The 10 Best Chair Exercises For Seniors
Seated chair exercises are a great option for any senior who’s intimidated by resistance training. If you’re wobbly on your feet, for example, trying to curl a set of dumbbells, keeping your balance can be tough. If you’re not careful, you could wind up falling and hurting yourself. And that’s definitely not what you want from […]
Seated chair exercises are a great option for any senior who’s intimidated by resistance training. If you’re wobbly on your feet, for example, trying to curl a set of dumbbells, keeping your balance can be tough. If you’re not careful, you could wind up falling and hurting yourself. And that’s definitely not what you want from exercise.
These chair exercises will help keep your heart healthy, bones and muscles strong, weight under control, and mood at optimal levels.
So, if you’re looking for a low-impact way to get your resistance training done, seated exercises are the way to go.
Do these exercises two or three times per week. Shoot for a single set of 10 repetitions for each exercise. If you’re a beginner, start with five repetitions of each and work your way up.
1. Seated Side Bends
- Sit in a chair with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Bend your right arm to bring your right hand to the right side of your head. Allow your left arm to hang at your side. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
- Inhale. As you exhale, bend gently at the waist to lower your left arm toward the floor. Keep your chest open and pull your right elbow back to feel a stretch in your right side.
- Inhale to return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Internal and External Obliques
2. Seated Calf Raises
- Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
- Lift your heels off the ground until you feel a squeeze in your calves.
- Slowly lower your heels back down and repeat.
- To make the exercise harder, balance a dumbbell on the top of each knee.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Calves
3. Seated Single-Leg Extensions
- Sit tall in a chair with your feet flat on the ground and grasp the sides of the seat.
- Keeping one foot planted and your upper body fixed, extend your opposite leg until it’s parallel to the floor.
- Bend your knee to return your foot to the ground. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Then switch to the other leg.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Quads, Hamstrings, Abdominals
4. Seated Knee-to-Elbow
- Sit in a chair with both feet flat on the ground. Clasp your hands behind your head, elbows wide.
- Twist your upper body to the right and lift your right knee to tap your left elbow.
- Return to the starting position and twist to the left to repeat the movement on the opposite side. Continue for reps.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Quads, Hamstrings
5. Chair Squats
- Stand directly in front of your chair, facing away from it with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing forward.
- Keeping your chest lifted, bend your knees to sit your hips down and back. Gently tap the chair with your butt.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position. Repeat.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings
6. Seated Dumbbell Biceps Curls
- Sit tall in a chair and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Let them hang at arm’s length by your sides, palms facing forward.
- Keeping your arms tight against your sides, bend your elbows to curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders.
- Lower the weights back down until your arms are straight again. Repeat.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Biceps, Abdominals
7. Seated Dumbbell Overhead Shoulder Presses
- Sit tall in a chair. Lift your elbows out to the side to create a goal post position with your arms, dumbbells on either side of your head.
- Tighten your abdominals and press the dumbbells up slowly until your arms are straight.
- Slowly return to the starting position with control. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Shoulders, Biceps, Abdominals
8. Seated Dumbbell Rows
- Sit in a chair. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides with palms facing each other.
- Bend slightly forward at the hips. Keeping your elbows close to your body, squeeze your shoulder blades together and drive your elbows back until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor.
- Slowly return to the starting position with control. Repeat.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Upper Back, Shoulders, Abdominals
9. Seated Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks
- Sit in a chair and lean forward until your chest is almost parallel to your thighs, with arms bent at 90-degree angles, and dumbbells to the sides of your chest.
- Keeping your back flat and elbows hugging your sides, press both dumbbells back until your arms are straight.
- Return the arms back to a 90-degree angle with control. Repeat.
Muscle Groups Targeted: Triceps, Shoulders, Upper Back
10. Seated Forward Roll-ups
- Sit in a chair with your legs extended, heels on the floor, and feet flexed towards your face. Extend your arms in front of you. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
- Begin curling your chin to your chest. Exhale as you roll the entire torso up and over, keeping your legs straight, and abs engaged. Reach down towards the toes.
- Once you can’t reach any further, inhale as you begin to roll back up to the starting position, one vertebra at a time.
- Repeat moving slowly. Avoid using momentum; try to use your abdominals to lift and lower.
Walking For Weight Loss | Your 14-Day Plan
Guess what, my friends, walking works. Study after study proves that people who walk regularly stay more youthful, stronger, and happier in old age. To get started, try my free 14-day challenge and get walking for a weight loss plan.
Whether you like to walk on a machine, around your workplace, or in your neighborhood, walking can and should easily be incorporated into your daily life.
I’m a huge fan myself. I try to walk a few miles at least six days a week and notice the difference it has made in my physical and mental health.
Walking For Weight Loss | Your 14-Day Plan
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The 10 Yoga Poses You Should Do Everyday
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Many of us are committed to eating better, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. One nutrition trend I am a big fan of is juicing! Don’t worry – juicing for beginners can be fun and uncomplicated. Just keep reading for some of my best tips and juicing recipes to get you started!
Juicing has become quite popular in the last ten years popping up in local strip malls, cafes, and gyms because, simply, drinking fresh juice makes you feel so good!
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5 Effective Ways To Increase Your Metabolism After 50
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