10 Chair Exercises for Seniors and Free 5-Day Workout Plan

Staying strong, active, and flexible is key to enjoying a good quality of life as we get older. Chair exercises offer a safe and effective way for seniors to remain fit. They provide numerous benefits, such as maintaining muscle mass and potentially delaying or preventing age-related diseases [1].

In this article, we present to you 10 chair exercise workouts, along with a 5-day workout plan that focuses on different muscle groups.These exercises are an ideal solution for seniors to keep in shape and healthy while simply working out at home!

Warm-up exercises for seniors

Warming up is a key step in any fitness routine, no matter your age! It increases blood flow and helps prevent injuries or muscle strains, which can be more common as we get older [2]. Try these effective exercises to get your body ready for a great workout:

Arm rotations

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or sit with your back straight, with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Stretch your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the floor.
3. Begin making small circles with your arms. Start in a clockwise direction, and after about 10-15 seconds, switch to counterclockwise. You can gradually increase the size of the circles when desired.

Seated Cat Cow Stretch

1. Sit up straight in your chair with your hands resting on your thighs and feet flat.
2. Inhale and arch your back, rounding your spine and tucking your chin to your chest.
3. Exhale and lift your chest and gaze upward, allowing your back to dip. Repeat the exercise. Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together during the stretch to enhance posture and flexibility.

Neck Stretches

• Sit or stand with your back straight, feet flat, and shoulders relaxed.
• Gently tilt your head towards your right shoulder, bringing your ear closer to your shoulder.
• Use your right hand to gently apply pressure on the left side of your head, increasing the stretch if comfortable. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat neck stretches on the left side, similar to how you would repeat an ankle mobility exercise with the other leg for balanced strength and flexibility.

The best part about these warm-up exercises is that they can also be done in the comfort of a chair, the same as the other chair exercises for seniors!

Why Are Warm Ups So Important?

Properly warming up before a workout is a crucial step for all ages but especially important for older adults. Make sure you perform five to fifteen minutes of gentle cardio like walking, cycling, or standing knee marching before you start your char warm-up exercises. This will increase your body temperature and get blood flowing to our muscles and joints. Then your chair warm-up will activate the muscles you’ll be working in the rest of your workout. Together, these two steps will help you avoid injury and move better, longer.

Meg Lambrych, BSN, RN, NASM-PT, PN-1

Registered Nurse, Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, Content Writer & Journalist

10 Chair Exercise Workouts For Seniors

Listed here are 10 different chair exercises for seniors tailored to different needs, and you can have your pick from these seated exercises.

Senior-Friendly Core Supersets

This routine is specifically designed for seniors who are striving to develop their abdominal muscles, which helps in better coordination and stabilization.

10-Min Chair Upper Body Workout for Beginners

If you’re a beginner trying to slowly dip your feet into this new type of exercise, a few minutes in a day is all you need to try it out

Upper Body Chair Exercises for Beginners

This is yet another workout routine for beginners to pick from if they’re hoping to activate your upper body.

Chair Cardio Exercises

Nothing can get the heart pumping more than a cardio workout, and these low-intensity exercises are paced keeping seniors in mind while also challenging the body.

Easy Lower Body Workout Routine

A solid foundation for a body is essential, and this workout powers up everything below the waist with some simple exercises.

Lower Body Tri Set Workout

Here’s yet another lower body workout that you can give a try. In just 8 minutes, work towards sculpting a stronger base for your body.

Best Oblique Chair Exercises

Obliques are muscles running around the side of your core, and along with abdominal muscles give a defined look to the torso. They are important for safeguarding the spine against excessive rotation by stabilizing it.

Giant Set Leg Workout

As one nears the age of 50 and goes beyond joint pains become common, making everyday activities like walking and climbing tedious. Hence why strengthening the legs is essential and a workout like this would be an asset to the routine of older adults. It includes effective exercises like seated calf raises which are great for the calf muscles, and extended leg raises.

During exercises like seated marches, it is important to keep the knee bent to ensure proper form and engagement of the core. Alternate between the right and left leg to ensure balanced muscle targeting. Repeat the exercise with the other leg to ensure balanced strength and flexibility.

Total Body Tri Set Workout with Chair for Efficient Muscle Growth

If you’ve not got much time in the week or if you’re hoping to have a day where you can engage all your body parts to balance muscle growth, this one’s for you

Beginner Full Body Dumbbell Workout With a Chair

This routine is another option for gearing up your full body, but it also comes with the sweet challenge of using weights in the form of dumbbells. If you’ve gotten comfortable with using your body weight for exercises, you can attempt this workout.

It is important to remember the right starting position and posture for each of these exercises, and for the feet to remain shoulder-width apart. Your back must also remain straight unless the exercise calls for your posture to be different, and remember to use a sturdy chair.

Exercises that isolate one leg at a time, emphasizing stability by keeping the opposite leg firmly planted on the ground, are particularly beneficial for enhancing balance and coordination. Standing chair exercises are also crucial as part of a fitness routine for seniors, improving strength, flexibility, and mobility. A sturdy chair is imperative to do these exercises for seniors as they have a higher risk of falling.

You may also like:

Best Chair Exercises for Seniors to Boost Mobility and Strength

The Ultimate 28-Day Chair Workout For Seniors Challenge

5-Day Chair Exercise Workout Plan for Seniors [Free PDF tool]

If you’re excited about the positive impact chair exercises can have on seniors’ lives, it’s time to create a workout schedule that suits your needs. Below, you’ll find a free PDF workout plan you can print out and use as a handy guide for your chair exercise routine.This curated plan combines the helpful videos listed above, targeting various muscle groups and needs to ensure a balanced workout for all experience levels, with a special focus on seniors!

How Effective Are Chair Workouts for Losing Weight?

Weight loss requires you to be in a caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume. Regular exercise can help you maintain a caloric deficit, but that’s not why we exercise. Instead, exercise is incredibly important for building and maintaining muscle mass, increasing coordination, and developing core strength–all of which help us live better, longer. Chair workouts are a great form of exercise for older adults and those with mobility issues and can certainly aid in weight loss as long as a caloric deficit is maintained.

Meg Lambrych, BSN, RN, NASM-PT, PN-1

Registered Nurse, Nutritionist, Personal Trainer, Content Writer & Journalist

Conclusion

Chair exercises offer a range of health benefits for seniors and can be valuable for people of all ages. They enhance cardiovascular health, improve blood circulation, and positively impact mental well-being—particularly important for older adults who may face isolation and depression [3].

If you’re a senior or know someone who is, these chair exercises are definitely worth exploring to make a meaningful difference in their lives. Chair yoga is also a relaxing workout worth considering! However, it’s always wise to consult a doctor or physical therapist before starting any new workout program. For more tips and exercises to lead a healthier and happier lifestyle, check out the JustFit app!