Answers
Short, honest answers to the questions people ask most about chair yoga and seated tai chi. Each one starts with the answer, then the evidence, with every claim linked to the study behind it on our sources page.
- Does chair yoga help you lose weight?Probably not much. Chair yoga and seated tai chi are light-intensity activity, about 2 to 2.8 METs , and a review of 30 yoga trials found no overall effect on body weight .
- Tai chi vs yoga: what’s the difference?Yoga moves through stretches and held positions; tai chi is a slow, continuous flow linked to the breath. For older adults, tai chi has the stronger evidence for balance and falls ; yoga helps flexibility and mood, but no trial yet shows fewer falls with it .
- Is chair yoga effective?Modestly. Small trials show chair yoga can ease pain and lift mood, especially for people who can’t stand to exercise . The largest trial, in 454 adults aged 65 and over, found no clear change in overall quality of life , and chair-based exercise hasn’t been shown to improve balance .
- Is chair yoga safe?For most people, yes. Here’s who should check with a doctor first.