8 Exercises You Can Do From a Chair

Abdominal exercises are an essential part of an overall fitness routine. But, for many people, getting down on the floor for crunches or attempting advanced moves like hanging leg raises is too difficult.

Fortunately, you can easily do a chair ab workout at home, work, or anywhere you have a chair. These workouts also are easy to fit into your day, regardless of your schedule or fitness level.

Below, you’ll find a mix of exercises targeting the upper, lower, and oblique abdominal muscles. Each exercise is designed to be performed while seated, making it accessible to everyone, including those with mobility issues or new to exercise.

Benefits of Chair Ab Exercises

Building a solid core is essential for your overall health, posture, and daily activities, especially as you age. If your core is strong, it can work how it needs to—helping prevent falls, protecting you from back pain, and making tasks like lifting, bending, and walking easier.

As you age, keeping your core strong is particularly important. A strong core helps with balance and stability—vital for staying independent and active.

Your abdominal muscles are just one part of your core, which includes muscles in your back, glutes, pelvic floor, and diaphragm. They are important for keeping your body upright and stable, protecting your spine and organs, and assisting with movements between your ribcage and pelvis. Adding ab workouts to your fitness routine is one way to improve your overall core strength and stability.

One of the best things about chair-based exercises is their convenience and accessibility. You don’t need any ab machine equipment—just a sturdy chair and some space—and they can help you maintain good posture and reduce back pain.

Chair Ab Workout

According to healthcare experts, chair-based exercises are an ideal simple workout plan for older adults who need a gentler approach to increasing their strength and mobility. These exercises focus on seated movements and are intended for people with limited mobility since chairs provide stability and safety. Chair ab workouts can be adapted to your preferences and needs, and you can modify them if your needs change.

Chair ab exercises also build strength and prepare you for more advanced standing exercises. They improve your ability to perform daily tasks, lift your mood, and increase joint mobility, muscle strength, and coordination. To prevent injuries, each exercise session should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. 

A warm-up could include gentle seated marches, shoulder rolls, and deep breathing exercises. After your workout, cool down with seated stretches, focusing on your back, neck, and legs to help your body recover and prevent stiffness. Here are some exercises to try at home, although you should talk to a healthcare provider first if you have limited mobility or chronic health issues.

Seated Knee Lifts  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your back straight.
2. Lift your knees toward your chest, engaging your upper abs.
3. Lower them slowly back down.
4. Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Seated Crunches  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair and lean back slightly.
2. Place your hands behind your head.
3. Crunch forward, bringing your chest toward your knees.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Seated Leg Lifts  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your back straight.
2. Extend your legs in front of you and lift them together, engaging your lower abs.
3. Lower them back down slowly.
4. Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions.

Seated Scissor Kicks  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair and lean back slightly.
2. Extend your legs in front of you.
3. Alternate lifting each leg up and down in a scissor motion.
4. Perform for 30 seconds to one minute.

Seated Russian Twists 

1. Sit on the edge of the chair and lean back slightly.
2. Lift your feet off the ground.
3. Hold your hands together and twist your torso from side to side, touching the chair on each side.
4. Do this for 30 seconds to one minute.

Seated Side Crunches  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your back straight.
2. Lift one knee toward your chest while bringing the opposite elbow toward the knee, engaging your obliques.
3. Alternate sides for 10 to 15 repetitions per side.

Seated Bicycle Crunches  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair and lean back slightly.
2. Lift your feet off the ground.
3. Alternate bringing each knee toward the opposite elbow in a pedaling motion.
4. Perform for 30 seconds to one minute.

Seated V-Ups  

1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your back straight.
2. Extend your legs and lift them while reaching your hands toward your feet, forming a “V” shape with your body.
3. Hold for a moment, then lower back down.
4. Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions.

How to Progress

For beginners, start with the easier versions of the exercises if you’ve never tried them before. If needed, perform fewer repetitions and shorter durations. Also, focus on maintaining proper form.

As you get stronger, you can increase the number of repetitions or extend the duration of each exercise. Once you feel comfortable, try the more challenging chair ab variations.

Bottom Line

Chair ab exercises are a simple, effective way to strengthen your core, improve your posture, and support your overall health. Regularly doing these exercises as part of a well-rounded routine can build a solid core without needing special equipment or a gym membership.

Remember to listen to your body and progress at your own pace. Move on to more challenging variations over time to keep building strength.