21 Chair Exercises For Seniors: A Comprehensive Visual Guide

No matter what age we are, exercising is very important, especially for those of us who may be over the age of 65. Whether we enjoy it or not, exercising on a regular basis continues to keep our body moving and functioning properly as we age. Without getting up and entertaining our muscles with movement, we reduce our chances to age healthfully.

As a senior, or your loved one might love or hate exercising, but we have all continually been told, “exercising is healthy for you!” What if, now, you or someone you love is experiencing a mobility block? In younger years, they might have been able to run 10 miles a day or compete in a triathlon, now it’s just getting harder to even stand.

The most interesting trait of the human body is that it is always changing, literally, it cannot stay the same. It is constantly adapting to what you put it through. If you exercise, muscles adapt by getting stronger.

If you or an older adult you know are having trouble with moving around and finding it difficult to get even a little bit of exercise in the day, then this course is just for you because there are still ways to exercise without even having to move from a chair!

Chair exercises are a great substitute for aging adults. There doesn’t need to be a weight set, a trainer, and seniors don’t even have to have a caregiver with them at all times. The only thing a senior needs is a chair; though, some of the exercises may require a resistance band or dumbbells and a medicine ball to perform accurately with results. But we can always make do with what we have in the beginning. The idea behind this course and others we are producing is to just get moving.

Please keep in mind, everyone has different levels of comfort when it comes to exercise. For safety, it’s important to start slow and develop a health program that is tailored to your abilities.

Exercising on a regular basis (preferably at least 30 minutes per day) will not only keep an aging adult’s heart healthy, but can also prevent strokes, heart attacks, falling, high blood pressure, and chronic diseases such as dementia.

Older adults should never overexert themselves doing any of these movements; this could lead to injury or worse. If their body is resisting any of the movements suggested, they shouldn’t push their body further. I remind my students throughout the lectures: Our bodies talk to us when we exercise, they tell us when something is a good idea or when it’s a terrible one. Our entire body is connected by a muscle chain and just like a regular chain, if we have a chink, the other links won’t perform the same.

Not everyone over the age of 65 is able to move agilely or even out of their seat, but this shouldn’t mean that they can’t exercise. So many regular exercises can be done while using a chair as a mobility device.

Benefits can still be reached when a senior uses even a regular chair. They don’t have to go out and get something brand new just so they can start moving around, a completely ordinary chair will do. This chair should be stable with four legs, no wheels or rollers, and for most exercises, without arms.

We’ve got a great list of exercises that seniors can do in the comfort of their own home with equipment that they can use by themselves. We’ll explain exactly how to do each exercise and provide examples for a step-by-step process.

No special equipment is required to get started, just a chair and two unopened cans of soup will do.