Exercise & Routines
10-Minute Chair Exercises for Seniors
Short sessions add up. This 10-minute plan uses a sturdy chair and a clock or timer.
The 10-minute plan
- Minutes 0–2: Warm up with seated marching and shoulder rolls.
- Minutes 2–4: Sit-to-stand, slowly, with rests as needed.
- Minutes 4–6: Arm raises and seated rows, alternating every 30 seconds.
- Minutes 6–8: Seated knee extensions and heel raises.
- Minutes 8–10: Cool down with ankle circles, slow breathing and gentle torso turns.
How much exercise is right for you?
Guidelines suggest about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for older adults, plus strength and balance work. If that is not possible yet, any amount is better than none. A useful check is the talk test: during moderate activity you can talk but not sing.
Safety first
- • Talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a heart, lung, joint or balance condition.
- • Stop and seek help if you feel chest pain, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath, or sharp pain.
- • Move within a comfortable range. Mild effort is expected; pain is not.
This article is general education, not individual medical advice. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about your own situation.