[For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
The torso, excluding the head and limbs, is called the core.
Recently, core training that strengthens the torso has become popular.
In fact, core training can also help older adults by improving their daily functioning.
So this time, we’ll introduce simple core training for seniors.
These are easy exercises that even seniors with reduced muscle mass who find movement difficult can try.
Strengthening the core can help correct rounded shoulders, stabilize posture, and contribute to fall prevention and improved internal organ function.
Please use the training introduced here as a reference and incorporate it at a comfortable pace without overexertion.
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Core Training: Recommended Simple Rehabilitation
- For Seniors: Strength Training You Can Do While Lying Down
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
- For Seniors: How to Strengthen Your Inner Muscles. Fall Prevention
- [For Seniors] Fun and Easy! Fall-Prevention Exercises for Older Adults
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Strengthen Your Legs! Recommended Training Items
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- [For Seniors] Recommended Rhythm Play and Exercises
- [For Seniors] Fun and Engaging Brain-Training Recreation
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
[For Seniors] Simple and Fun Core Training (21–30)
Posture-correcting ball exercises
Here’s a recommended idea for those concerned about a hunched back or body sway: “Posture-Aligning Ball Exercises.” First, place a ball between your knees and slowly tilt your pelvis forward and backward.
Engaging your inner thighs and abdominal muscles helps stabilize the pelvis, naturally lengthening your spine and improving posture.
Next, sit shallowly on a chair with your feet flat on the floor, and move the ball up and down with your feet; this stimulates the core and muscles around the hips, enhancing balance.
Furthermore, if you keep the ball between your legs and alternately lift your legs, it helps strengthen the abdominal and thigh muscles.
All movements are slow and low-impact, and with consistency, you can expect improvements in posture.
Erector spinae stretch
The erector spinae is a muscle that runs from the neck down to the lower back.
It runs vertically in a long, narrow band around the center of the human back.
It’s an essential muscle for maintaining an upright posture and keeping the back straight while walking.
When this muscle weakens, it becomes difficult to maintain good posture, which can lead to rounded shoulders or cause lower back pain.
In erector spinae stretches, you can sit and place your hands behind your head and bend your body forward, or interlace your fingers and lift your arms overhead while opening your chest.
Just these movements can help loosen a stiff erector spinae.
Exercises using a balance ball
Exercises using a stability ball are highly recommended for older adults, too.
Twisting while sitting on the ball helps improve flexibility, and lifting the hips strengthens the lower body.
Movements like raising one leg also enhance your sense of balance.
By taking advantage of the ball’s instability, you can improve overall body stability as well.
The key is to start in a safe environment at first.
The charm of stability ball workouts is that they’re fun to keep up.
If you start slowly and increase the difficulty at your own pace, your strength and balance will steadily improve.
Seated back-strengthening exercise
If you’re an older adult with lower back pain, be sure to strengthen your back muscles.
When the back muscles weaken, they can’t support your posture, which can lead to a rounded back and back pain.
Sit in a chair and reach one hand upward from near the toes on the opposite side.
Then lift your hand as if turning your chest up toward the ceiling.
Do this on both sides, but adjust the number of repetitions according to the individual’s condition.
You can also try stretching your back while raising both arms overhead.
Since these exercises are done while seated, it should be easier to keep up with the training consistently.
Hotto Atto Nanto Taisō
“Hotto Atto Nanto” is the catchphrase of Nanto City in Toyama Prefecture.
It conveys a sense of security and comfort, giving you a feel for the atmosphere of Nanto.
“From the Green Village” is a song created to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Nanto City’s merger, and let’s move our bodies along with this song.
Despite its slow tempo, the uplifting lyrics of “From the Green Village” bring a calm, peaceful feeling.
It’s a song that resonates with older adults as well.
The rhythm is just right for seniors to move their bodies to, so please give it a try.
Exercises to strengthen your body’s core
For older adults, falls can easily lead to injuries and are very dangerous.
To prevent falling, it’s important to regularly train your balance.
The exercises introduced here strengthen your body’s central axis, helping stabilize balance when standing and walking, which can reduce the risk of falls.
If your body’s axis is weak, your back tends to round, which can cause a hunched posture and lower back pain.
By strengthening the core, your spine naturally straightens, helping you maintain proper posture and making your body less prone to fatigue.
These exercises can be done while seated, so they’re recommended for anyone.
Balance training using a chair
For older adults, being able to maintain balance is important because it helps prevent falls.
The chair-based balance training introduced here is valuable for preventing falls and improving walking stability.
Many older adults feel uneasy about exercising while standing.
In such cases, chair-based balance training is recommended! Not only is it safe, but it also lets you strengthen your core and lower body muscles without strain.
In fact, improving core flexibility helps maintain balance more than simply walking with your feet on the ground.
Give it a try and feel the difference.