This simple chair workout emphasizes “mind-muscle connection.”
Got seven minutes to spare? It may not seem like much time, but it can be enough to start reducing belly fat! Belly fat is something to be mindful of, because it contains visceral fat—the dangerous kind that wraps around your organs. What makes it such a health risk? It can lead to type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain forms of cancer.
Getting back to a healthy way to spend just seven quick minutes, we have a chair routine that will firm your belly pooch faster than crunches after 60.
“As we get older, the goal isn’t just to ‘get abs.’ It’s about functional independence and not getting stuck in what I call ‘physical prison.’ Chair-based exercises are a game-changer because they remove the ‘stability tax,’” explains Joe Ghafari, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutritionist, and the Co-Founder and Head Coach of Visiting Wrld, a premium LGBTQ+ fitness retreat brand that blends world travel, structured fitness coaching, nutrition education, and community connection. “When you’re over 60, your balance and joint integrity change. By using a chair, we take the fear of falling out of the equation. This allows you to actually focus on the mind-muscle connection. Instead of your body screaming in panic because you’re wobbling on the floor, your brain can finally talk to your transverse abdominis, that internal corset that actually keeps your belly tight. It’s about training smarter, not just harder.”
The 7-Minute Chair Routine That Firms Belly Fat
Perform each of the exercises below back-to-back.
Seated “Corset” Tucks (Transverse Abdominis)
Begin by sitting tall with your hands on the sides of the chair.
Exhale all of your air out as if you’re blowing out 100 birthday candles. Pull your belly in toward your spine at the same time.
Hold that “hollow” feeling while taking small breaths.
Perform 2 sets of 60 seconds.
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Seated Knee-to-Chest (Lower Core)
Begin by sitting tall, holding onto the chair handles.
Lean slightly back.
Lift one knee up toward your chest at a time, squeezing your lower belly as you do so.
Lower with control.
Perform 2 sets of 15 reps on each side.
Seated Windshield Wiper (Obliques)
Sit at the edge of the chair with your legs slightly extended.
Rotate your torso from one side to the other while keeping your hips glued to the seat.
Perform 2 sets of 20 reps.
Begin seated at the front of a sturdy chair with your feet placed on the floor under your knees.
Lean forward slightly.
Stand up without using your knees, hands, or additional support.
Use control to slowly sit back down.
Perform 1 minute of as many reps as possible.
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa 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. Read more about Alexa