Seniors are often not as active as they need to be. They seem to spend the rest of the day sitting on the couch, in a chair, or on the floor watching TV. It is not good! Studies show that seniors who do not get enough daily activity (such as walking and moving around) are more likely to have poor balance and even fall. Sitting for too long is also bad for your health; it can lead to extra pounds and cause blood clots. These facts make exercise very important for seniors.

With the number of people that are 60 or older increasing rapidly, it is important for seniors to find ways to stay healthy and fit and still have time for other activities that they enjoy. There are exercises and activities that don’t involve having to go out of the house that seniors can do at home or in the yard. Sitting exercise is ideal for seniors because it doesn’t take much time out of their day, and it doesn’t cost them much money. If you are a senior or had a senior loved one and you need some ideas for exercising that don’t require leaving the house, try these easy chair workouts from this article.

Sitting exercises for seniors are usually simple and easy to do. You don’t need to have those exercise equipment that can be very expensive for seniors with a tight budget. These exercises don’t take much energy because you are simply sitting in a chair (or lying on the floor if you prefer). It will help strengthen your muscles and make you feel better. Seniors who regularly perform these exercises will also be less likely to fall and break a bone due to better balance. In addition, sitting exercises can help seniors clear their minds after a stressful day.

We at Serenity Senior Care understand the importance of exercises for seniors, so we have gathered a list of easy chair exercises that seniors can do at home. All you need is a chair. Start performing these exercises every day, and soon you will notice the results!

10 Easy-To-Do Sitting Exercises for Seniors

1. Overhead Press

Your loved one can perform this exercise with or without resistance. Begin with your hands curled into fists and position right to your shoulders, with elbows tight into the sides. Gently raise the wights above, keeping arms straight but not locking out the elbows. Slowly lower the hands to the primary position to redo the first rep. Try to perform ten reps with resistance and 20 reps without.

2. Seated Marches

This simple standing march can be done while sitting in a chair and is great for leg muscle. Seated marches work to improve circulation and also help to reduce dizziness. Begin by placing feet on the ground hip-distance apart. Keeping your knees bent, gently raise one leg seven inches or so off the floor. Place it down and redo it with the other leg. Try picking up the pace and getting into a good rhythm to march in place. Continue doing it for one minute and then rest.

3. Bicep Curls

Curls are one of the best sitting exercises for seniors. It can be done with or without resistance. Begin with your arms dangling by the sides of the chair. Loosely curl the fists and bend the arms at the elbow until your hands almost touch your shoulders. Gently lower your hands to the primary position to repeat the first rep. Challenge yourself to do ten reps with resistance or 20 reps without. It is a very good bodyweight exercise that can be done well with a chair.

4. The Chair Press-up

Chair Press-up is an excellent exercise that will help your loved ones get better at pushing themselves into a standing position. The first thing to do is sit in a chair that does not move or roll and place your feet on the floor about hip distance apart. Then you need to grip the arms of the chair and shift the weight into your feet. Push yourself into a half-standing position using your upper body strength but don’t try to let go of the chair arms and then slowly lower yourself down in a sitting position. You can do six to twelve reps depending on how strong your arms are and how much weight is in the chair.

5. Arm Circles

Arm circles are easy to do, and they target your arms. To perform this exercise, you must hold the arms straight out of your sides, creating an uppercase T shape with your upper body. The arms must be in line with the shoulders, but if you can’t lift your arms that high, raise them as high as possible. Make small circles with your hands by rotating the shoulders, Do 12 circles counterclockwise and 12 circles clockwise. This easy chair exercise will help keep your arms in shape and give them a nice tingle.

6. The Booty Squeeze

It is an easy chair exercise that works the rear-end muscles and is a simple exercise you can do anywhere. To perform the booty squeeze, gently contract your gluteal muscles, hold them for five to eight seconds and then release. Repeat this six to twelve times until your muscles begin to feel tired. It is an excellent exercise to do when sitting through a tedious meeting or class.

7. Punches

In this exercise, you can do any types of punch you want. You can do hooks, uppercut, straights, and combinations to get your heart pumping. Keep the elbows tucked in close to the body and keep the fists tight. Also, try to get some speed into your punches as you go. It is an excellent exercise for seniors to get toned arms and a powerful punch. Make sure to do this exercise in a sturdy chair that won’t flip or move to avoid an accident.

8. Calf Raises

It is a very simple and easy chair exercise that is also very effective for building stronger calves. Squeeze the calf muscles and gently arch your feet to raise the knees—lower the feet to the starting position. Alternate the legs if it’s too hard to do both feet simultaneously. Do a total of 25 reps on each side. It is another exercise to do when your loved one is sitting for long periods to help get their blood flowing again.

9. Leg Extensions

This easy chair exercise will tone the legs and make your loved one stronger. For this, you need to place your feet on the ground hip-distance apart with knees bent. Straighten one leg and raise it off the floor as high as you can. If you can’t get your leg completely straight, there is no need to worry. Place the first leg to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Do 12 reps on each leg, for a total of 24 reps.

10. Upper-body twist

This exercise is ideal for seniors as it will develop and maintain flexibility in the upper back. To perform this activity, sit upright with the feet flat on the floor, cross the arms and reach for the shoulders. Without moving the hips, turn the upper body to your left. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side and do five times on each side.

Benefits of Performing Sitting Exercise

There are countless health benefits to performing sitting exercises. These benefits include:

Improve blood circulation – Sitting down for a quick break every hour releases endorphins and helps with your physical and mental health as well as jogging workouts, yoga, or walking!
Reduce heart disease risk – One study found that people with high blood pressure who did sit-down exercises had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease in the next five years than those who didn’t do any such activity.
Relieve stress – Stress is a big issue for most senior people, both mentally and physically. And sitting exercise is a great way to relieve it.

Doing sitting exercise may help you feel better and improve your health in several ways, so make sure to add it to your daily routine today!

Final Thoughts

Sitting exercises for seniors are especially effective for helping older people to remain healthy, active, and independent. They can also help seniors regain some movement after a stroke or get stronger after a fall or surgery. As long as the exercises are done in moderation and not over-exerting themselves, seniors can enjoy the benefits of staying active without having to go out of their homes.

Serenity Senior Care is with you in your journey of caring for an aging loved one. If you have other ideas of easy chair exercises that your loved one can do at home, we would like to hear about them in the comments. If you have had any great experiences with sitting chairs, please leave a comment below so that other seniors can learn new things from you.

10 Sitting Exercises for Seniors -Easy Chair Workouts to Stay Healthy