Pose guide
How to improve your Chair Pose
Hips sitting back and down, weight in your heels, torso leaning slightly forward, arms reaching up. Here’s the rubric Posewise measures it against, and what to train when you miss.
The rubric
Posewise checks seven things from the side. Here’s what good looks like.
- Knee bendSitting low, thighs sinking toward level95–150°hip · knee · ankle
- KneesOver your feet, not shooting past your toesOver feetknee vs toes
- AnklesShins tipped forward, heels down60–88°shin · foot
- TorsoLeaning slightly forward, spine long15–50°lean from vertical
- ArmsReaching up, in line with your ears155–185°hip · shoulder · elbow
- WristsStraight, in line with your forearms150–185°elbow · wrist · hand
- NeckLong, in line with your spine150–185°hip · shoulder · ear
What’s holding it back
Build quad and glute strength, and you’ll sit lower without your knees driving forward.
A shallow chair, or knees shooting past the toes, usually means the legs aren’t yet strong enough to sit back.
Goblet squats12 reps
Split squats8 a side
Sit your hips back and down, like sitting into a chair.
Free up your ankles, and your shins can tip forward while your heels stay down.
Tight calves stop the shins tipping forward, which caps how low you can sit, however strong your legs are.
Ankle mobility drill10 a side
Wall calf stretch20s a side
Let your shins tip forward, weight staying in your heels.
Build core control, and your torso will hold a steady forward lean without your low back arching.
Folding far forward from the low back, or staying bolt upright, usually points to core control.
Dead bugs8 a side
Pelvic tilts10 slow reps
Sink through your hips and lift your chest.
Free up your shoulders, and your arms will reach up in line with your ears.
When shoulder range runs out overhead, the arms stop short, the wrists bend back and the shoulders creep toward the ears.
Wall slides10 reps
Doorway lat stretch20s a side
Reach your arms up in line with your ears.
And one cue: keep your neck long and look ahead rather than craning up at your hands.
Not sure which one is yours?
Posewise watches your Chair Pose through your iPhone camera, tells you which of these is holding you back, and builds a six-minute daily plan to fix it. Video never leaves your phone.
Join the betaFree during the beta · iPhone
Quick answers
Should my knees go past my toes?
Keep them roughly over your toes by sitting your hips back. If you can’t see your toes, sit back more.
Where should my weight be?
Mostly in your heels, enough that you could lift your toes. Weight in the balls of your feet pushes your knees forward.
Should I lean forward?
A little. Your torso tips forward as your hips sit back, with your spine long. Draw your tailbone down rather than arching your low back.
What if my shoulders hurt with my arms overhead?
Take your hands shoulder-width or wider, or bring them to your heart. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
How can I check my Chair Pose form at home?
Film yourself from the side. Or use Posewise, an iPhone app that measures your Chair Pose with the camera, speaks corrections as you hold it, and builds a six-minute daily plan for what it finds.