Move · Videos · Gentle & Seated · 33 min

Seated Chair Strength Workout for Seniors

Seated Chair Strength Workout for Seniors — video by Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist Play · 33:29

Video by Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physical therapist leads a chair-only session for seniors after a long warm-up: heel raises, hamstring heel digs, glute squeezes, thigh presses against your hands, presses into the chair arms and knee extensions, then seated stretches.

  • 33 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair

Good forHealthy ageing

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Step by step 14

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Posture: sit evenly on your sit bones and lengthen your spine, then shoulder-blade lifts and squeezes. 0:16
  2. Neck pendulums: chin over one shoulder and along a T-shirt neckline, then reverse shoulder shrugs. 2:27
  3. Torso march with soft fists, then little arm V's and elbow circles to warm up the upper back. 4:14
  4. Leg warm-up: march pressing your fists into the chair, heel taps, knee-outs, toe-heel rocks, feet out and in. 6:43
  5. Heel raises: lean forward with a flat back, hands pressing on your knees, and lift your heels; 10 times. 9:35
  6. Hamstring heel digs: dig one heel in and pull back for three, toes up; build to 10, then the other leg. 10:37
  7. Glute squeezes: breathe in, then squeeze your buttocks as tight as you can as you breathe out; release. 13:31
  8. Thigh presses: hands beside your thighs, press your thighs out against them for three; a belt or band works too. 14:58
  9. Elbow presses: lean back into the chair and press your elbows back for three, squeezing your shoulder blades. 16:29
  10. Chair-arm presses: press out against the chair arms for three; pad them with a pillow or book if needed. 18:11
  11. Knee extensions: straighten and tighten for three; with knee arthritis, shorten the arc with your foot on a pillow. 20:00
  12. Cool-down: sit tall for side neck stretches, then turn your head and torso to look over each shoulder. 23:31
  13. Chest opener leaning back with hands by your ears, then cross one leg over the other for a hip stretch, each side. 25:35
  14. Hamstring stretch with a straight leg and lifted chest, then a quad stretch sitting sideways; then the other leg. 28:05

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Start with 5 reps if 10 is too much and build up over time
  • Squeeze every muscle fibre you can find and breathe out as you tighten
  • With knee arthritis, shorten the knee-straightening arc by resting your foot on a pillow or book

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Neck movesneck pendulums, side stretch, neck rotation
  • Shoulders movesshrugs, shoulder blade squeezes, chair-arm presses
  • Upper back movesshoulder blade squeezes, elbow presses, chest stretch
  • Lower back movestorso-twist marching, seated stretches
  • Hips movesthigh presses, glute squeezes, hip stretches
  • Knees movesheel digs, knee extensions, marching
  • Ankles & feet movesheel raises, toe raises, heel taps

Easier option from the coach: Fully seated; rest the foot on a pillow to shorten the knee arc; start at 5 reps

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Margaret Martin, Physical Therapist; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety