Chair exercises for seniors

Chair exercises are gentle moves you do sitting in a sturdy chair, useful when standing exercise is hard, tiring or not safe yet. Below are 22 of them, grouped by the part of the body they work, each with a picture and plain steps.

Before you start: use a sturdy chair with no wheels, pushed against a wall, and keep your feet flat. A gentle stretch is good; pain means stop. If you have a heart condition or a recent injury, read the safety check first.

Breathing and posture

  1. Belly Breathing5 slow breaths
  2. Seated Mountain PoseHold for 30 seconds

Neck and shoulders

  1. Seated Neck Stretch3 times each side
  2. Shoulder Rolls5 circles each way
  3. Self-Hug StretchHold 3 breaths, twice

Back and spine

  1. Seated Cat–Cow6 rounds
  2. Seated Side Stretch3 times each side, hold 2 breaths
  3. Seated Spinal Twist2 times each side, hold 3 breaths

Hips and legs

  1. Seated March30–60 seconds
  2. Seated Leg Lifts8 times each leg
  3. Seated Figure-4 StretchHold 3 breaths each side
  4. Seated Hamstring StretchHold 3 breaths each side

Hands and feet

  1. Wrist and Finger Exercises5 circles each way, 5 open-and-close
  2. Seated Ankle Exercises10 rocks

Flowing tai chi

  1. Opening4 times
  2. Lifting the Sky4 times
  3. Holding the Ball3 breaths each way
  4. Cloud Hands6 slow turns
  5. Parting the Wild Horse's Mane3 times each side
  6. Brush Knee3 times each side
  7. Push4 times
  8. ClosingOnce

A 10-minute routine

Ten of these moves make a 10-minute chair routine that works from your neck to your ankles. For the days you’re watching TV, try one move per ad break.

When to add standing exercises

Chair exercises keep joints moving. They don’t build balance on their own (Klempel et al., 2021), so if you can stand safely, add balance exercises at the chair a few times a week.

Last updated . Sources · Safety