A personal trainer shares three simple, chair-based exercises for seniors to improve leg mobility and strength, helping them walk longer and more comfortably while reducing fall risk, with just body weight and a stable chair needed for a quick, safe workout.
Physical therapist Chris DeRosa recommends various home workout items for older adults, including resistance bands, ankle weights, and under-desk ellipticals, to help them stay active and improve mobility. He also highlights the benefits of community programs and water aerobics for social interaction and joint-friendly exercise.
Staying active is crucial for seniors' overall health and well-being, and maintaining fitness becomes even more important as they age. According to certified personal trainer Mike Masi, 10 of the best exercises for seniors to do at home include chair squats, elevated pushups, modified burpees, heel raises, arm circles, walking, standing hip abduction, seated march, glute bridges, and single-leg balance exercises, all of which target flexibility, endurance, balance, and strength to help prevent falls and maintain independence.
Harry King, an 81-year-old certified personal trainer, recommends five moves to practice for getting up and down from the floor during the holiday season. These moves include wall sits, lunges, dynamic stretches for hips, glutes, and hamstrings, push-ups and tricep push-ups, and planks. Strengthening the lower body, upper body, and core, as well as improving mobility and flexibility, can make these movements easier and help seniors enjoy holiday activities with their families. King emphasizes the importance of starting at one's own fitness level and progressing gradually.
Harry King, an 81-year-old fitness trainer, highlights Gerry Turner, the 72-year-old star of "The Golden Bachelor," as a role model for seniors looking to stay fit and active. King emphasizes the importance of exercise for maintaining a healthy lifestyle at any age and shares his top three fitness tips for seniors: setting goals, focusing on low-impact workouts, and finding a gym buddy for accountability and social interaction. King recommends seniors engage in low-intensity exercises such as walking, elliptical training, and rowing, while cautioning that weightlifting should be done under supervision.