What are the benefits of seated exercise?

Exercise is crucial to our physical and mental wellbeing - whatever our age.

There is no age limit on exercise and if you want to maintain your health, mobility and independence as you get older, seated workouts are a great place to start.

What is seated exercise?

Seated exercise is basically just a chair-based workout. It’s an ideal type of training for older adults as it’s low impact and gentle on joints and bones.

What are the benefits of seated exercise?

1. Better cardiovascular health – Physical activity for adults and older adults reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 35 per cent.

2. Could help cognitive function – Dementia affects many older adults and some studies claim that exercise can help boost brain health and reduce the risk of developing this disease.

3. Reduces anxiety and depression – Many older adults may experience loneliness, social withdrawal, illness or disability, all of which can impact mental health and wellbeing. Exercise has been scientifically proven to boost mood, increasing the happy hormones in the body and reducing depressive and anxious feelings.

4. Boosts flexibility – Osteoarthritic pain is a significant issue for older adults, with joints and muscles becoming stiff and immobile. While exercise can’t reverse all age-related joint changes, maintaining movement in muscles and joints is essential to reduce discomfort. Research has also found that chair-based exercise can help with balance, gait speed and grip strength.

5. Improves strength - Muscles naturally get weaker with age but gentle seated exercise can keep older adults independently mobile.

6. Improves bone density – Many older adults suffer from osteoporosis, where bones weaken and become more susceptible to fractures. Regular exercise, especially low impact workouts that are gentle on joints and bones, can improve bone density.

7. Increases lifespan – Studies have shown that regular exercise can add as much as five years to life expectancy figures. Physical activity not only adds time, but improves quality of life.

What to expect in a seated exercise class

I’ve been running a fortnightly seated exercise class for older people, with charity Waste2Taste, at Oxford’s Shotover View.

During this free low impact class, I teach the residents how to do gentle exercises, all while seated, to improve muscle, bone and joint health – and help to make everyday tasks easier.

Studies have shown that regular movement can help with weight loss, improve confidence, posture, balance and reduce the risk of falls. These workouts are designed for different levels of mobility. 

I focus on:

• Simple functional movements to improve mobility

• Stretching exercises to improve range of movement

• Rhythmic movements to music at a low to moderate intensity

• Bodyweight resistance exercises to improve strength

My FREE seated exercise classes, run in conjunction with charity Waste2Taste every other Thursday at 10:30am-11:30am, at Shotover View, Craufurd Road, OX4 2SQ. Click here to see the class schedule.

Want something a bit more energetic? Come to my Circuits Club, every Friday at 9-10am at TAP SOCIAL’s Whitehouse Pub on Abingdon Road, OX1 4PD.