Chair Pose with Straight Arms Forward

How to do Chair Pose with Straight Arms Forward

1. 1Stand tall in Mountain Pose with your feet touching or placed hip-width apart.
2. 2Inhale and reach both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, turning your palms to face each other.
3. 3Exhale, bend your knees, and shift your hips back and down as if lowering into a chair.
4. 4Draw your low belly gently in and up to support your lower back and maintain a long, neutral spine.
5. 5Keep your chest lifted, collarbones broad, and shoulder blades resting naturally down your back.
6. 6Check that your knees track directly over your second toes and do not extend far past your ankles.
7. 7Hold for several steady breaths, then press firmly through your feet to inhale back to standing and release your arms.

Benefits

• Builds substantial functional strength in the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
• Engages the transverse abdominis and erector spinae to support healthy posture.
• Improves mobility and joint stability throughout the ankles and feet.
• Tones the front shoulders without compressing the cervical spine.
• Develops mental endurance and dynamic standing balance.

Common mistakes and cues

• Knees collapsing inward

  Keep your knees tracking in line with your middle toes by lightly engaging your outer hips.

• Shifting weight onto toes

  Sit your hips further back so your weight settles primarily into your heels and mid-foot.

• Excessive lower-back arching

  Draw your navel toward your spine and lengthen your tailbone slightly downward to protect the lumbar spine.

• Hunching shoulders upward

  Soften your shoulder blades down away from your ears while maintaining an active forward reach.

• Collapsing the chest

  Keep your sternum lifted and collarbones wide rather than rounding forward into your upper back.

Modifications and props

• Block between thighs

  Place a yoga block between your upper legs and hug it gently to engage your inner thighs and stabilize your pelvis.

• Wall support

  Lean your back against a wall and slide down into the squat to reduce strain on your knees and lower back.

• Wider stance

  Separate your feet hip-width apart or wider to create a more stable, accessible base of support.

• Hands on hips

  Rest your hands on your hips or thighs if keeping the arms elevated creates fatigue or shoulder discomfort.

Cautions

• Acute knee injury

  Reduce the depth of your bend significantly and stop immediately if you experience sharp pain.

• Lower back pain

  Keep your torso more upright and avoid sinking into a deep squat to prevent lumbar strain.

• Low blood pressure

  Transition slowly when rising out of the pose to avoid dizziness or sudden lightheadedness.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

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