Ready for less pain, reduced anxiety, & feeling vibrant in your body?
Practicing gentle chair yoga can help you do all three.
Let me show you how.
I remember the first time I went to a yoga class.
I sat in my car until I was almost late. My heart was racing as I unrolled a mat at the back corner of the class. I didn’t know the first thing about yoga. But I was pretty sure that people like me didn’t belong in a yoga studio.
I am a plus-sized woman. This big body has always been my “yoga body.” Yoga marketing and the covers of magazines had taught me that only thin, wealthy, hyperflexible, white women practiced yoga, and so there I was in my fat, awkward, tattooed body and my decidedly non-fashionable workout clothing, nervous and waiting for class to start.
I struggled through that first class, but felt such a profound benefit from the internal regulation tools that yoga offered me, that I kept coming back. After each class, my mind was quieter, I was less self-conscious, I felt more grounded in my body. But that doesn’t mean the physical practice of yoga felt easy to me.
When I began practicing yoga, teachers didn’t know what the heck to do with me. Even though my body wasn’t making many of the shapes that they were asking of it, in most of the classes I went to, I was ignored. Teachers didn’t offer me modifications, variations on poses, or ways to personalize my practice. Sometimes teachers would tell me to “use a prop if I needed one,” but I was clueless on what to do with props.
Sometimes chairs were in the corner of the room or back in a closet somewhere, but nobody else was using them, so I sure didn’t pull one out.
Looking back now, being ignored for a few years of my practice was a gift, because it meant that I had to be creative and have agency when it came to my practice.
Back then, there weren’t online videos telling you how to modify poses. There weren’t yogis who looked like me with hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram.
And in class, no one was telling me why I couldn’t step my foot forward between my hands to get from down dog into a lunge or how to get there in a different way, so I had to figure it out myself.
At yoga, I discovered that it actually did feel pretty good to move my body. When I’d practice, I would leave class feeling less pain, less anxiety, more calm, grounded, and sure of myself.
In these yoga classes, I got to know my body. I learned to use yoga props, I learned to use the chair to adapt poses, and I learned that no matter your shape, size, age, or ability, you can practice yoga.
My yoga practice made me know in my bones that my body was a powerful, good, and safe place to be.
Fast-forward many years. I decided to become a yoga teacher. I became a yoga teacher because I never saw a teacher who looked like me in front of the class. I became a yoga teacher because I wanted other folks in bigger bodies to understand they could practice yoga. I wanted to show that yoga was not just for skinny, bendy, white girls.
Now I teach yoga full-time. And I understand how to work with humans of all shapes and sizes, especially people who don’t fit the dominant body identity in yoga classes.
The fact is: wellness is our birthright, all of us, and though it might look different for each one of us, we all deserve to find balance, inner peace, and equanimity.
Maybe some of this sounds familiar…
- You want to move your body but you can’t figure out a way to do it that feels good
- You want to feel less pain in your body
- You’ve thought about trying yoga but figure it’s not for you because you think you’re too big, too old, too injured, or too disabled
- You can’t get up and down off the floor but you’d like to try yoga
- You feel stressed and would like a way to calm your mind and feel less anxiety
- You’d like to find a movement practice that supports the body you’re in now (not a crazy workout plan that you have to work up to)
If you’re ready to feel less pain, move your body in a joyful, gentle way, and reduce anxiety and stress, I’ve got an idea for you:
Let’s practice chair yoga together.
I’m Amber Karnes. I’m a yoga teacher, ruckus maker, social justice advocate, and the founder of Body Positive Yoga.
I’ve made it my life’s work to help folks just like you live better in the bodies they have today using the tools of yoga, mindfulness, and self-acceptance.
And I want to invite you to join me on a path toward feeling better in your body, feeling less stressed, and moving your body in a way that feels nourishing, joyful, and free.
I’ve put together a program for you: Chair Yoga with Amber Karnes.
There are 15 video classes built just for folks like you who are ready to get started with yoga in a gentle, affirming way. Plus audio recordings to help you relax and reduce stress.
Your chair practices are incredible
“I just wanted you to know how grateful I am for your chair practice videos. I recently fractured my foot and was worried I couldn’t move my body until it was done healing. But your chair practices are incredible. My body feels wonderful, but my foot is safe. Thank you so, so much.”
Now I practice yoga everyday…
I never believed yoga was something I could do. I didn’t think my large body would be able to move in the way needed to reach the poses. But now I practice yoga everyday and am documenting my journey with raw photos. Without Body Positive Yoga I never would have had the confidence to try yoga let alone share pictures of myself practicing.”
Chair yoga with Amber Karnes
Chair Yoga with Amber Karnes is an online program to help you feel better in the body you have today.
Here are the online video classes you’ll get when you sign up.
Chair practice for the spine
25 minutes
25 minutes
Ease tight shoulders
17 minutes
17 minutes
10-minute yoga break
10 minutes
10 minutes
Core strengthening
20 minutes
20 minutes
Yoga for when you’re sick
20 minutes
20 minutes
Free your breath
22 minutes
22 minutes
Strong & confident chair practice
37 minutes
37 minutes
Combat stress & overwhelm
30 minutes
30 minutes
Seated full-body stretch
26 minutes
26 minutes
Building leg strength in a chair
11 minutes
11 minutes
Seated full-body stretch
26 minutes
26 minutes
Slow, mindful class with props
51 minutes
51 minutes
Morning warmup with a chair
23 minutes
23 minutes
Chair yoga at your desk
10 minutes
10 minutes
Strength-building practice
38 minutes
38 minutes
Plus you’ll get these guided meditation and relaxation audio recordings:
Tense & release relaxation exercise
14 minutes
14 minutes
Guided relaxation for anxiety
8 minutes
8 minutes
Body awareness grounding exercise
11 minutes
11 minutes
You’ll get tips from me on how to make the most of your practice.
Want to try it out?
Practice along with me so you can get a feel for my teaching and pace. In this video, we’ll do sun salutations while seated in a chair.
Get instant access
$39
If you’re ready to move your body in a way that feels good, reduce your pain, and feel less stressed, then we are ready for you. Just click this button to sign up now!
Once you join, the videos are yours to keep forever!
Feel Great!
“Just did the hour-long practice and feel great! After a session like that, I always feel like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz when he gets all oiled and polished up at the Emerald City, everything’s moving again.”
Really loved it
“I just did the hour long class from the first month and really loved it. I haven’t done yoga in a long time and it was just challenging enough, without making me feel defeated.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I get when I sign up?
- When you sign up, you’ll get instant access to your student portal.
- In the portal you’ll have 15 chair yoga video classes, 3 guided audio recordings, plus tips from me on how to make the most out of your practice.
- All videos are closed captioned.
- You’ll have access to all of your videos, forever.
- You can stream the videos through the online portal or download them onto your computer.
If I'm already a member of the Body Positive Clubhouse, do I need this program?
No. All content here also exists in the Body Positive Clubhouse portal. This is just a specially-curated collection of classes for folks who don’t want to join the Clubhouse, but who want to practice Chair Yoga with me.
I can't get up and down off the floor.
That’s okay. That’s kinda the beauty of practicing with a chair. You don’t need to get up and down off the floor at all. One of our classes has some (optional) floor moves but the rest of them are completely seated in a chair or standing behind the chair.
I can't stand for a long period of time (or at all).
That’s fine! About half the classes are completely seated (we don’t get up out of the chair at all). The rest have some standing and some seated poses. You can start where you are and do what you can and still get tremendous benefit from these classes.
I'm not a yoga person. Will I be able to keep up with the yoga classes?
Yes. The yoga classes are designed by me (Amber Karnes, founder of Body Positive Yoga).
I specialize in teaching an adaptive, inclusive yoga practice for diverse body types. I have been doing this a while, in fact I travel the world training other yoga teachers how to work with students of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. I’m also personally in a fat body (I’m a US size 24-ish) so I know what it’s like to practice in a body that doesn’t just fold up in a tiny ball.
My classes are low-pressure, judgment-free yoga. And all of these chair classes are designed with a person just like you in mind!
But I tried yoga and had a bad experience.
I get it. Me too. That’s why I became a yoga teacher.
I want you to know that if you had a bad experience in a class, or if the teacher ignored you, it’s not your fault. Your body is not the problem.
Most likely, the teacher didn’t have the tools they needed to help you take your practice into your own hands and adapt it to your unique body.
But I know how to help you do that, and I can’t wait to help you develop your own strong, stable, vibrant yoga practice.
I have a LOT of body limitations. Am I going to be able to do this?
Absolutely. Folks of all different body sizes, abilities, and ages are part of the Body Positive Yoga community. Many of us struggle with chronic pain, disability, injury, or limitation. We believe body diversity is part of normal human variability and that your body is not a problem to be solved.
I feel guilty spending time and money on myself.
Paying attention to ourselves is difficult, and lots of us have gotten the message at some point in our lives that self-care is selfish. This is some bullsh*t! I say, no more!
The coolest thing about body positivity and self-care for me is that in a world that tells us to hate our bodies and that our bodies aren’t worthy, that means engaging in self care is totally radical, rebellious, and revolutionary.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” -Audre Lorde
Putting our own basic human needs at the center of our lives is radical, especially for women, because traditionally the burden and responsibility for caring and raising children (and by extension our communities) is shouldered by women. This is even more true for women of color, who have spent generations in servitude to others or even as property. Self-care is a radical act.
Living for others is a quality so deeply ingrained in us, that it often translates into the complete abandonment of our own needs, which end up being less important than the needs of our children, partner, family, work, or community.
But self-care is a prerequisite for autonomy, so it is fundamentally important (especially as feminists) that we reject the patriarchal notion that women must neglect themselves in order to serve others.
You deserve to have this care for yourself. And I’ve got your back.
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” -Eleanor Brownn
I don't think I have time for this.
You can spend as much or as little time working with this material as you’ve got. From a few minutes every day to a couple times a month.
But I get feeling too overwhelmed to take time for self-care. I am a solo-business-owner and have a wealth of responsibilities and demands on my time.
I have found the best way to be effective, efficient, and accomplish my goals in life is to intentionally set aside time to take pause, recharge, and build back up my emotional reserves.
You deserve this. If you are feeling the pull to join us, commit! Show up for yourself. Prove to yourself that you can trust yourself and your body.
You can set aside time to move your body. This movement will help you come away stronger and ready to face the world.
I really need this, but there's no way I can afford it.
I’ve done my level best to make this a huge value for the money. That being said, I don’t want financial concerns to be a barrier to you being part of this community.
I do offer sliding scale and scholarship options for folks with financial hardship. Marginalized folks (people of color, gender minorities, and disabled folks) move to the front of the line when it comes to scholarship opportunities.
Please contact me to discuss by emailing support@bodypositiveyoga.com.
Can I get a refund if I don't like it?
This program is non-refundable, and here’s why:
I put out a ton of free classes and videos so you can get a feel of whether my teaching is right for you. You can even join my membership community, the Body Positive Clubhouse, for 2 weeks completely free. Try out all the classes, see if you like it.
If you’re feeling on the fence about joining this program, please take some time to check out my other FREE stuff: the Body Positive Yoga blog, 7-Day Yoga Exploration, Shore Up Self-Care course, Body Positive Rebellion, and my many free online workshops. If you dig those resources, then you’ll LOVE being part of this.
Any questions? Send a note to: support@bodypositiveyoga.com.
What if I need help?
You being happy with your membership is my number one priority. Seriously. This is my life’s work and I am committed to making sure you get the most out of your experience here.
If you have technical issues or need any other help, just email me at support@bodypositiveyoga.com and I’ll take care of you.
I hope you’ll join this inner circle of like-minded and like-hearted folks today! We are ready for you!
I make better choices in regards to food and life
“I have noticed myself responding not reacting so much & when I do react to situations quite often (not always!) I recognise that I’m reacting & I can tell myself to calm down and take a pause. Brilliant!
And even if I only do a short practice…my body says thank you & sings for a while afterwards. When I’m practicing consistently I make better choices in regard to food & other life things. And that’s a big win!”
I feel like I’m doing yoga with a friend
“Before I joined the Body Positive Clubhouse and went on a yoga retreat with Amber I was unable to sustain a consistent yoga practice.
But now I feel eager to get on the mat and kick off my day with empowering movement and grounding practices.
I feel like I’m doing yoga with a friend when working with Amber.”
Are you ready?
Are you ready to take the first step toward feeling better in your body and feeling more peaceful in your mind? Let’s do this together. You don’t have to do it alone.