Sitting down
Lower yourself slowly until you're sitting on the chair, keeping control of your trunk and head.
Share it with your family
If you feel pain, stop. If you have a recent injury or surgery, check with your doctor before you start.
The steps, in writing
Place your hands at your groin.
Lower your trunk very slowly, bringing your head down.
Keep lowering very slowly until you're sitting.
Breathe with your hands at your sides.
Safety notes
- Make sure the chair is right behind you before you start to lower yourself.
- Do it very slowly; if you feel dizzy or have pain, stop and steady yourself.
What you need
- a firm chair without wheels
Every step counts
This movement has levels: seated, holding a chair, and standing. Start at yours and stay there as long as you like — level 1 is already a complete practice, not a token version.
- Level 1 · Seated— On a firm chair, feet flat on the floorOn a firm chair, feet flat on the floor
- Level 2 · Holding a chair— Standing, holding on to a firm chairStanding, holding on to a firm chair← this video
- Level 3 · Standing— Standing, with support nearby just in caseStanding, with support nearby just in case
Sitting down seems easy, but doing it slowly and with control is an exercise in itself. Here we practise that lowering step by step, without rushing, so your body learns the way.
What Frank says
Translated from Frank’s Spanish narration.
Exercise thirty-three: sitting down. Hands at the groin. We lower the trunk very slowly, bringing the head down. Very slowly, until we’re sitting. We breathe. Hands at the sides.
Related videos
Exercise 34
Lying down
Learning to lie down and get up from bed using your elbow for support, calmly and without rushing.
Watch the video
Exercise 32
Adjusting your shoes
We practise the movement of bringing your foot back, as when you adjust your shoe, to make putting on shoes easier.
Watch the video
Exercise 31
Putting on your socks
We practise putting on our socks step by step, without rushing, calmly.
Watch the video
Want to go deeper?
The complete method is in My Yoga Process, Frank Calber’s book.