Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors

Exercises to strengthen the core

[Senior Training] How to strengthen your core to build the tension needed for improved posture and balance

Older adults want to stay healthy and energetic for as long as possible, don’t they? Some may think that means they have to do intense exercise.

In particular, core training is important for improving balance.

People often assume strengthening the abdominal muscles is difficult, but this exercise can be done easily while seated without overexertion.

By slowly moving your arms and legs, you can do simple core workouts at home.

It helps improve posture and can also prevent falls.

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Nanaka

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Core Rhythm Gymnastics

Core training for seniors to boost endurance to the rhythm [Preventive care]

This is a core rhythm exercise that lets you move your body to the beat! Sit on a chair, extend one leg, lift your toes, and get ready.

In that position, alternately touch your shin with your right and left hands to stretch your hamstrings and calves! Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart, and do a crossing motion—touch your left shin with your right hand and your right shin with your left hand—to work your abs and back muscles.

To make it fun like dancing, count out loud “1, 2” or move to music, and keep it rhythmic.

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yuri

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Energized and lively! Easy-peasy exercises

Energetic and Lively! Easy Exercises (Fall-Prevention Exercises)

Older adults often trip while walking because they don’t lift their feet high enough and end up shuffling, causing their toes to catch even on small steps or uneven surfaces.

It’s important to lift the toes, land on the heel, and push off the ground with the foot when walking.

This time, we’re introducing exercises to increase flexibility in the ankles and toes.

Movements such as bending the ankles forward, backward, and side to side, and pointing and lifting the toes while keeping the heels on the floor can all be done while seated, so go at your own pace without overexerting yourself.

Full-body balloon volleyball

Balloon volleyball for parents and children: it works your abs, back muscles, and lower-body strength.

This program gradually adds rules to simple balloon volleyball to thoroughly train the whole body.

We’ll start with a basic rule of returning the balloon with the hands, then add movements like kicking it back with the feet and thinking elements.

Keeping the leg raised puts strong load on the abs and lower back, so if that’s difficult, it’s better to raise the leg only at the moment of returning the balloon.

Adding cues like “apple” to mean “return with your hand,” and other thinking components step by step will also help activate the brain by improving dynamic visual acuity, concentration, and split-second decision-making.

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kappamaki

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Full-body stretch

[Stretching] [Strength Training] Exercises using a mat that you can do while lying down

You can even do full-body stretches while lying down, which also help prevent injuries! Lie on your back, relax your whole body, and get ready.

Clasp your hands and reach them overhead to stretch your entire body.

Be sure not to hold your breath while stretching.

Point your toes downward, pull them upward, or turn them outward to stretch your whole legs.

Pulling your knees toward your chest will stretch your glutes, and if you bend your legs, support the back of your head with your hands, and look toward your belly button, it also works your abs! Try incorporating one of these each day before bed or in other low-stress moments of your routine.

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yuri

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full-body exercise

Full-body exercises you can do while seated [Frailty Prevention]

When it comes to exercises at a day service, people often think of loosening and strengthening parts of the body that are underused or tend to weaken, but it’s also important to train the whole body in a well-balanced way.

Let’s try whole-body exercises while seated in a chair to minimize strain on the body.

When you’re seated and relaxed, you won’t tense up unnecessarily during movement, which should help your entire body loosen up effectively.

It may be easiest to focus on upper-body exercises centered on the shoulders and arms, while also incorporating lower-body movements like lifting and lowering the legs.

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kappamaki

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Northern Country Spring Exercises

Northern Country Spring Exercises

We would like to introduce an exercise set to the classic song “Kitaguni no Haru,” which most older adults are likely familiar with.

March in place during the intro, then raise and lower your hands, do open-and-close (grip-and-release) movements, and tap your hands, shoulders, and knees.

There are also twisting motions for the neck and torso, so be careful not to overexert yourself.

It’s a good idea to review the movements beforehand if it’s your first time.

When doing this as a recreation activity at a senior facility, giving prompts such as “Next is marching in place,” each time will make it more enjoyable.

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kojifumi

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