Printable Chair Exercise Routine For Seniors—With Pictures! – Better5.com (2024)

Who else wants a gentle way to regain strength and mobility in a way your body can truly handle? With this quick & gentle seated workout for older adults all it takes is 10 minutes a day—and you don’t even have to get down on the ground!

Why should I try chair exercises?

For many reasons! First, by sitting, you aren’t putting pressure on your joints which makes it a low-to-no impact way to exercise (your joints will thank you). Second, the chair provides added stability so you can exercise without worrying about a tumble. And lastly, it makes all your exercises easier so you can actually do them.

Can I exercise with limited mobility?

Chair exercises are great for anyone with limited mobility, strength, balance or endurance. The chair provides a lot of support & safety which allows you to exercise in a way you may not have otherwise been able to. It’s one of the most popular ways for people with limited mobility to start exercising and getting that mobility back.

As always though, be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. And make sure to avoid these 7 common mistakes made by older adults when starting a new routine (Click Or Tap Here To Read)

Printable Chair Exercises For Seniors—With Pictures

Before downloading your printable seated exercises handout, let’s go over this gentle 10 minute workout for older adults together.

Seated Marches

How to do it:

1. Sit up straight with your shoulders back.
2. Put your hands on your hips.
3. Engage your core.
4. Lift your leg up straight up off the ground.
5. Return your leg to the starting position.
6. Repeat with the other leg.
7. Alternate between legs for 8 lifts (4 per leg).
8. Pause for a few seconds then do 1 more set.

Leg Extensions

How to do it:

1. Sit up nice & tall with your shoulders back.
2. Flex your foot & extend it straight out in front of you.
3. Hold for a second at the top, toes pointing straight up.
4. Return to starting position.
5. Repeat 8 times with your right leg.
6. Then repeat 8 times with your left leg.
7. Pause for a few seconds then do 1 more set.

Seated Butterfly

How to do it:

1. Sit up straight.
2. Bring your arms straight out in front of you.
3. Lift up one heel from the ground while planting the toe firmly into the ground.
4. Open that knee out to the side, keeping your hips pointing straight.
5. As you open your knee out, bring your arms straight up over your head.
6. Bring your knee back in while lowering your arms until they are straight out again.
7. Repeat 8 times.
8. Switch sides and repeat with your other leg 8 times.

Seated Bicycle

How to do it:

1. Interlace your fingers in your hands then put them behind your neck.
2. Sitting up nice and tall, start twisting to the side.
3. Drive your knee up as you twist to the side.
4. Bring your knee back down and return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for 30 seconds on each side.

Arm Pumps

How to do it:

1. Plant your feet firmly on the ground.
2. Bring your arms straight out to the side.
3. Engage your shoulder muscles to lift both arms up about 10 cm.
4. Return back to the starting position.
5. Repeat this motion as quickly as you can, pumping your arms up & down for 30 seconds. (It should almost look and feel like you are flapping your arms like a bird.)

Seated Row

How to do it:

1. Put one foot straight out in front of you.
2. Loop your resistance band underneath the arch of your foot and hold onto the ends.
3. Start with your thumbs on each hand facing each other.
4. As you pull your shoulder blades & elbows backwards, rotate your hands so your thumbs are pointing upwards towards your armpit.
5. Return to starting position.
6. Repeat 10 times.

Bicep Curl

How to do it:

1. Plant feet hip distance apart.
2. Place the resistance band under your feet, making sure the length is the same on both sides.
3. Face your palms towards the ceiling and bring them to your shoulders, bending at the elbow.
4. Return to starting position.
5. Repeat 10 times.

There you have it! A quick & gentle whole body workout from a chair for older adults or anyone with limited mobility. At just 10 minutes long, it’s super easy to fit into your day.

To download your printable chair exercises for seniors (with pictures) pdf, just click the link below.

Or, if you want an even easier way to exercise, just follow along with one of our step-by-step video classes: