For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
In many senior care facilities, exercise is often incorporated as a form of physical recreation.
However, doing the same activity every day can become monotonous.
In this guide, we introduce exercises that older adults can enjoy and continue without getting bored.
We’ve also gathered safe, seated exercises for peace of mind.
These can be enjoyed by people who use wheelchairs or those who feel unsteady when standing.
From easy-to-start movements to exercises that offer a thorough workout, choose and practice according to the individual’s condition and specific concerns.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable and Healthy Chair Stretches!
- [Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- [For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Play and Exercises
- [Recommended for seniors] Rejuvenating Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [For Seniors] Leg and lower-back training: Fall prevention
[For Seniors] Enjoyable Chair Exercises, Also Suitable for Wheelchair Users (191–200)
Breathing training
Many people have been wearing masks for so long that their breathing has become shallow.
So here’s a “respiratory muscle stretch” you can do while seated.
Deep breathing has been reported to help ease anxiety and improve lung function, making it especially recommended for older adults.
It’s a simple exercise of taking deep breaths while focusing on the muscles around the neck and shoulders—such as breathing while slowly rotating your neck, or breathing while gently pressing your head downward.
Start with a breathing method that suits you.
Be careful not to round your back when sitting in a chair.
The three key points are: don’t overdo it, vary intensity with clear contrasts, and keep your breathing gentle.
If you take it easy and continue over the long term, the benefits will increase.
Radio calisthenics done while seated
With a melody everyone has heard and loved for many years, “Radio Taiso” (Radio Calisthenics) is a familiar routine.
For many, it’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of summer vacation! Its charm lies in exercises anyone—regardless of age or gender—can enjoy comfortably, paired with a rhythmic tune.
As a full-body workout that moves bones, joints, and muscles evenly, it enhances bodily functions and helps improve overall fitness.
In fact, there’s an official seated version of Radio Taiso.
Use that as a reference and try the exercises at your own pace while having fun!
Simple back exercises you can do while sitting
When people hear the word “training,” some may picture something that puts a strain on the body and shy away from it.
This simple back exercise is exactly what I recommend for those who have a negative image of training, and it can be done while sitting in a chair.
The method is to tilt your upper body slightly forward while seated and hold that position; with proper posture, even this alone engages your back muscles.
It’s also important to use your arms properly and keep your forward-leaning posture straight.
Sing and dance! Ball exercises
This is an exercise where you move a ball to the music, making it a fun way to train your body.
By feeling the bright, uplifting mood of “Tsubasa wo Kudasai,” you become more conscious of making big, expansive movements.
Since the song has a relaxed tempo, being able to apply steady, sustained force to the ball over time is another key point.
Progressing without rushing and checking each movement leads to smoother body mechanics.
If you add choreography that reflects the imagery of the song, you can feel its world even more and make the exercise even more enjoyable.
[For Seniors] Enjoyable for wheelchair users too. Fun chair exercises (201–210)
Shoulder and neck exercises
By doing neck and shoulder exercises, blood circulation is promoted, which stimulates the brain and leads to relaxation and a change of mood.
Neck exercises loosen and strengthen the muscles that cause stiff shoulders.
When exercising, make sure to stay relaxed and avoid raising your shoulders.
Shoulder exercises also increase blood flow to the shoulder blades and back, which helps prevent shoulder stiffness.
Moving your arms thoroughly will help build muscle strength.
Back exercises
As muscle strength declines, your lower back gradually bends and your posture slowly deteriorates.
It’s said that the latissimus dorsi—the back muscles—play an important role in maintaining proper posture and a straight body.
By training the lats and aligning your posture, the position of your internal organs may also be optimized, contributing to overall health.
The exercises are very simple, such as placing your hands on your abdomen and curling to look at your navel, or raising one hand overhead and bending to the opposite side.
It’s a routine where consciously focusing on how the back muscles move is especially important.
Iliopsoas exercises
The iliopsoas is a muscle that plays important roles, such as supporting the movement of lifting the leg high and connecting the upper and lower body to stabilize overall balance.
By properly strengthening the iliopsoas, you can improve posture and body balance and help prevent falls.
In an exercise where you sit in a chair with your legs apart and move them up and down, it’s important to engage the lower abdomen firmly.
Making the leg movements larger will work the iliopsoas more, but it also makes balancing harder, so be careful not to tip backward.
By focusing inward on the abdomen and actively engaging the muscles, you may also expect benefits such as stimulating the internal organs.