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 senior recreation (1–10)
Exercises to Keep Your Legs and Back Strong Until 100NEW!
If you keep your legs and lower back healthy, you can stay active as you age.
So let me introduce exercises you can do while seated.
Start with stretches and warm-ups, then move on to brain-training exercises, followed by movements that help prevent falls and improve walking.
During the stretching, move your whole body to help it relax.
For the brain training, make different shapes with your left and right hands and switch them at the same time.
Once you get used to it, add marching in place.
In the final preventive exercises, focus on moving your legs.
10-Minute Health Exercises for Older AdultsNEW!
This health exercise engages your whole body while also training your brain.
It starts with alternating between lifting your toes and heels.
Next, you’ll combine two movements at once, such as swinging your arms and marching in place.
For the brain-training part, you move your body while counting numbers and clap on specific numbers.
Even doing the entire routine only takes about 10 minutes.
Since it can be done while seated, older adults can move their bodies without overexertion.
However, be sure to take proper breaks when you feel tired.
Pelvic floor stretch with a towelNEW!
This is an exercise that makes it easier to feel where your pelvic floor muscles are and to focus on contracting and relaxing them—simply by sitting in a chair and placing a folded towel under your buttocks or between your knees.
As shown in this video, the sensation of the towel helps you understand “where to apply force,” so you can do it while watching TV or in small moments throughout your day.
Slowly tightening and releasing in sync with your breathing helps the muscles engage more easily, and as you continue, you may feel your pelvic floor strength improve.
Because it just involves sitting, it’s easy to keep up without strain and may also help improve your quality of daily life.
Full-body health exercisesNEW!
Here is a health exercise you can do seated that moves your whole body.
First, loosen up areas that tend to get stiff—the neck, shoulders, and hands.
Then stretch your legs and hips before moving your upper body.
Next, work the lower body, and finally move all the way to your fingertips, finishing with deep breathing.
This routine helps strengthen your muscles and core, making it effective for improving stamina and preventing falls.
If you feel any pain, don’t push yourself—proceed one step at a time within your limits.
Take about 30 minutes and do it slowly.
Beginner-friendly seated leg exercisesNEW!
As we get older, our muscle strength declines, and walking can become difficult.
So here’s a simple seated exercise to help strengthen your legs.
With this routine, you can build the muscle strength and balance that are important for walking.
It also helps prevent tripping and falls beyond just improving walking.
The movements themselves are very simple: lift and lower your knees, open and close them to the sides, and extend your feet forward and bring them back.
Do about 10 repetitions, alternating left and right.
Finish with a deep breath to relax your body.
Oral exercises / Swallowing exercisesNEW!
Older adults tend to cough or choke more often as they age.
To help prevent this, let’s move the muscles around the face.
Start by tilting your head forward and backward to stretch the muscles, and massage under the chin with your fingers.
This will relieve muscle tension and help your body relax.
Next, strengthen the muscles around the mouth with tongue movements and vocal exercises.
Doing these before meals is effective, so please remember them and incorporate them into your daily routine.
When practicing vocal exercises in crowded places, it’s recommended to wear a mask.
Pelvic floor exercises while lying down (1): supine position, towelNEW!
This is an exercise you can do lying on your back.
First, lie on your back with your knees bent and place a rolled towel between your knees.
In this position your body is stable, you’re less likely to tense unnecessary muscles, and it’s easier to feel your pelvic floor.
As you slowly exhale, tighten your lower abdomen and the area around the anus, gently lift your hips, and notice the light tilting of your pelvis.
As you inhale, slowly release the tension, then lift and lower in the same way, holding each phase for about 5 seconds, repeating around 10 times.
If you feel any low back pain, don’t push yourself—do it only within a comfortable range.