Take a seat

FITNESS DOESN’T ALL HAVE TO BE ABOUT SWEATING IT OUT AND PUMPING IRON. SALLY DIXON LOOKS AT SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF MUCHUNDERRATED CHAIR STRETCHING

HEN IT COMES to excuses as to why you can’t work out, there just aren’t many when it comes to chair stretching. Everyone has a chair, right? Whether you’re a student chained to your desk in full study flow or a senior citizen with reduced mobility, a simple seated routine can help improve blood circulation, ease tight muscles and back pain, plus help with strength and mobility in those unable to do more vigorous exercise. Regular exercise can improve the quality of your life as you age – being sedentary for too long is bad for your health, but I’ll allow it when it comes to chair stretching. A focused session of seated exercises can help improve your posture, strengthen your core, reduce pain and help with coordination skills.

Chair exercises are a great low-impact discipline, and you have the option to up the ante by adding weights and resistance bands. You can even do seated jumping jacks and seated skaters (Google it!).

For best results, pick a good sturdy chair in which you can sit with your feet flat to the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees. A chair without arms is best so you have freedom of movement to do rotational exercises. Just make sure you’re not doing your workout on a chair with wheels!

Ayse Karaoglu, owner of local Gyrotonic® studio Happy Movements Algarve in Boliqueime – check out aysekaraoglu.com – is no stranger to the benefits of seated exercise.

Unlike traditional exercise methods that often involve repetitive linear motions, Gyrokinesis focuses on continuous, flowing, wave-like movements that stimulate the spine and joints, improve circulation and enhance the body’s natural range of motion.

The practice includes both seated/stool and standing exercises, and Ayse hosts inperson and online classes. She comments: “Although the intensity and level of difficulty can vary based on how the instructor designs the class, in general Gyrokinesis stool exercises provide a sanctuary for those who may find more intense exercises challenging. It offers a safe and supportive environment to enhance strength, flexibility and body awareness. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing chronic pain, or simply seeking a mindful approach to exercise, Gyrokinesis stool exercises offer a gentle pathway to wellness.”

If you’ve lost confidence after an injury or illness, then chair stretching is a great way to boost self-esteem and encourage gentle movement back into your routine. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis into the benefits of chair-based exercises in older adults found that “any activity is better than none” and that chair-based exercises had benefits in terms of improved “balance, gait speed and grip strength.”

Younger people take note, too. We have all become increasingly sedentary in modern life – even more so since COVID-19 – and a little chair stretching every now and again will do a lot of people the world of good.

So, grab a chair, get stretching, and if you need some direction, go and see Ayse, she’ll put you through your seated paces!

6 easy sitting down exercises 1 Shoulder Rolls

Sit upright on your chair or stool with a tall back, crown of the head reaching towards the ceiling, being mindful of your posture. Feet are flat on the floor hip distance apart, knees bent at 90 degrees. Roll the shoulders up towards your ears and forwards four times. Reverse the movement and roll the shoulders up towards the ears and backwards, repeat four times also.

2 Neck Rolls

Sit upright on your chair or stool with a tall, straight back, shoulders relaxed. Gently drop your chin to your chest then take your right ear to your right shoulder, roll your head back only as far as it feels comfortable so you’re looking towards the ceiling, and then take your left ear over to your left shoulder, then come back to centre (almost like you’re drawing circles with the tip of your nose). Complete three full circles then alternate to the other side for three more repetitions. Hold on to the sides of the chair with straight arms if you need some stability. Try not to lean forward or back.

3Side Stretch

Start in the seated upright position on your chair, as before. Place your left hand on the side of the chair and raise your right arm up overhead, reaching for the ceiling. Inhale as you bend to your left side, reaching the right arm up and over to the left. Be careful not to lean forward or backward. Exhale as you come back to the start position. Repeat to the same side four times then repeat the same exercise on the opposite side.

4 Seated Twist

Sit on your chair, feet flat hip distance apart and knees bent at 90 degrees. Sit up straight and place your hands behind the head, one hand over the other and elbows reaching out to the sides. Keeping the upper arms parallel to the floor and elbows bent. Inhale and rotate your torso to the right (keeping both bum cheeks on the chair!), exhale and come back to the start position. Rotate to the right eight times then switch to the opposite side. Try to keep the knees facing forward.

5Hamstring Stretch

Sit on your chair, feet flat and knees bent at 90 degrees. Extend one leg straight in front of you with toes flexed towards you. Inhale and hinge at the hips with a straight back, arms outstretched and fingertips reaching towards your toes. Don’t worry if you can’t touch your toes! Refrain from rounding your back too much. Come up to the start position as you exhale. Repeat four times before switching to the other leg.

6 Sit to Stand

Start in the seated position, feet flat shoulder-width apart, knees bent and with a straight back. On an exhale, press the feet into the floor, activate through your glutes and come up to standing with your arms by your side. Inhale then go to sit back in the chair, weight through the heels and raising your arms parallel to the floor as you sit. Exhale to stand back up and arms go back down to your sides. Repeat ten times.

Here’s an added challenge –don’t actually sit back down on the chair, instead hover over the seat then come back up to standing.

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