3 exercises that target your core while sitting down, perfect for beginners and seniors

Far from being an easy alternative, chair workouts are one of the most underrated ways to work on the muscles in your midsection. Whether you find it difficult to get down onto the floor to work out, or you’re looking for a set of exercises you can do from your desk, we’ve got you covered.

Chair workouts help you build functional, upright stability. Unlike crunches or sit-ups on the floor, seated exercises mimic how you use your core in everyday life. As you go through these movements, you’ll be engaging your deep transverse abdominis muscles to work hard and stabilize your spine, which helps improve your posture and protect your lower back from injury.

You’ll also be working on your core without putting any additional stress on your knees or hips, making this workout ideal for a complete beginner. Additionally, there’s no risk of falling with this workout, making it an ideal choice for seniors.

As always, if you are recovering from an injury or you’ve taken some time away from exercise, it’s always a good idea to check in with a qualified professional before taking on a new workout regimen.

Even if you can get down onto an exercise mat, doing a quick workout like this one between meetings, from your desk, can help wake up your back muscles and obliques, reducing the classic slump position many of us find ourselves in by the end of the workday.

What is the workout?

The workout is designed by personal trainer Deron Buboltz, who specializes in training seniors, and runs the account Grow Young Fitness. All you’ll need to complete the exercises is a chair. Ensure you can sit with both feet flat on the floor, and that the chair doesn’t have wheels. To increase the intensity, hold a set of the best adjustable dumbbells as you go.

The workout promises to target belly fat. As a reminder, you can’t spot reduce fat in the body, but when paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise, exercises like these can help you lose weight.

Here are the exercises in question:

• Seated running on the spot: For this exercise, lift both feet a few inches off the floor, and gently run on the spot, lifting one leg, then the other. For more support, place both hands on the side of the chair. Keep thinking about squeezing your abdominal muscles in towards your spine.
• Seated bicycle crunches: Exercise number two is bicycle crunches. Place your hands lightly on your temples, and lift one knee towards your torso. At the same time, twist your upper body to touch the opposite elbow to your knee. Return to your starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Seated flutter kicks: For the final exercise, lean your torso back slightly and use the back of the chair for support. Lift both legs off the floor and extend them out in front of you, flexing your feet. Kick one leg, then the other up towards the ceiling — this isn’t a big movement. You should feel your core working hard to stabilize your body.

Tighten up your core from a chair! #seniorfitness #coreworkout - YouTube

Watch On

Buboltz recommends doing each exercise for 20 seconds and repeating the circuit three to five times. Repeat the workout a few times a week to feel a difference in your core.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

• 3 moves that can help you walk easier and longer as a senior, according to a personal trainer
• No equipment needed — these 5 exercises are key to helping you stay strong after 60, according to a pilates teacher
• No, not crunches: Try this 8-minute 'secret' workout to build a strong and stable core over 50