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 (21–30)
Shoulder exercises
As we get older, our backs tend to round and our shoulders can get stiff, don’t they? By moving the muscles around the shoulders, you can boost blood flow and expect improvements in stiff shoulders, neck pain, and posture! Exercises that move the shoulder blades effectively can be done while seated, so older adults can try them easily.
You’ll do movements like lifting and lowering the shoulders, rolling the shoulders, and raising/lowering and opening/closing the shoulder blades.
You don’t have to do the entire routine at once—it’s fine to start with the movements that feel easiest, according to your condition.
lower back exercises
These are exercises performed while seated, moving your legs and body to loosen the muscles around your lower back.
They help prevent and improve lower back pain, and by moving the pelvis thoroughly, they also contribute to more stable walking.
You’ll do movements like lifting your legs and leaning your body forward while keeping awareness on your lower back.
To loosen up effectively, maintaining proper posture and not holding your breath are also key points.
If you have significant lower back pain, do the exercises only within a comfortable range, and gently loosen the muscles according to your fitness level.
Iki-iki Exercises: Tokyo Boogie-Woogie
It’s a routine designed to move and train various parts of the body in time with Shizuko Kasagi’s classic song “Tokyo Boogie-Woogie.” The key point is that the song’s tempo is light yet unhurried, so let’s proceed while carefully checking each movement.
It’s important to perform the motions accurately, but if you focus too much on that, your movements can become stiff—so enjoying the music is also essential for smooth motion.
By keeping proper sitting posture in mind as you go, you can further enhance the effectiveness of the movements.
Chair exercises in April
As the warm weather sets in, many older adults may feel like moving their bodies and becoming more active.
This time, we’re introducing chair exercises themed around April that you can do indoors.
While seated, reach your hands forward as if you’re catching cherry blossom petals.
We’ll also do some brain training that recalls food stalls at cherry blossom festivals, along with exercises to strengthen your muscles.
By doing exercises and brain training related to April, older adults can get a sense of the season.
And because these exercises are done while sitting in a chair, many older adults can take part.
Leg exercises with beanbags
Here’s a foot exercise you can do indoors using beanbags.
Sit in a chair and place one beanbag on your knee.
Do a marching motion with the leg that has the beanbag on it.
Start with one leg, then gradually try placing beanbags on both legs or increase the number of beanbags.
Not only does this work as a foot exercise, but keeping the beanbags from falling while you march also helps improve concentration.
Because it doesn’t require heavy objects and can be done while seated, it’s recommended for older adults as well.
When the weather turns warm, you feel like moving your body, right? This simple indoor beanbag foot exercise is an easy way to get started.
15-minute lunchtime exercise
In many senior care facilities, some may incorporate exercise as a daily lunchtime routine.
However, doing exercises every day can make them feel repetitive.
So here are some seated exercises you can try.
Let’s get the body moving by touching knees and elbows, lifting the hips slightly from the chair, and more.
While seated, you can move not just your hands and arms but your whole body.
Long exercise sessions can be tiring for older adults, so about 15 minutes seems manageable.
Try it while taking breaks as needed.
Lower-body exercises with a rubber ball
Older adults tend to have difficulty lifting their feet while walking, so make a point of lifting your feet to help prevent falls.
This time, we’ll use a rubber ball that you can get at a 100-yen shop for some exercises.
Prepare a ball about the size of a dodgeball or volleyball.
While seated in a chair, hold the ball in front of your body and lift your thigh to touch the ball with your knee.
Another exercise is to place the ball on the floor, rest one foot on it, and rotate it in circles without letting your foot come off.
These exercises are designed to consciously practice lifting your feet.