As we age, our bodies change: muscles weaken, bone density can decrease, mobility becomes limited, and balance grows more fragile. These shifts can compromise independence, making everyday tasks like standing up, carrying groceries, or climbing stairs more challenging. That’s why staying active after 60 is essential—but the key is choosing adapted activities that strengthen muscles, improve balance and posture, without putting joints at risk.

Exercise isn’t about transforming into an athlete; it’s about preserving your mobility, strength, and stability. The goal? Maintaining quality of life, continuing to handle daily tasks independently, reducing fall risk, and even boosting mental health.

Exercises After 60: The Best Chair-Based Moves According to a Fitness Coach

Speaking with Fit&Well, fitness coach Jennifer Rizzuto revealed what she considers the best exercises after 60 for staying healthy—all done from a chair. By strengthening the upper body, legs, and core, these moves improve posture, stability, and your ability to move safely. All you need is a chair and a resistance band.

• Seated Chest Press with Resistance Band: “Sit with your back straight and place a resistance band behind your shoulders. Hold the ends in each hand, then push your arms forward to extend them—like you’re doing a push motion. Return slowly,” the coach advises.
• Seated Leg Extension: “Sit with feet on the floor, extend one leg out in front of you, hold it for a few moments, then slowly lower it back down. Repeat 10 to 15 times on each side, for 3 sets. This exercise strengthens the thighs and muscles around the knees.”
• Seated Torso Rotation: “Sit upright with hands on your shoulders, then gently rotate your chest from side to side—without moving your hips—to mobilize your waist and core. Again, 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side. This strengthens the core and improves back mobility.”

Chair Yoga: Another Gentle and Powerful Approach for Staying Active After 60

Chair yoga is particularly well-suited for those over 60. This gentle practice delivers all the benefits of traditional yoga while ensuring safety, stability, and accessibility. One of its biggest advantages? It significantly reduces fall risk—a crucial concern for seniors. By staying seated or using the chair for support, you can practice flexion, stretching, twisting, and breathing postures that engage muscles progressively and with control. This approach maintains flexibility, improves joint mobility (especially in the shoulders, back, hips, and neck), and reduces muscular tension often caused by sedentary lifestyles or poor posture. Chair yoga also strengthens the deep core muscles essential for posture and balance, and can even boost circulation through gentle, rhythmic movements. Mentally, breathing exercises and mindfulness create a genuine sense of calm, reduce stress, and promote better sleep.

The fundamental principles of chair yoga rest on gentleness, safety, and gradual progression. Every movement should be performed slowly, without pain, always prioritizing quality over range of motion. Breathing plays a central role: breathe deeply through the nose, exhale fully, synchronize breath with movement. The chair serves as support but doesn’t prevent mobilization—it facilitates gentle twists, arm raises, forward or lateral bends, and certain balance exercises while seated or standing with support. Chair yoga also encourages body awareness: adapt each posture to your own mobility, respect your limits, avoid any sudden movements. Thanks to these simple principles, this form of yoga becomes accessible to everyone—ideal for maintaining strength, flexibility, stability, and overall wellbeing after 60.