Move · Videos · Tai Chi · 7 min

6-Minute Seated Tai Chi

6-Minute Seated Tai Chi — video by WA Centre for Rural Health Play · 6:35

Video by WA Centre for Rural Health on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A short, slow tai chi routine done sitting in a chair, from a university rural health centre's home exercise series: breathing with arm floats and lifts, reaches, gentle twists and side leans with a leg lift.

  • 7 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair
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Step by step 6

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Take three deep breaths, then float the arms out to the sides, draw them in and push down as you breathe out. 0:58
  2. Palms down: lift the hands breathing in and lower them breathing out; raise them higher only if comfortable. 1:50
  3. Reach up with the hands together, then reach out with one hand and then the other, breathing out as you reach. 2:32
  4. Gentle twists: sweep one hand round as you turn, then change hands, turning a little further each time. 3:26
  5. Lean slightly to one side and lift the leg a little, then the other side, in your own time. 4:15
  6. Arms up and crossed, lean to one side lifting the leg, then open the chest as you straighten; repeat each side. 5:05

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Move slowly and breathe in as the arms rise, out as they lower
  • Raise the arms only as high as is comfortable
  • Stop and rest if you feel pain, dizziness or breathlessness

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movesarm floats, lifts and reaches
  • Upper back movesseated twists, side leans
  • Lower back movesseated twists, side leans
  • Hips movesseated knees out and in, leg lifts

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. This video was harder to rate from its talk and pictures, so treat it as a rougher guide. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by WA Centre for Rural Health; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety