[For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
When it comes to recreation essential for the physical and mental health of older adults, exercise is at the top of the list.
Not only does it help prevent declines in stamina and muscle strength, but it’s also effective for preventing falls.
However, some seniors may find vigorous exercise difficult.
For those individuals, we recommend chair exercises that can be done while seated.
Moving rhythmically to music makes it enjoyable and easy to stick with.
What’s more, by stimulating the muscles and brain, these exercises can improve circulation and may help prevent conditions such as dementia.
Even those who aren’t confident about physical activity can enjoy these simple exercises, so please use them as a helpful reference.
- [For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Play and Exercises
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable and Healthy Chair Stretches!
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Guaranteed to Liven Things Up! A Collection of Brain Training Activities That Will Spark Laughter
- [Recommended for seniors] Rejuvenating Rock-Paper-Scissors Exercise
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- Energetic and Lively! Sing-and-Exercise Program for Seniors
- [Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
[For Seniors] Fun Chair Exercises (11–20)
Hinamatsuri Exercise
Here’s an introduction to a seated exercise that’s perfect for March.
Let’s move our legs and arms to the tune of the children’s song “Ureshii Hinamatsuri.” This exercise is expected to improve blood circulation and help reduce swelling.
Many older adults have probably heard or sung “Ureshii Hinamatsuri” at least once, right? Using a familiar song makes it easier to get started.
Some of the moves also match the imagery of the lyrics, which makes them easy to remember and helps the body move more naturally.
It’s fine to wait until you’re comfortable, but try doing the exercises while singing along.
Exercises while singing
For preventing falls when elderly people walk, it’s important to make sure the toes are lifted.
If you straighten your back and take long strides, your toes naturally point upward when you land, and your heel touches the ground first.
This time, we’ll do a healthy exercise routine while singing the well-known children’s song “Tenohira ni Taiyo wo,” which was also featured on NHK’s Minna no Uta.
It’s a full-body exercise that uses the arms, shoulders, hips, and from the ankles to the toes, but it can be done while sitting in a chair, so you can take it slow and enjoy it along with the song.
The Longed-For Hawaii RouteHaruo Oka
A signature song by Haruo Oka, a singer active from before to after the war, is “Akogare no Hawaii Kōro” (The Longed-for Hawaii Route), which was released in 1948 and became a huge hit.
It was also made into a film starring Oka and Hibari Misora, so many older people are likely to know it.
The choreography—stretching your arms widely up, down, left, and right, and patting your shoulders—can be done using just the upper body, making it ideal for recreational activities in care facilities.
By all means, try singing along and give the dance a go together!
Fox Dance
Are you familiar with the “Fox Dance”? It’s the dance performed by the cheerleaders who support the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters professional baseball team.
This version has been slightly adapted so that even older adults can dance it while seated, which is great.
The first half uses only the upper body, and the second half adds some stepping with the feet.
We’d love for you to wear ears and a tail and dance cutely, aiming to be a senior-friendly “Fighters Girl.” It’s sure to be a hit with older adults.
Finger exercises with kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs)
Finger exercises done while singing pop ballads sound wonderful.
Moving your fingers to nostalgic songs seems like a fun, rhythmic way to exercise.
Even those who find fine motor movements difficult might move more smoothly when following the music.
It’s a good idea to start with slower-tempo songs and gradually try faster ones.
It may also help relieve numbness in the fingers and hands.
It sounds like a joyful time where everyone can sing together and smile.
Leg exercises with beanbags
Here’s a leg exercise using beanbags that you can do indoors.
Sit in a chair and place one beanbag on your knee.
With the leg that has the beanbag, do a marching motion.
Start with one leg at first, then gradually try placing beanbags on both legs or increase the number of beanbags.
Not only does this work as a leg exercise, but marching without dropping the beanbag also helps improve concentration.
Since you don’t use anything heavy and you can do it while seated, it’s recommended for older adults as well.
When the weather gets warmer, you feel like moving your body, right? A beanbag leg exercise you can do indoors is an easy way to get started.
[For Seniors] Fun Chair Exercises (21–30)
Miyakumiyaku exercises with a towel
Improve your circulation! Here are some exercise ideas using a towel inspired by Myaku-Myaku.
Do you know the character Myaku-Myaku? It’s the official mascot created as the symbol of the Osaka-Kansai Expo.
Its distinctive shape and vivid red and blue colors are quite striking.
This time, playing on the name “Myaku-Myaku,” let’s try some exercises to get your blood flowing “myaku-myaku” (steadily).
All you need to prepare are two face towels.
Longer ones are preferable.