Accessible Yoga with Props and Chairs
Yoga is for every body. Using props like chairs, blocks, and straps, we make every pose accessible—perfect for seniors, desk workers, or anyone managing an injury.
This video demonstrates a full Chair Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation. It's a wonderful sequence for anyone with mobility issues or those who need a gentle stretch break at their desk.
Here, a chair provides support in a modified Virabhadrasana II, or Warrior Pose. This allows you to experience the full benefits of the pose, like opening the hips and strengthening the legs, without straining.
Using a chair for support in Warrior III is a great way for beginners to build confidence and body awareness. It helps you focus on alignment and stability while you get used to the balance.
Placing blocks under the hands in Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Downward-Facing Dog, can make the pose more accessible if you have tight shoulders or hamstrings. It helps to lengthen the spine and reduce pressure on the wrists.
In this low lunge, or Anjaneyasana, blocks under the hands provide lift and stability. This modification helps you to sink deeper into the hip stretch while keeping the chest open and spine long.
A block is a fantastic tool in Extended Side Angle Pose. Placing your hand on a block brings the floor closer to you, helping you maintain a long side body and open chest without compromising your alignment.
The wall is one of our best props. Here, it's used to deepen the twist in Ardha Matsyendrasana, providing leverage to rotate the torso while keeping the spine long and supported.
So many of us hold tension in our neck and shoulders from looking at devices. This guided video offers simple, effective movements you can do anytime, even sitting in a chair, to release stiffness and pain.
About Accessible Yoga: Using Props & Chairs
You don't need a specific level of flexibility to practice yoga. If you are working with stiff hamstrings, back pain, or limited mobility, we use blocks for height and chairs for support, turning challenging asanas into manageable, safe movements. It is about finding stability first—because once you feel secure in a pose, only then can you truly breathe into it and find the release you are looking for.
Making Yoga Work for Your Body
Yoga isn't about forcing yourself into a shape you see on social media. It is about adjusting the practice until it fits where you are today. Whether you are dealing with 'tech neck' from long hours at a desk, recovering from an injury, or simply finding that your joints feel stiffer than they used to, props are not a sign of weakness. They are tools that provide leverage, stability, and safety.
How We Use Props
- Chairs: We use chairs for everything from seated twists to full Surya Namaskar sequences. This is excellent for those who cannot easily get up and down from the floor or need extra support while standing.
- Blocks: These are extensions of your arms. If you cannot reach the floor in a forward fold, blocks bring the floor to you, allowing you to keep your spine long and avoid straining your lower back.
- Straps: Used to deepen stretches safely. A strap helps you find length in your hamstrings or shoulders without collapsing your chest or compromising your alignment.
- Walls: The wall is the ultimate prop for balance poses like Warrior III or for finding deep twists like Ardha Matsyendrasana without losing your center of gravity.
Who This Is For
These sessions are designed for anyone who wants to move without fear of pain or injury. If you have been told to 'just stretch' but aren't sure how to do it safely, or if you find regular group classes move too fast for you to keep up, this approach is the bridge you need. We focus on alignment and breath, ensuring you build strength and mobility at a pace that respects your body's current capacity.
Nikaya Yoga
I’m Namrata. I started Nikaya Yoga because I believe the mat should be a place of relief, not frustration. Whether we are using a chair for your Sun Salutations or blocks to bring the floor closer in a forward fold, my goal is to help you build a practice that fits your body today, not some ideal version of yourself you think you should be.
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