An effective seated leg exercise for seniors can include leg squeezes, leg extensions, raised leg circles, and calf raises. Adding any of these into your workout regimen can help build muscle mass and improve your overall health, all without the risk of injury from falling.
According to the CDC, 28% of seniors are completely inactive, often due to mobility problems.
Seated leg exercises are the perfect way to boost your health and build stronger muscles that could help fight against those mobility issues. If you're looking for mobility-friendly routines you can do from your senior apartment in Charlotte, NC, home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, then look no further.
We've put together this easy-for-beginners seated exercise list that starts you on the right path to better wellness, no matter your current mobility level.
Safe movement over 70 requires you to start with the basics. Building the muscles in your thighs will help you continue strengthening other muscles in your legs and help you stay active.
Since the thighs are the biggest muscles in the legs, it's good to start with this kind of exercise first. All you need is a chair and an object that fits between your legs that has a little bit of give. A pillow, rolled-up blanket, or sports ball are all great options for this.
To perform leg squeezes, do the following:
When it comes to lower body strength in aging adults, the calves are often overlooked. These muscles are a necessary component to maintaining balance and supporting the rest of your body while standing. If you ignore your calves, you're putting yourself at a disadvantage.
To perform seated calf raises, do the following:
The muscles at the tops of our knees are often tricky to build. However, without the right kind of strength in the areas around our knees, good balance is harder to find.
This exercise targets those muscles so you can work on your overall balance without putting yourself at risk.
To perform seated leg extensions, do the following:
To add variety, you can even do this exercise with both feet simultaneously, as long as you're able to do the motions with proper control.
An easy way to add difficulty to leg extensions is to make small circles with your foot for ten seconds before you lower it. Switching the direction of the circles between repetitions will help build your muscles more evenly.
Sometimes the key to a good workout is to find ways to make the workout fun. Alphabet drills are a great way to add variety to your seated exercises while still getting health benefits.
To perform alphabet drills, do the following:
This is one of the top assisted living exercise ideas that you can adjust to suit your preferences. Tired of the alphabet? Draw simple shapes instead, or write out full words that inspire you.
Due to aging, humans tend to naturally begin losing muscle mass at around the age of 50. This process tends to accelerate as we get older, making it more difficult for seniors to maintain healthy muscle mass.
The good news is that, by staying active and working out a little every week, you can offset and even prevent the majority of this process. By following along with a variety of chair workouts for seniors, for example, you'll give your muscles the tools they need to stay strong, flexible, and stable.
Regaining weight-supporting strength in your legs will take dedication and time, but it's an achievable goal for seniors to work towards. Listen to your body and take breaks when necessary so you don't end up with a preventable injury.
Simple exercises consisting of many repetitions that you can do without harming yourself are the best way to regain muscle mass. It's better to do more reps with less weight resistance than to add too much weight to your exercises.
To quicken your results even more, follow a healthy diet filled with muscle-building protein that energizes you to keep up with your new workout regimen.
When trying a leg exercise for seniors for the first time, it's crucial to attempt it with safety in mind. When you join a senior community that puts your individuality first, you'll have many opportunities to start exercising with renewed vigor and confidence.
The Laurels & The Haven In Highland Creek is a Charlotte senior community that offers residents individual support to achieve all of their health goals. We can help you reach new levels of leg strength through our extensive wellness programs and fitness area.
Schedule a tour with us, and we'd love to show you our active and welcoming community in person!