Recommended simple exercises for recreational activities for the elderly
We’d like to introduce some recommended exercises perfect for recreation at care facilities such as day service centers, or any place where seniors gather!
Many older adults find it difficult to move their legs and lower back freely, and standing can be a challenge.
However, if you avoid moving your body altogether, your mobility may decline further, increasing the risk of falls and becoming bedridden.
In this article, we’ve gathered simple exercises that seniors can do with ease.
Many of them can be done while seated, so be sure to try them with friends around you to help reduce a lack of physical activity!
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- Summary of exercises for seniors: introducing preventative care movements by body part.
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- [For Seniors] Simple Rhythm Exercises: Recommended Songs and Routines
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! Lively Whiteboard Activities
- [Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- For seniors: Enjoyable stick exercises. Easy workouts.
- [For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
Recommended easy exercises for seniors’ recreation (11–20)
Towel exercises
How about incorporating simple towel exercises that can be done while seated into recreational activities for gatherings of older adults? Holding a towel in your hands and moving your arms and legs helps loosen up the body.
There are many variations, such as rotating the towel like a handle or threading it under the feet and opening the legs.
It’s also easy to give clear instructions—for example, “Hold the towel steady around your stomach and lift your knees up to that point.” Try adding these easy, movement-friendly exercises to your morning routines or stretching sessions.
Donpan Exercises
This is a rhythmic exercise set to Donpan-bushi, a folk song from Akita Prefecture.
Move to the melody with a Japanese flair by showcasing drum-inspired motions and hand claps! Accompanied by lyrics that mark the beat, move your hands and feet along.
Because the song repeats the same phrases many times, learning the choreography also works as brain training.
You can move your arms and legs while seated, making it perfect for those lacking exercise.
Why not incorporate it into recreational activities at day service centers or care facilities to create a festival-like sense of unity?
Plastic Bottle Exercises
This is a body- and earth-friendly exercise that uses plastic bottles filled with beverages.
Use a plastic bottle filled with water like a dumbbell to easily build strength.
By adjusting the amount of water inside, you can create a dumbbell that suits your fitness level.
It’s fine to sit in a chair and slowly raise and lower the bottle, or simply extend the arm holding it.
If you can exercise standing, try the same movements while standing.
If holding with both hands is difficult, it’s perfectly fine to work one side at a time.
Move your body with the weight and style that suit you.
Ball exercises
Let’s try some exercises you can do while sitting, using a ball! When you think of a ball, you might picture throwing or kicking it, but in ball-based exercises you hold the ball or place it somewhere on your body.
For simple movements, hold the ball with both hands and extend your arms or twist your torso.
You can also do these motions to a rhythm.
For leg exercises, gently roll the ball under your feet or squeeze it between your thighs while moving your legs.
Even if you’ve never been good at ball sports, these exercises can be done slowly and at your own pace—so give them a try!
Core exercises
For exercises that help maintain posture and prevent unsteadiness while walking, I recommend core workouts.
Raise both hands straight up and lower them to shoulder level repeatedly to strengthen your latissimus dorsi.
Placing both hands behind your head and twisting your torso to the left and right will work your oblique muscles.
Finally, repeatedly lifting and lowering both knees to the same height will train your rectus abdominis.
All of these can be done easily while seated, so try incorporating them into recreation or exercise sessions.
Soran-bushi Exercises
The Hokkaido folk song “Soran Bushi,” often danced at school sports festivals and the like, is known for its speed and energy.
But if you slow it down and simplify the choreography a bit, seniors can also enjoy dancing it easily! In parts where you would normally lower your hips, just extend and pull your arms, and keep upper-body movement to a minimum.
Instead of moving the lower body too much, try to move your arms, hands, and neck actively—within a comfortable range.
You can do it either seated or standing, so give the cool “Soran Bushi” a try!
Recommended simple exercises for seniors’ recreation (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.