18 Best Seated Yoga Poses | How to Guide

Seated Yoga Poses: Yoga is all about the various asanas that help you achieve overall health. Each asana affects a particular part of the body. While some asanas can be done, some can be reclined and some asanas can be done.

Seated Yoga Pose is suitable for practitioners of all levels and helps to tone the core as well as promote better posture. You can do them at the beginning of a Yoga class to warm the body, or at the end of class to cool your body.

The following 18 Seated Yoga Poses by sequence can be done anytime, anywhere and they will help you in increasing your health as well.

1. Easy Pose (Sukhasana)

Sukhasana, Easy Pose, or Pleasant Posture is an asana practiced in yoga. This pose is the best Seated Yoga Pose fitted to meditation for both beginners and advanced practitioners. Sukhasana comes from the Sanskrit word Sukham which suggests easy, pleasure, comfort, and pleasure. People of all ages can do this asana.

How to do Easy Pose (Sukhasana):

1. Sit with your legs spread in front of you.
2. Now cross your legs in such a way that your knees are wide, the calf is crossed and each leg is placed below the knee. Your knees should be bent, and your feet should stick to your torso.
3. Your legs should relax, and the outer edges should rest on the floor, while the inner edges should arch over your calf. When you look down at your feet, you should see a triangle formed by your shinbone that is crossed and you have both thighs.
4. Ensure a comfortable position between your pelvis and legs. Your pelvis should be in a neutral position.
5. Your back should be balanced such that the tailbone and pubic bone are equally spaced from the floor.
6. Now that your feet are in their place, you can place your palms on your lap. Or you can also place them on your knees with the palms up or palms supported.
7. Extend your tailbone, and strengthen your shoulders. But make sure that your lower back is not fitted so that it pushes the lower ribs forward.
8. In yoga, they say that if you can sit in a pose for two hours and thirty-two minutes, then you have mastered it. You can sit in this posture as long as you are comfortable.
9. Just make sure you alternate to cross legs. You can also put your right foot on your left, and the left-right on odd days.

Benefits of Easy Pose (Sukhasana):

1. It spreads a feeling of peace and calm throughout your mind and body.
2. It relaxes your brain.
3. Your chest and collar bones are widened.
4. Your body alignment is improved.
5. Practicing this asana helps to lengthen your spine.
6. Your back becomes strong and stable.
7. This asana gives a good stretch to your knees and ankles.

2. Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padmasana)

Half Lotus Pose is a Sitting Yoga Posture that opens the hips and extends the knees and ankles. It is a variation of the normal seated meditation posture, the Lotus pose (Padmasana), which is more suitable for college kids with less flexibility within the lower body.

How to do Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padmasana):

1. Cross your legs in Easy Pose. With both hands, raise one leg carefully and place it on your left thigh, close to your hip.
2. Push the hip bones down from the ground and reach the crown of the top to elongate the spine. Drop the shoulders down and back, and press the chest towards the front of the space .
3. Relax the face, jaw, and abdomen.
4. Take a deep breath from the nose down into the stomach. Rotate the legs until you hold them comfortably.

Benefits of Half Lotus Pose (Ardha Padasana):

1. Ideal pose for Pranayama practice
2. Lower back and hips stretch
3. Improves spine health and posture
4. Half lotus is an intermediate sitting yoga pose that is used for meditation. This asana opens the hips, knees, and ankles and is used in the preparation of a full lotus.

Related: Best 12 Aerial Yoga Poses | How to Guide | Benefits | Tips | Caution

3. Lotus Pose (Padmasana)

The Lotus Posture, or Padmasana in Sanskrit, requires open hips and constant practice. This pose forms an essential foundation for meditation practice while helping to manage tension with a conscious stretch in front of the thighs and ankles.

How to do Lotus Pose (Padmasana):

1. Sit on the floor or the mat, keeping the spine straight.
2. Bend the proper knee and place it on the left thigh. Make sure that the only of the feet points upward and therefore the heel is on the brink of the abdomen.
3. Now, repeat an equivalent step with the opposite leg.
4. With both legs crossed and feet on opposite thighs, place your hands in the posture position on the knees.
5. Keep head straight and spine straight.
6. Take gentle long breaths in & out.

Benefits of Lotus Pose ( Padmasana):

1. Improves digestion
2. Reduces muscle tension and brings blood pressure under control
3. Calms the mind
4. Helps pregnant women during childbirth
5. Reduces menstrual discomfort

4. Staff Pose (Dandasana)

Staff Pose (Dandasana) gives you the basic alignment most commonly used for Sitting Yoga Poses. Think of it as a seated version of the Mountain Pose (Tadasana), which is the base of the standing pose. The most important part of this pose is getting your spine in an upright position that is viable. This may mean sitting on a blanket or two. In a typical yoga practice, the Staff Pose moves to a forward bend.

How to do Staff Pose (Dandasana):

1. Sit with your legs spread straight in front of you.
2. You want to sit on your sitting bones as much as possible. To that end, grab the flesh of each buttock and move it from the path. This results in a much more down to earth feeling.
3. Attach your thigh muscles and flex both legs. Your heel may come off the floor, but do your best to keep them on the mat for engagement. Bend at the knees when needed.
4. Stack the shoulders directly above the hips. Leave your shoulders away from your ears.
5. In the ideal version of the pose, the palms are straight and flat on the floor on either side of your hips to support your spine. However, arm lengths vary, so there is some discretion to slightly bend your arms or change the location of your palms.
6. Inhale to lengthen your spine.
7. Try to stop for five deep breaths with legs fully activated.

Benefits of Staff Pose (Dandasana):

1. Strengthens the quads.
2. Improve core stability.
3. Builds back muscles.
4. Prepares the body for most seating poses.

5. Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold Pose (Upavistha Konasana)

The wide-legged sitting forward fold is a Sitting Yoga Posture that deeply stretches the legs and spine, along with calming the mind and relieving stress. It is often practiced towards the end of a yoga class, when the body is hot, to prepare the body to lean even deeper.

How to do Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold Pose (Upavistha Konasana):

1. With the Dandasana / Staff pose, keep your feet apart, to a point where you feel a good stretch, but can still hold the pose, maintain a straight spine, and fall back. Without it.
2. Flex your feet, and place your knees and toes towards the ceiling. Push your legs and sitting bones down, and lengthen through your spine.
3. Bending from the hips, with a long spine. Place your hands between your feet on the floor, and exhale slowly as you start moving your hands forward.
4. Maintain length in front of your body as you bend forward. If you feel that you are starting to fold your back, do not move it further.
5. Hold this pose for 4 to 6 breaths.
6. To come out of the pose, come up with a straight back, pressing your backbones.

Benefits of Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold Pose (Upavistha Konasana):

1. Stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs.
2. Opens the hips and back of the body.
3. Stimulates the abdominal organs.
4. Strengthens your spine.

6. Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

Head-to-knee posture (Janu Sirsasana) is a wonderful stretch to ease the tight hamstrings, the muscles behind your thighs. If you dislike bending forward while sitting upright with both feet, this pose can come as a pleasant surprise. By moving your stretch at once you can go much deeper and feel much better.

How to do Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana):

1. Sit with your feet in front of you (Staff pose / Dandasana).
2. Bend your right knee and place the right foot against the left inner thigh, so that the knee is relaxed.
3. once you exhale, flex the left leg, press the highest of the thigh, lengthen the spine and lift your hands on either side of your head.
4. Rotate your upper body slightly so that you are facing the left leg and then exhale and move forward from the hips.
5. Keep your spine long, chest open and shoulders relaxed.
6. Keep your hands down, bend your left leg, or hold your ankle or leg.
7. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
8. Breath, as you come out of the pose.

Benefits of Head-to-Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana):

1. Calms the mind.
2. Stimulates digestion.
3. Stretch the hips and waist.
4. Relieves menstrual discomfort.
5. Stimulates the kidney and liver.

7. Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana)

The modified head-to-knee posture, or Parivrtta Janu Sirsana in Sanskrit, is a twist of Janu Sirsana that takes the classic forward turn to the next level of release. This pose gives a deep, vivid gift to the side body paired with love and a heart-opening movement.

How to do Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana):

1. Start at the wide-legged straddle pose
2. Bend your right knee and keep the right leg close to the pelvic bone and the inner left thigh.
3. Extend your right arms upward and bend your upper body as much as possible to the left.
4. Hold the left leg with your right hand, bring the back of your hand inward to the left foot. As you bend you can press the arm into the leg for resistance
5. Open your chest to the ceiling and look at your right hand
6. Place your right biceps above the right ear, and place your right hand directly as your stretch.
7. Stop for a few cycles of breath before changing to the other side

Benefits of Revolved Head to Knee Pose (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana):

1. Relieves tension in the muscles between the ribs and behind the body.
2. Encourages full, deep breaths.
3. Stretches the hamstrings, waist, and shoulders
4. It is lovely to balance poses as side stretches such as Chaturanga Dandasana.

8. Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana)

The Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) is an excellent posture from hatha yoga. It gives a good stretch to the entire back of your body, from your calves to your hamstrings (back of thighs) to your spine.

How to do Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana):

1. Bring your arms straight outwards and above your head, reach towards the ceiling.
2. Inhale and stretch your spine long.
3. As soon as you exhale, start coming forward by resting on your hips. Imagine your pelvis as a bowl of water that is leaning forward.
4. On each breath, lengthen your spine. You may begin of your front turn slightly to try to to this.
5. At each exhalation, bend forward. Imagine your stomach coming to rest on your thighs, not your nose coming to your knees. This will help you to lengthen your spine.
6. Keep the neck as a natural extension of your spine, neither cranking to see it nor letting it go completely.
7. When you have come to your full extension with the spine, decide whether you want to stay here or allow your spine to move forward.
8. Hold your ankles or calves, whichever you can reach. You may also use a strap stretches around feet. Keep your feet firmly filled.

Benefits of Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana):

1. Stretches your Lower back, hamstring, and hip.
2. Massage and tone the stomach and pelvic organs.
3. Tones the shoulders.

9. Marichi’s Pose (Marichyasana I)

Marichyasana I Pose give peace to your mind, extends your spine, and gives your internal organs a healthy compress.

How to do Marichi’s Pose (Marichyasana I):

1. Sit in Dandasana, feet directly in front of you. You can bend a blanket under your hips, or roll half of a yoga mat to bring your hips slightly higher.
2. Bend your right knee, and bring the heel as close to the seating bone as possible. Your right leg is flat on the ground, and the left leg is straight, the left knee and the toes are pointing upwards. To activate the back of the foot, press the heel of the left foot on the floor.
3. You can have a slight internal rotation in the left leg, while the right, bent leg has a slight external rotation. Gently rotate your upper body to the left, so that the right shoulder rotates towards the left leg, and the left shoulder rotates backward.
4. Inhale your right hand to shoulder level, and bring the thumb down. While exhaling, start bending forward, and bring your right hand out of your outer leg to the right thigh.
5. Inhale, and as you exhale bring your left arm behind your back, and hold your wrist or fingers behind your back.
6. Keep your back long, and bend forward, keeping space between your pubic bone and navel. Pull your shoulder blades back towards your hands.
7. Stay for 3-6 long breaths.
8. To come out, first release the hands, get up slowly, straighten the feet, and take a few breaths before repeating on the other side.

Benefits of Marichi’s Pose (Marichyasana I):

1. Calms the brain
2. Stretches the spine and shoulders
3. Stimulates abdominal organs such as liver and kidney
4. Improves Digestion

10. Heron Pose (Krounchasana)

A lot is going on in heron poses (Krounchasana), which helps to open all the major muscle groups of your feet. Do not be dashed because there are many ways to modify the absolute position so that it is more accessible. The main stretch here is in the hamstrings, so it is a good idea to warm them first.

How to do Heron Pose (Krounchasana):

1. While sitting in Dandasana, bend your right knee and place your foot next to your hip, in half Veerasana posture. Sitting on a folded blanket or block if you have any discomfort in your knee and so that you can sit on the ground through both bones while you are sitting,
2. Bend your left knee and hold the left leg with both hands.
3. Push your shoulder with the blade on your back, open the chest and start inhaling straighten your left leg, while keeping the spine long.
4. Once your leg is straightened, exhale as you bring it closer to the chest.
5. Stop for about 5 breaths and release the foot as soon as you exhale. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits of Heron Pose (Krounchasana):

1. There is a stretch in the calf of the thigh, ankle, and bent leg.
2. Behind the straight leg, from the hamstrings to the Achilles tendon.
3. Improve core stability.

11. Bound Angle Pose or Butterfly (Baddha Konasana)

Bound Angle Pose is a famous seated yoga posture that opens the hips and groceries. It is also sometimes called “cobbler pose”, similar to how cobblers in India sit on the ground to work on footwear.

How to do Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana):

1. From the sitting position, bring the feet down along with the knees towards the feet and knead the fingers around the toes.
2. Inhale and push the hips down and reach the crown of the head towards the ceiling. Lower the shoulders down and back, press your chest towards the front. Press your knees towards the floor to open your hips.
3. Keep the back flat and chest open, exhale, and gently pull your torso forward. Close your eyes and look at the third eye / sixth chakra.
4. Breathe and hold for 3-8 breaths.

Benefits of Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana):

1. Increases hip mobility and extend inner thighs
2. Grounding and Quiet

12. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

The Half Lord of the Fishes Pose called Ardha Matsyendrasana in Sanskrit, invites energy within the spine that helps encourage proper digestion while improving postoperative and body awareness.

How to do Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana):

1. From Staff Pose (Dandasana), together with your legs straight ahead of your body, bend your left knee and convey the only of your left foot out of your right thigh to the floor.
2. Bend your right knee and tuck your right leg near your left buttock.
3. Inhale and bring your right hand directly near your right ear.
4. Exhale and bend your torso to the left, bringing your right elbow out of your left knee and left palm to the floor just behind your sitting bones.
5. Stare at your left shoulder, but do not pressurize the neck; The bend comes from your stomach, not from your neck.
6. On each breath, stretch the spine long. At each exhale, deepen the bend slightly.
7. Keep the soles of your left foot flat on the floor.
8. When you release the pose, bend slightly in the opposite direction as a counterpose.
9. Release the legs and switch their position while preparing to bend to the other side.

Benefits of Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana):

1. Broken shoulder, hip, neck, and spine
2. Relief from fatigue, back pain, and sciatica
3. Stimulate digestion and metabolism
4. Stimulate kidney and liver
5. Relief causes menstrual problems

13. Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)

When thinking of hip openers in yoga, most pictures are made where the legs are separated. But poses like Cow Face (Gomukhasana), where the legs are brought together, also have hip stretches, which work the musculature around the pelvis differently.

How to do Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana):

1. Sit on a yoga mat with your back straight and legs spread out in front. Keep your feet together and place your palms next to your hips.
2. Bend your right leg and place the right foot under your left buttock.
3. Place your left knee on your right knee.
4. Raise the left hand above your head and bend the elbow. With this, bring the right hand behind your back and mix the two hands.
5. Breathe deeply and stay as long as you are comfortable.
6. Now, as you exhale, release your arms.
7. Unheard your feet and repeat for the other leg.

Benefits of Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana):

1. Cures sciatica
2. Helps in hypertension
3. The reproductive organs are toned and massaged with regular practice
4. Heals stiff shoulders
5. Increases Spine
6. Reduces stress and anxiety
7. Builds back muscles
8. Strengthens ankle, hips, thighs, shoulders, triceps, inner armpits, and chest muscles

14. Compass Pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana)

Compass Pose or the circulating Surya Yantra is a challenging sitting posture that is an excellent shoulder opener. Due to the complexity of the posture, it is usually attempted only by advanced yogis and is beneficial for those who wish to open their hips.

How to do Compass Pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana):

1. Begin by sitting in Sukhasana (cross-legged position).
2. Bend the right knee and bring it close to your chest as if hugging it.
3. Unleash the left leg.
4. Place your right hand in front of your right foot and bring your right hand under your right foot. Place your fingers firmly on the ground or mat. Reach your right foot with your left hand and extend your right leg as long as possible, while simultaneously moving your left hand upward and straighten it.
5. Keep a gaze on the left arm.
6. Hold the pose for at least 10 seconds and repeat with the other side.

Benefits of Compass Pose (Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana):

1. Improves digestion
2. Provides relief in respiratory disorders
3. Develops patience

15. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

Pigeon pose is a hip opener forward bend. There are 3 versions of the pigeon pose. This version is that the initiative and is one that you simply would usually practice during a yoga class.

How to do Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana):

1. From all four sides, bring your right knee forward towards your right wrist. Depending on your body it may be behind your wrist or on its outer or inner edge.
2. Experiment with what feels right for you, causing a stretch on your outer hip without any discomfort in your knee.
3. Your right ankle will be somewhere in front of your left hip.
4. Move your left foot back and point your toes, your heel is pointing up to the ceiling.
5. Stretch your hips together, pulling your legs towards each other. Use some support below your right buttock if necessary to maintain the level of your hips.
6. When you inhale, come to your fingertips, lengthen your spine, pull your navel in and open your chest.
7. When you exhale, raise your hands forward and lower your upper body towards the floor. You may rest your forehead & forearms on the mat.
8. Stay for 5 breaths or longer.
9. With each breath exhaled, trying to release tension in your right hip.
10. To come out of the pose, push the hands backward, lift your hips, and turn your leg around. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits of Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana):

1. Increases the outer range of motion of the femur in the hip socket
2. Lengthens Hip Flexors
3. Prepares the body for backbands
4. Prepares the body for sitting posture like Padmasana (lotus posture)

16. Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana)

Hanumanasana opens the hips and extends the muscles in the waist and hamstring area. Be sure to warm-up yourself with some hip-opening exercises before getting into this pose.

How to do Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana):

1. Begin by bending your knees on the floor. Keep your right foot forward and lift the inner high enough that only the outer heel touches the floor.
2. When you exhale, tilt your torso forward and bring your fingers to touch the floor.
3. Slowly move your left knee backward until the front part of the knee and leg touches the ground. With this, move your right leg forward until it touches the floor completely.
4. Move your left leg backward and right leg forward, into a split position.
5. The toes of the right foot should be pointing towards the sky and the front part of the left leg should be touching the ground.
6. Raise your arms and join your palms. Spread your arms and bend your back slightly.
7. Stay in this position for one or two breaths before bringing your arms back.
8. To come out of this posture, shift the body weight on the hands by pressing on the floor. Lower your left and right legs slowly forward and right leg back to the starting position before repeating the pose with the left leg.

Benefits of Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana):

1. Hanumanasana stretches and strengthens muscles in the hamstrings, thighs, and waist region.
2. This pose stimulates the abdominal organs.
3. Regular practice of this posture ensures that the hips become more flexible over a while.

17. Boat Pose (Navasana)

If you find it difficult to maintain that nice V-shape with your feet straight in the pose of the boat, keep the knees parallel to the floor. This will help keep your spine straight and elevate your thighs.

How to do Boat Pose (Navasana):

1. Sit on your knees and sit your feet flat on the floor.
2. Raise your feet off the floor. First, bend your knees. Bring your bodies parallel to the floor. This is a half boat pose.
3. Your torso will fall back naturally, but don’t let the spine go round.
4. Straighten your legs at an angle of 45 degrees if you can do this without losing the integrity of your upper body. You want to keep your torso as upright as possible so that it forms a V shape with the legs.
5. Move your shoulders back and raise your palms upward, straighten your arms parallel to the floor.
6. Do your best to balance the sitting bones, but it is normal if you are resting slightly behind them. Focus on lifting your chest to support balance.
7. Hold for at least five breaths.
8. Exhale while exhaling. Then inhale and sit.

Benefits of Boat Pose (Navasana):

1. Boat pose builds up stomach and core strength.
2. In addition to the abdominal muscles, it acts as deep hip flexors.
3. It will also help you to build your balance.

18. Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana)

Thunderbolt pose is a traditional and ancient seated yoga pose often used for meditation and yoga asana.

How to do Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana):

1. Get into a knee position with the top of your feet flat on the mat.
2. Sit and relax your buttocks on your heel, touching the big toes together
3. Relax your shoulders and allow your neck, head, and spine to be in a neutral position
4. Raise the crown of your head towards the ceiling
5. Place your hands on your thighs or pray with your hands in the heart center
6. Hold this pose for a few cycles of breath

Benefits of Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana):

1. Help to improve urinary and digestive functions
2. Heals body posture and extends the quads
3. Good posture for the practice of Pranayama

Benefits of Seated Yoga Poses

1. Best for beginners as these are simple and easy yoga asanas.
2. It is beneficial for those who find an option to stand, as they can be seated while doing yoga. For example, for those who receive dizzy spells or have problems with legs, back, etc.
3. Low-risk, because you don’t have to focus too much on balance.
4. Stretches and strengthens the lower back, thighs, and abdominal area.
5. Great for increasing your stamina while sitting.
6. Easy to regulate breathing, because you gradually stay in each posture for a long time in these sitting yoga poses.
7. Relaxes you and relieves you of stress and anxiety.
8. Use of space is optimal with sitting yoga poses. One room’s small corner is enough.

Tips for Seated Yoga Poses

1. Bending forward, if you find it difficult to bend and stretch, then sit on a small block to relax.
2. You can also use a strap or belt, hold the ends of it in your hands and wrap it around the leg to deepen your exercises and stretch more.
3. Beginners with tight hamstrings are advised to keep a rolled towel under the knees in cases of the hyperextended knee and stretched hamstrings.
4. For backbends such as Camel Poses, use the wall to crawl and pull your ankles.
5. Place a soft blanket under your knees and palms in the tabletop position or where you balance the weight on the knees and palms.

Yoga practice helps in bringing many health benefits to the body and mind. Nevertheless, it is not a substitute for medicine. Under the supervision of a trained yoga teacher, it is important to learn and practice yoga postures. In case of any medical condition, practice yoga asanas after consulting a doctor and yoga teacher.