As we grow older, maintaining muscle strength becomes increasingly crucial, particularly to ensure stability and confidence in everyday movements. For those over 65, a strategic approach involving chair-based exercises can be particularly beneficial for rebuilding leg strength.

It’s a well-documented fact that as we age, we naturally lose muscle mass. In fact, without consistent strength training and sufficient protein in our diets, individuals can experience a loss of 3% to 8% of muscle mass per decade after the age of 30. This decline tends to accelerate as the years progress. To counter these effects, we consulted with fitness experts to identify effective chair exercises that can help regain lost muscle strength in older adults.

Theresa Rowe, a nationally certified fitness professional with extensive expertise in personal training, group fitness, Pilates, and senior strength, emphasizes the benefits of chair-based exercises. According to Rowe, “Chair-based strength training is not a secondary option to traditional weight training. For those over 50, it often represents a more accessible and sustainable method to build strength safely and effectively.” She notes that exercises performed while seated or supported can significantly reduce joint stress and balance challenges, allowing the muscles to work against resistance effectively.

With your balance supported by a chair, the focus can easily shift to engaging muscles correctly and ensuring proper body alignment, making these exercises not only safer but also highly effective. Following this approach can help older adults improve their strength and maintain independence in their daily lives.

Because your balance is supported, it’s easy to shift your focus to muscle engagement and proper alignment.

“When upper body, lower body, and core exercises are combined, chair-based training builds functional strength that carries over into everyday activities such as standing up, walking, reaching, and lifting,” Rowe adds.

According to Jose Guevara, Fitness Instructor, Chiropractor, and Home Gym Equipment Tester, “When it comes to building strength, your body doesn’t know what you’re stressing it with a dumbbell or your bodyweight (like with chair-based exercises).

As long as there is a stress on the body, it’s repetitive and increases over time (weight, reps, or sets), it will increase strength.”

Unilateral Calf Raises

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1. Start by standing behind a sturdy chair and place your hands on the top of the backrest for support.
2. Bend one leg and perform a calf raise, utilizing one leg at a time. According to Guevara, this makes it more challenging since the other leg cannot assist with your body weight.
3. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

Bulgarian Split Squats

1. Stand in front of a sturdy chair, facing away from it.
2. Place one foot on the seat and the other should be firmly planted on the floor.
3. Squat down with the leg in front of you. According to Guevara, this calls for balance, so place another chair in front of you to use its backrest for added support.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

Chair Squats

1. Begin by standing tall in front of a sturdy chair with your feet hip-width apart on the ground.
2. Activate your core and keep your chest lifted.
3. Bend at the knees and hips and lower slowly into a squat—as if you’re about to sit down. Make sure your weight stays in your heels.
4. Lightly touch the surface of the chair with your glutes.
5. Press through your heels to rise back up.
6. Perform 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps.

Seated Leg Extensions

1. Sit back lightly with your hands holding onto the chair.
2. Extend one leg straight out.
3. Hold for a moment, then lower.
4. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg.