Chair Exercises for Fitness
Improve your flexibility, strength and cardiovascular health, all while seated!
To get the most out of this chair exercise program:
Sit tall with chin parallel to floor, ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips, tummy in and feet flat on floor.
Breathe properly: Inhale as you prepare to do an exercise and exhale as you perform it while keeping your tummy in.
Perform flexibility and cardio exercises (1-7) daily. Perform strength training exercises (8-13) every other day.
Please note, all exercises here can be done with or without hand weights.
Before starting any exercise program, consult a medical professional.
Flexibility Exercises
Benefits of Flexibility Exercises: Increase circulation • increase blood supply to joints • improve posture • decrease muscle soreness • decrease risk of injury
1. Shoulder Circles
Slowly circle shoulders forwards 5 times • Slowly circle them backwards 5 times
Works: Shoulders and upper back while improving range of motion in them
2. Neck Stretch
Slowly turn head over right shoulder • Hold • Return to center • Slowly turn head over left shoulder • Hold • Repeat 3-5 times (Never stretch head toward back)
Works: Neck muscles
3. Arm Stretch
Push right palm toward ceiling • Push left palm toward the floor • Hold • Switch arms and hold • Do 2 times
Works: Shoulders and upper and lower back while increasing range of motion in arms, shoulders and back
4. Abdominal Twist
Sitting on edge of chair with hands on collarbone, twist right • Hold • Return to center • Twist left • Hold • Return to center • Do 8-15 times each side
Works: Abdominal front and side muscles while improving posture and balance
5. Leg Squeeze
Raise heels off floor • Squeeze knees, thighs and buttock muscles together • Hold • Relax • Do 8-15 times
Works: Muscles that control the bladder, thighs and buttocks while strengthening leg muscles
6. Leg Extensions
Sitting tall in chair, extend right foot out • Hold • Slowly lower foot to floor • Do 8-15 times with each leg
Works: Thighs
Cardiovascular Exercise
Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercises: Burn fat • strengthen your heart • build muscle • improve mental state • reduce risk for a variety of medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis
7. March While Seated
Sitting on the front edge of your chair, “march” with your arms and legs. Do this by alternating between raising your left leg and right arm and raising your right leg and left arm in a steady marching motion.
March for 6 minutes while seated, moving your arms gently for the first 2 minutes. Slightly increase your tempo for the next 2 minutes. Continue to quicken your tempo for the remaining 2 minutes. Remember to raise your legs and opposite arms in a steady marching motion.
To Combine Cardio and Strength Exercises:
Remaining seated, use your legs to march at a steady pace. Use your hands or hand weights (dumbbells) to complete the strength exercises (8-13). Continue to march while seated throughout each exercise.
Strength Training Exercises
Benefits of Strength Exercises: Burn more calories • increase bone density • build muscle • decrease risk of injury • lower blood pressure • reduce arthritic pain • decrease risk of heart disease
8. Shoulder Press
Place hands on knees, palms down • Bring right hand to right shoulder, palm facing out, press right hand up/overhead, and then lower back to shoulder • Do 8-15 times with each arm
Strengthens: Shoulders and back muscles
9. Lateral Raise
Keep upper arms at your sides while bending elbows to 90°, palms facing each other • While keeping 90° bend in elbows, float arms up to the sides until parallel to floor and palms are facing down (or as high as comfortable) • Do 8-15 times
Strengthens: Shoulders and upper back: improves posture
10. Upright Row
Place palms together in your lap • Keeping hands together and close to body, slowly raise hands and arms until fingers are even with your nose and elbows are even with your shoulders (or as high as comfortable) • Hold • Return to start • Do 8-15 times
Strengthens: Upper back and back muscles
11. Front Raise
Place hands on knees, palms down • Slowly raise right hand straight out in front of body to shoulder level or as high as comfortable • Do 8-15 times with each arm
Strengthens: Shoulders
12. Biceps Curl
Place hands on thighs, palms upward • Slowly lift one hand to shoulder • Slowly lower hand to thigh • Do 8-15 times with each arm
Strengthens: Biceps muscles
13. Triceps Curl
Hold one dumbbell overhead or touch fingertips overhead • Carefully lower hands behind head, keeping elbows pointed upward • Lengthen hands back toward ceiling • Do 8-15 times
Strengthens: Triceps muscles
Please talk with your own/loved one’s healthcare provider before using any of this information.
