Revitalize Your Hip Strength After 60: Top 5 Chair Exercises That Outperform Squats

Boost your hip mobility and strength by incorporating these easy chair exercises into your daily regimen.

As individuals age, particularly past 65, hip fractures become alarmingly common. Therefore, it’s crucial to focus on strengthening and stabilizing your hips to prevent balance issues or injuries as you approach 60. To help you with this, we consulted Marwa Ahmed, a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer and Running Coach, as well as the CEO of The BodyMind Coach in Toronto. Ahmed recommends five chair exercises that can enhance hip strength more effectively than squats for those over 60.

“As we age, our hip strength tends to decline due to the natural loss of muscle mass, speed, and power, particularly if our muscles aren’t regularly challenged in diverse ways,” Ahmed explains. “Even those who lead active lifestyles can experience a decrease in strength if they repeatedly engage in the same movements, spend extended periods sitting, or neglect training for hip stability, balance, lateral control, and single-leg support. Research indicates that older adults often experience diminished hip power and slower movement, which can complicate everyday activities.”

Although squats are a valuable component of a comprehensive fitness routine, they may not always be suitable for individuals experiencing balance issues, knee pain, or difficulties with rising from a seated position.

While squats can be helpful in a well-rounded fitness routine, they’re not always the best choice for those with balance issues, knee pain, or difficulty getting up and down from the ground.

“Chair exercises can be an easier first step because they build hip strength with less joint strain and more control. They also help people work on hip movement, pelvic stability, and basic strength before moving on to harder weight-bearing exercises,” Ahmed adds.

Below, Ahmed shares her five top-recommended chair exercises to help strengthen your hips as you age.

Seated March

1. Begin seated with your feet placed hip-width apart on the floor.
2. Lift your left knee up to hip height.
3. Lower.
4. Then, lift your right knee up to hip level.
5. Lower.
6. Maintain solid posture as you continue to “march.”

Seated Leg Extension

1. Begin sitting tall with your back supported against the chair.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor.
3. Hold the sides of the chair for added stability.
4. Straighten your left leg out in front of you until your knee is completely extended. For max quad engagement, keep your toes flexed toward your shin the entire time.
5. Hold for 2 seconds at the top before lowering.
6. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Hip Abduction

1. Begin by sitting tall.
2. Place a resistance band just above your knees. Alternatively, place your hands on your outer thighs, pressing inward to create resistance.
3. Push your thighs out.
4. Hold for 2 seconds.
5. Slowly return to the start position.

Seated Forward Leans

1. Begin sitting tall at the edge of your chair.
2. Hinge forward at your hips until you feel a solid hamstring stretch.
3. Return to the upright position.

Chair-Supported Step-Ups

1. Begin by standing tall, facing a low step.
2. Hold onto a sturdy chair for support.
3. Place your left foot firmly onto the surface, keeping your core engaged and chest tall.
4. Press through your left heel to lift your body until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on the surface.
5. Use control to lower back to the start position.
6. Repeat on the other side.