[For Seniors] A Collection of Simple Exercise Programs Suitable for Beginners
For those aged 65 and over, it is recommended to engage in at least 40 minutes of physical activity every day, regardless of intensity.
However, 70% of people aged 65 and over are not meeting the recommended amount of exercise.
Not exercising can shorten healthy life expectancy.
It also increases the risk of conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and depression.
That said, suddenly starting high-intensity exercise can be taxing on the body.
In this article, we’ll introduce an exercise program that even beginners can do without overexertion.
Use it as a guide to help you live a healthy and enjoyable life for years to come.
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
- For seniors: Leg-strengthening exercises you can do without overexertion.
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Stretching Exercises: Easy and Safe to Do
- For Seniors: Fun and Lively Exercise Recreation
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- Back-strengthening exercises for seniors: easy routines suitable for women
- [For Seniors] Balance-Training Exercises: Preventing Falls
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Core Training: Recommended Simple Rehabilitation
- [For Seniors] A Fun Sports Day! Recreational Activities You Can Do Safely
- [For Seniors] Improve Your Body Concerns! A Summary of Exercises for Urinary Leakage
[For Older Adults] A Collection of Simple Exercise Programs for Beginners (11–20)
Warm-up exercises
Warm-up exercises are truly important.
When you move your body slowly, your muscles and joints warm up and become more flexible.
This significantly reduces the risk of injury.
Moving your body suddenly can be dangerous, but with a proper warm-up, you can feel safe.
The key is to move gradually with relaxed, gentle motions.
Combining light stretching makes it even more effective.
If you do a thorough warm-up, your strength training will be more effective and you can enjoy exercising safely.
For a healthy lifestyle, be sure to incorporate warm-ups into your routine.
Towel exercise: leg pull-through
Here’s an idea for a towel exercise called “leg thread.” Try this to improve your seated stability.
All you need is one towel.
Hold one end of the towel in each hand and, while seated, thread your legs through the towel.
If maintaining balance while sitting is difficult, it’s helpful to lean against a wall or have someone support you.
As you get used to the movement, shorten your grip to increase the difficulty.
The key is to train enjoyably within a comfortable range without overdoing it!
Behind-the-knee exercise with a ball
Even if you’re not very confident with exercise, the “behind-the-knee ball exercise” is highly recommended.
It’s simple: while sitting in a chair, place a ball behind your knee, and just lift and lower your thigh.
This motion alone gently warms the thighs and hips, and can help boost circulation and reduce swelling.
Because it doesn’t require large movements of the legs and lower back, it’s safe even for older adults who aren’t confident in their stamina.
All you need is a soft ball from a 100-yen shop (dollar store).
With consistency, your posture will improve and your steps will gradually become smoother.
Try making it part of your daily routine and enjoy a refreshing break while seated.
Ball exercises: lower limbs
Here’s a ball exercise focused on the lower limbs that you can do while sitting in a chair.
First, place one foot on the ball to stimulate the sensations on the sole of your foot.
Next, slowly roll the ball forward, backward, and side to side to improve flexibility in your ankles, calves, hips, and more.
Then place the ball between your inner thighs, lengthen your spine, and slowly alternate squeezing and releasing.
This is effective for strengthening the inner thighs and stabilizing posture.
Because the movements are simple, you can continue without strain, and it also helps improve blood flow, prevent falls, and even support dementia prevention.
Try incorporating it into your daily routine with ease.
Ball Large-Circle Exercise
Here’s a ball exercise that makes overhead movements in daily life easier.
It can help with activities like getting dressed or washing your body in the bath.
Hold a ball and rotate it near your face in the direction that feels easiest.
As you do this, raise your opposite arm so it becomes horizontal.
Of course, if raising your arm is difficult, you can keep it as it is.
Try switching the direction of the rotation, and alternate the hand that rotates the ball between right and left.
It’s an easy exercise to do, so give it a try!
ball throwing exercise
As we get older, our agility is said to gradually decline.
It’s important for older adults to maintain their agility as well.
For example, you might slip while walking down the street.
In such moments, being able to move quickly could help prevent injuries.
With that in mind, here’s a recommended exercise to train agility: while seated, toss a ball overhead and catch it.
While the ball is in the air, add a clap.
Gradually increase the number of claps.
Will older adults be able to catch the ball successfully? It’s an activity that seems enjoyable and approachable for older adults, too.
[For Older Adults] A Collection of Simple Exercise Programs for Beginners (21–30)
Ball exercises to the rhythm
We’d like to introduce “ball exercises to the rhythm,” which help you move your body with a steady beat, expand your shoulder and arm range of motion, and gently raise your heart rate.
Start with a simple move: hold the ball with both hands and extend it straight out in front of you.
As you shift it rhythmically from side to side and add elbow bends and extensions, your body will gradually loosen up.
Finally, increase the variety of movements and move your whole body in time with the rhythm, which can also help stimulate brain activity.
You can start easily with a ball from a 100-yen shop, making this a fun, refreshing exercise routine.