If you or your loved one are looking to integrate more activity into your daily life, chair workouts are a fun and safe way to start.
These exercises are the perfect way for anyone to increase physical activity. All four can be easily adapted and modified to fit the needs of those performing them. There are so many benefits to integrating physical activity into a daily routine—give these exercises a try!
Marching in Place
If you are a senior still warming up to adding more physical activity into your everyday life, this is a good exercise to try. Start by sitting down in your chair with your feet hip-width apart and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. One foot at a time, lifting through your hips, reach your knee up toward the ceiling. Focus on slow, controlled movements and keeping your sit bones facing forward. This will help center your pelvis and maximize results.
As you start to feel more confident, you can start tailoring this move to your comfort. If you’re looking to increase intensity, you can stand up and march in place and use the back of the chair to aid your balance. This exercise aims to not only strengthen your legs and core, but also work on single leg balance. This is the perfect workout to help strengthen the muscles needed to walk on uneven or slippery surfaces.
Forward Fold Stretches
This stretch is a good one if you are looking to maintain flexibility and strengthen your core. Sit at the end of your chair with your feet extended straight out and heels to the ground. This will create a right triangle between your legs, the ground, and the legs of the chair. Start by reaching your arm all the way up toward the ceiling before folding forward to reach across to the opposite foot. Tap your foot, then slowly reach back up, touching the sky, then repeat for five times total.
Once you have completed all five on your right side, switch to your left and do five more. It is important to focus on all aspects of the movement—stretching high up to straighten posture, then engaging your core as you slowly fold over. This is a great one to do to mimic picking things up off the ground.
Chair-Assisted Calf Raises
This is another excellent exercise that you can modify to your needs. You will start by sitting in your chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. To perform this exercise, you will want to push through your feet and engage your calf muscles. Lift your heels off the floor, squeeze and hold for one second, then release, gently bringing your heels back to the ground. Repeat 10 times at your own pace and then rest before repeating another 10 times.
Once you feel comfortable with this move, you can move on to standing calf raises. It will be the same movements but instead of sitting, you are going to stand behind your chair, using it to assist you. Once again you are going to slowly lift your heels off the floor, engage your calf muscles, and hold before returning your heels to the ground. Not only will this strengthen your legs, but it will also aid in maintaining flexibility.
Seated Leg Extensions
If you are hoping to strengthen your hip flexors and focus on controlled movements, then seated leg extensions are a wonderful way to do so. Sit down in your chair with your legs hip-width apart, bent in a 90-degree angle. Lift one foot up slowly until your leg is fully straight and parallel with the ground. Hold it for one second before slowly bringing your leg back down. Alternate each leg, 10 times each, taking breaks as needed.
If you are looking to challenge yourself more, ankle weights make a good addition to this exercise. You’ll most likely feel this movement in your main lower body muscles, such as your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. This exercise is great for improving and strengthening hip mobility, which is essential for standing.
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