progress with this 28-chair yoga program guide.

Ready to grab your yoga mat and sign up for the earliest chair yoga class you can find? Well, no worries. I'm here to help you step-by-step on your chair yoga fitness journey.

I've created a FREE printable chair yoga guide with step-by-step instructions and pictures walking you through how to do each of the top 10 chair yoga poses for heart patients discussed in this blog post. You'll also receive a bonus 28-day printable chair yoga challenge to help you stay consistent with your practice and experience the benefits of chair yoga!

Ready to get started? Click the button below to get your FREE printable chair exercises for seniors pdf!

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Let's stay in touch!

Haiden Maples offers this best senior yoga near me. Try out the best senior fitness classes in Austin, TX and Dallas, TX with the city's best personal trainer for senior citizens.

I'm so glad you found my blog post and took the time to read all the way to the end.

Here at Haiden's Yoga Practice, it's my mission to promote wellness for seniors. I share bi-monthly blog posts teaching different chair yoga poses and tips and discussing various topics related to senior health. Join my newsletter to be notified anytime new content goes live and to get more free chair yoga guides delivered straight to your inbox!

As always, if you have any questions or would like me to cover a specific health topic, feel free to email me at info@haidensyogapractice.com.

To learn more about my paid chair yoga and mindfulness services for senior citizens, you can visit my website or book a FREE consult call to learn more about how we can work together to achieve your goals:

Book a Consult: calendly.com/haidensyoga/30min
1:1 Chair Yoga for Seniors: haidensyogapractice.com/private-chair-yoga-classes-for-seniors
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Private Meditation Sessions for Seniors: haidensyogapractice.com/mindfulness-for-seniors

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. I wish you a wonderful rest of your day, filled with mindfulness and ease.

Chair Yoga Exercises for Seniors with Heart Conditions: Do’s and Don'ts

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