{"id":622681,"date":"2026-09-12T18:34:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T18:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/622681\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T18:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T18:34:08","slug":"7-minute-chair-routine-to-strengthen-core-after-60","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/622681\/","title":{"rendered":"7-Minute Chair Routine to Strengthen Core After 60"},"content":{"rendered":"

Want to build a stronger midsection? Try these chair exercises.<\/p>\n

Ah, the dreaded tummy roll. It\u2019s one of those things in life you don\u2019t want, but can naturally develop as you age. You know the feeling\u2014one week, your favorite jeans fit, then they seem to get tighter until the day comes when they don\u2019t completely zip up. Purchasing jeans in another size is the easy part. What\u2019s not easy is losing excess abdominal fat<\/a>. Extra fat in this part of the body\u2014particularly around the waistline\u2014is associated with an increased risk of heart disease<\/a> and stroke.<\/p>\n

To get you started on a healthier path, we spoke with Jennifer Scherer, MS, RDN, ACE-CPT<\/a>, Medical Exercise Specialist and Founder & CEO at Fredericksburg Fitness Studio, who has spent more than 20 years working in nutrition, exercise, and healthy aging. Scherer suggests adding a seven-minute chair routine to your workout to help build a stronger midsection<\/a> after 60.<\/p>\n

\u201cA seven-minute chair workout can absolutely strengthen the core and improve posture, stability, and how someone carries their midsection, but we can\u2019t spot-reduce abdominal fat through abdominal exercises<\/a>,\u201d Scherer stresses.<\/p>\n

While just seven minutes of chair exercises won\u2019t necessarily trim excess belly fat quicker than 30 minutes of walking, it can aid in strengthening the muscles under the midsection when paired with a well-rounded wellness routine. It\u2019s important to focus on total-body resistance training, cardiovascular exercise, and a nutritious diet as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWalking provides cardiovascular exercise<\/a>, increases daily energy expenditure, supports mobility and metabolic health, and can contribute to improvements in overall body composition when combined with appropriate nutrition,\u201d Scherer explains. \u201cThe chair routine provides something walking doesn\u2019t provide nearly as effectively: targeted resistance and stabilization for the muscles of the trunk. Ideally, I want adults over 60 doing both\u2014and also incorporating progressive total-body resistance training.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those over 60, Scherer favors core exercises that work the core in a manner it was designed to do\u2014control movement, provide spinal stability, maintain posture, and transfer force between the upper and lower body.<\/p>\n

Now, if you\u2019re ready to get started, let\u2019s dive in. Use a sturdy, non-rolling chair for the below exercises.<\/p>\n

\tSeated Marches<\/p>\n

\u201cThis works the deep abdominal stabilizers and hip flexors while challenging the core to keep the pelvis and trunk stable. Think about staying tall rather than trying to bring the knees as high as possible,\u201d Scherer says.<\/p>\n

Begin seated at the edge of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart on the floor.
\nGently draw your lower belly inward.
\nSlowly lift one knee up to hip height without leaning back.
\nLower.
\nAlternate sides in a \u201cmarching\u201d fashion.
\nPerform this for 60 seconds.<\/p>\n

5 Body-Sculpting Moves To Build a Lean Waistline<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSeated Knee Extension With Abdominal Brace<\/p>\n

6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e<\/p>\n

\u201cThis combines quadriceps strength with trunk stability. For adults over 60, I love exercises that don\u2019t isolate the \u2018abs\u2019 from the rest of the body because that\u2019s not how we use the core in everyday life,\u201d Scherer notes.<\/p>\n

Begin sitting tall with your knees bent to 90 degrees.
\nBrace your core.
\nGradually straighten one knee until that leg is completely extended.
\nHold at the top for a moment.
\nLower with control.
\nRepeat on the other side.
\nPerform the exercise for 30 seconds per leg.\u200b\u200b<\/p>\n

5 Core Moves That Burn Belly Fat Faster Than Crunches<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSeated Alternating Knee Lifts<\/p>\n

\u201cThis creates an isometric contraction through the abdominal wall and challenges the obliques and deeper stabilizing muscles,\u201d Scherer explains.<\/p>\n

Begin sitting tall at the edge of a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor.
\nLift one knee toward your chest while pressing the opposite hand gently into it for a few seconds.
\nLower, bracing your abs and maintaining a tall spine.
\nSwitch sides and continue to alternate.
\nPerform the exercise for 60 seconds.<\/p>\n

5 Daily Moves That Flatten Belly Fat Better Than Dieting After 40<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSeated Controlled Rotations<\/p>\n

\u201cThe key word here is controlled. We\u2019re not trying to twist as far as possible. We\u2019re training the obliques and the muscles responsible for controlling rotation while maintaining good spinal alignment,\u201d Scherer tells us.<\/p>\n

Begin sitting tall with your arms crossed over your chest and feet flat on the floor.
\nWith your hips facing forward, slowly rotate your ribcage to one side with control.
\nReturn to the center.
\nRotate to the other side.
\nPerform this exercise for 60 seconds.<\/p>\n

The 6 Best Ways To Shrink Belly Fat Without Endless Exercise After 45<\/a><\/p>\n

\tSeated Side Bends<\/p>\n

\u201cThis targets the obliques and quadratus lumborum, muscles that help stabilize the trunk and pelvis during walking, carrying, reaching, and other daily activities,\u201d Scherer says.<\/p>\n

\u200b\u200bBegin seated.
\nReach one arm overhead and the other arm down toward the floor as you bend sideways through the waist. (Engage your side body rather than \u201ccollapsing\u201d your shoulder.)
\nStay in a straight line, not allowing yourself to lean forward.
\nPerform 30 seconds on each side.<\/p>\n

5 Best Bodyweight Workouts for a Stronger, Leaner Core<\/a><\/p>\n

\tChair-Supported Sit-to-Stands<\/p>\n

\u201cYou might not think of this as a core exercise, but it absolutely requires trunk stabilization while also strengthening the glutes and quadriceps. One of my priorities with adults over 60 is making exercise translate into better function. Being able to get out of a chair confidently is far more meaningful than simply being able to perform a lot of crunches,\u201d Scherer notes.<\/p>\n

Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-distance apart.
\nCross your arms over your chest so that your hands are resting on your shoulders.
\nLean slightly forward, press through your feet, and stand up tall.
\nUse control to slowly sit back down.
\nPerform this exercise for 60 seconds.<\/p>\n

\tSeated Tall-Posture Abdominal Brace With Alternating Heel Lift<\/p>\n

\u201cIt looks simple, but when performed correctly it teaches the deep core muscles to maintain stability while the lower body moves\u2014which is exactly what they have to do during walking,\u201d Scherer says.<\/p>\n

Begin sitting tall with your ribs stacked over your pelvis and feet flat on the floor.
\nGently brace your abdominal wall.
\nAlternate lifting one heel at a time while keeping your torso still.
\nPerform this for 60 seconds.<\/p>\n

Alexa Mellardo<\/p>\n

\t\tAlexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home.\t\t\t\t\tRead more about Alexa <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Want to build a stronger midsection? Try these chair exercises. Ah, the dreaded tummy roll. It\u2019s one of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":622682,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[16737,499,103,16738,61,60,91623,78766,5172],"class_list":["post-622681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-body-fat","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-how-to-lose-body-fat","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-over-60","tag-seated-exercise","tag-workouts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/622681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=622681"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/622681\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/622682"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=622681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=622681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=622681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}