[For Seniors] Recreational activities and games that let you have fun while strengthening your legs

walking exercises

Easy Seated Exercises! Walking Workout for Seniors

Have them focus on lower-body movement with a motion like marching in place.

To train effectively with light intensity, it’s important to do it while seated in a chair.

Instead of jumping straight into the marching exercise, start by loosening the legs with movements like lifting and drawing the knees in, and rotating the hip joints.

Good posture and movements beyond the legs matter too—keep the back straight and swing the arms broadly while marching.

Pay attention to the rhythm of the movement and proceed while regulating your breathing.

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Ball exercises: lower limbs

Senior-Friendly Care Exercise: Ball Exercises for the Lower Limbs [Exercise Series Using Equipment]

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.

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Behind-the-knee exercise with a ball

Exercise with a mini 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.

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365-Step March: Singing Exercise

I tried making an exercise routine for Kiyoko Suizenji’s “365-Step March.”

This is about moving your body energetically to the tune of Kiyoko Suizenji’s classic song “365-Step March.” The lyrics, which give the impression of walking forward with vigor, are striking, so let’s proceed with a special focus on marching-in-place movements.

Overall, the routine emphasizes clear rhythm, so feel the beat of the music and make large, dynamic movements.

Whether you’re standing or sitting in a chair, maintaining proper posture is important for loosening up your body.

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Full-body cold prevention exercises

Burn! A full-body cold-prevention exercise using marching and a ball [Cognicise for older adults]

When blood circulation worsens, your body tends to get cold more easily.

So this time, we’ll introduce a “whole-body cold-prevention exercise” using a ball that you can do while sitting in a chair.

First, keep marching your feet to a rhythm and add the motion of lifting a ball held with both hands up and diagonally up.

Next, while marching, extend one foot forward and simultaneously thrust the ball forward.

By coordinating the ball-thrusting with your leg movements, you promote hand–foot coordination, which helps activate the brain.

It’s a simple exercise you can do without strain that not only improves whole-body chilliness but also helps prevent dementia and maintain muscle strength.

Highly recommended.

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Stepping Brain-Training Exercise

Brain-Training Exercises: Brain Training Using Marching in Place — Let’s Do It Together at Facilities and at Home — Plateau Brain-Training Exercise #6

Even people who find it difficult to stand and walk can easily incorporate aerobic exercise by simply seated marching.

Let’s add brain-training elements to this marching exercise to enjoy training various skills.

While sitting in a chair, march with big steps as you count out loud, and add elements such as clapping on multiples of three.

The more you have to think, the harder it becomes, but the sense of accomplishment when you succeed is an important part of this game.

It’s also important to demonstrate with a rhythm that’s easy for everyone to follow and with large, clear movements that are easy to imitate.

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Prevention of economy class syndrome

[For Seniors] Prevent Leg Weakness! Gobō-sensei’s Chair Exercises for Preventing Economy Class Syndrome

Staying in the same posture, like when sitting in an airplane’s economy class seat, can impair blood flow in the legs.

This is a seated leg exercise that helps prevent economy-class syndrome and improve circulation.

With movements like lifting your toes and making big marching steps, focus on how you engage your leg muscles while strengthening them.

Move your feet rhythmically within a pain-free range, feeling the gentle impact of each step.

This can also help promote smoother walking and prevent falls.

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