Physical activity is an essential part of health and wellness for older adults. The benefits of exercise for seniors include decreased risk of heart disease, increased energy levels, pain relief and improved range of motion. Seniors can achieve these benefits by engaging in physical activity, even while doing exercises seated in a chair. Seated exercises increase heart rate, improve balance and strength and give seniors the opportunity to do standing exercises with support.
Warm Up
Start the warm up by doing seated marching, shoulder shrugs and seated squats (stand up and sit down). An appropriate warm up should last five to 10 minutes. Incorporate wrist circles by gently rotating the wrists in both directions and shoulder stretches by reaching one arm across the body, hold onto the arm above or below the elbow, stretch both arms. Cross an ankle on top of the opposite knee and sit tall, slightly hinging forward at the hips for an open hip stretch. Repeat on the other leg. Extend one leg out in front, sit tall and hinge forward at the hips, placing both hands on the thighs for a hamstring stretch. Bend knee slightly to avoid stressing the joint. Repeat with the other leg. Always warm up with marching first to warm the muscles before stretching.
Cardio Exercises
Marches, low leg kicks, toe and heel taps, knee lifts and seated jumping jacks can all be completed while seated. Sit at the edge of the chair, sit up tall and place feet shoulder-width apart on the floor. Start out marching slowly and then speed up for varied intensity. Extend the leg out in front for low leg kicks. Gently lift the knees, one at a time, for knee lifts. For seated jumping jacks, bring legs out and back in, imitating a jumping jack, lift arms out to the side for added intensity. Start with one set of 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise, then move to two or more sets as endurance improves.
Hand Weights
Use small hand weights--1 to 5 lbs.--for upper body strength exercises. Try bicep curl variations by doing slow bicep curls (up for two counts, down for two counts), regular pace and double-tempo bicep curls, and bicep curls stopping at waist level. Lift arms out to the side for lateral raises or out in front for front raises to strengthen shoulder muscles. Do shoulder shrugs and shoulder rolls while hands and weights hang down by your side. Beginners may do exercises without weights. Try one set of 10 to 15 repetitions before adding another set.
Stretching
Stretching at the end of a workout increases flexibility, balance and joint mobility. Take arms out to the side and reach up toward the ceiling for a full arm stretch, then bring them back down. Lift right arm up overhead while holding the elbow with the left hand. Gently bend arm at the elbow and reach right hand toward the upper back to stretch the triceps. Repeat with left arm. Draw circles with ankles, then push toes down into the ground for a calf stretch. Point and flex ankles, then push heels down into the ground. Cross the right ankle over the left and gently turn the upper body toward the right side of the chair. Grab on to the side of the chair to stretch the lower back, repeat on the left side. Hold each stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. Stretch only as far as feels comfortable, never force or bounce a stretch.
