[Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
More and more people are finding their bodies tire easily and feel they’re spending longer periods sitting in a chair.
Some of you may be wondering, “Is there any training I can do while seated?” In this article, we introduce enjoyable health exercises you can do while sitting! We’ve compiled easy activities for everyday life, including strength training you can do from a seated position and brain-training exercises.
Be sure to try incorporating them as recreational activities in nursing care facilities as well!
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable and Healthy Chair Stretches!
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun Core Training
- [Today's Recommendation] Gentle Health Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- Cognicise you can do while seated. Simple dementia prevention.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable While Seated! Ball Exercises and Recreation
- [Enjoy Safely While Seated] Newspaper Activities Recommended for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [Brain Training for Seniors] Recommended Hand-Play Recreation for Dementia Prevention
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
[Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors (11–20)
Finger-Tip Rec: Ball Exercises to Build Grip Strength
This is a recreational activity focused on gripping a ball to build grip strength.
In pairs, you will perform two movements: trying to pull out a fixed ball and passing the ball to each other.
While consciously gripping the ball firmly with one hand, add the pulling and passing movements to train other areas as well.
By carefully observing your partner’s movements, this exercise also helps you become more aware of dynamic vision, concentration, and force control.
Strengthen your core with chair Pilates
Pilates combines strength training and stretching with deep breathing.
It’s considered effective for core training and is popular especially among young women, but by doing it while seated in a chair, even older adults can safely strengthen their core.
Tilt the pelvis back and return it, move it side to side, and hinge forward from the hips while keeping your back long—above all, move slowly and only within a range that feels comfortable.
Keep encouraging deep breathing at all times, and enjoy gentle, unhurried movements as you exercise.
High knee raises, knee extensions, and ball squeezes
These seated exercises are perfect for strengthening your lower body! With simple movements—like knee lifts and knee extensions that focus on your thighs and core, and ball squeezes where you place a ball or cushion between your legs to work the inner thighs—you can combat everyday inactivity without any complicated motions.
Start knee lifts and knee extensions with one leg, and once you’re comfortable, try the two-leg versions, which require more core strength.
They’re also great as a warm-up for recreational activities!
Rehabilitation exercises
Let’s get moving from head to toe at your own pace while boosting your energy with bright, up-tempo music! Even basic exercise movements like heel lifts, toe lifts, high knees, knee extensions, and bending and straightening your fingers feel fresh and fun when you do them to the music.
And don’t worry at all if you can’t keep up with the rhythm! Think of the melody and tempo simply as elements to lift your spirits, and prioritize enjoying yourself at your own pace.
Mount Fuji Calisthenics
After warming up with deep breathing, body rubbing, waist twists, and raising both hands, it’s time to start the Fuji Mountain Exercise! Moving in ways that match the lyrics of the children’s song “Fuji no Yama,” you can work your whole body while staying seated.
Raise both hands above your head to form a triangle to represent Mount Fuji, hold your hands horizontally and place them under your chin to show your face peeking out above the clouds—like creative dance, you can move while picturing the lyrics! Some people might find the idea of exercise a bit bothersome, but this way you can enjoy it naturally along with singing.
Scapula exercises
Let’s loosen up your shoulder blades to relieve stiff shoulders! Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor, take a deep breath, and you’re ready to begin.
Proceed in this order: neck stretches, shoulder raises and lowers, shoulder rolls, shoulder joint mobility work, shoulder blade exercises, and side body stretches, moving the area around the shoulder blades thoroughly.
Finish with another round of shoulder rolls.
When your posture is poor and your back is rounded, the range of motion of the shoulder blades narrows and they become stiff, making it easier to develop pain in various areas such as the shoulders, back, and lower back.
To help prevent these issues, try incorporating these exercises regularly.
[Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors (21–30)
10-minute morning exercise
It’s hard to get your body moving in the morning, isn’t it? And everyone feels a bit groggy right after waking up.
At times like that, try some quick exercises to wake up your body and brain.
First, bring the fingertips of both hands together, then spin the opposing fingers in circles as if they’re playing tag.
Do this from the thumbs to the little fingers.
Next, move the muscles in your face, such as by opening your mouth wide.
Finally, use both your hands and feet for a full-body exercise.
If you’re an older adult, please prioritize safety and try these exercises while seated.
