10 Effective Core Exercises for Seniors

It would be best to have strength, happiness, and good food for a long life span. Core exercises for seniors are vital to maintaining core strength¹. With aging, your core gets weaker and needs to strengthen.

Core exercises will not only help in building up your core but will help in maintaining your posture. Your posture can be fluctuated due to improper guidance toward your body.

It will help you maintain your confidence and strength for a long time. This article will help you learn more about core exercises for seniors.

1) Side Bends

Side bends are the best core exercises for seniors to encourage balance and stability. Always make sure your starting position is correct because it will further determine your posture.

Side bend exercises will support your spine² by improving your core muscles.

1.1) How to Do it?

• Sit on the ground relaxing your body.
• Then take your hands upward slowly.
• Then keeping your thigh and legs constant, giving your body a proper stretch.
• Then move your hand towards the side of your body, stretching your shoulder, arms, and hands.

The main focus while doing side bends will lie on oblique muscles³. Studies showed that side bends also work for your glutes.⁴

1.2) Note:

People can also sit in a chair and do side bends for sure. Just make sure your face is straight and looking forward.

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2) Superman

Superman core exercises for seniors can be added to the core exercise program to strengthen your core and back muscles.

Studies showed that superman core exercise for seniors would also work for abdominal muscles⁵. And older adults should definitely do superman for better stability of their core muscles.

2.1) How to Do it?

• First, you are supposed to lie on the ground keeping your body straight and erect.
• Then extend your arms towards your head, making your body in a straight line.
• Then within a few seconds, lift your arms, legs, and head up.
• Ensure that the right leg and vice versa should follow your lift off your left arm.
• While doing superman core exercises for seniors, the main focus stays on your back muscles⁶. It will do wonders for both the upper and lower back.

Studies showed that superman would also positively affect your glutes. Overall this exercise is one of the most astounding core exercises for seniors.

3) Wood Chops

Wood chops are one of the best core exercises for seniors that will improve your obliques⁷. The study showed that seniors could also do wood chops to strengthen their core muscles.

It’s just a core exercise to build your back and midsection of your body. You can take the help of a dumbbell to perform wood chops.

3.1) How To Do It?

• Stand straight facing forward, then make sure your legs are within equal to hip-width
• Then swing your hand vertically from up to down.
• Perform it like chopping starting from ears downwards.

The main focus lies on obliques while doing wood chops core exercises.

3.2) Note:

You can also perform these wood chops core exercises for seniors sitting in a chair. Just make sure you use a weight for better results.

Even if it is very light, using weight will make it more beneficial for your obliques.

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4) Dead Bug

Dead bug core exercises or seniors are most amazing for strong core work. Add dead bugs to your core exercise routine for outstanding results.

Studies showed that seniors could perform dead bugs as it doesn’t require huge efforts or external pressure.

4.1) How to Do It?

• Lie on the ground facing upward
• Bring your arms straight and close to your arms.
• Make sure you hold a perpendicular position while doing that position.
• The angles between your knees and hips should be exactly 90 degrees that are perpendicular to the ground.
• Then lower your arm (left), simultaneously extending your leg (right) towards the ground.
• Make sure your leg doesn’t hit the ground but stop it just before reaching the ground.
• Then return to the normal dead bug initial position.

The main focus lies in improving your abdominal muscles. This workout can be the best core exercise for your overall health as well.

4.2) Note:

Try to do it lying on the floor for better results.

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5) Plank

It will help you stabilize your whole body. The plant will improve your core muscles by providing enough strength to them. And plant will improve your entire core.

The study showed that if you perform a plank for a minimum of 30 seconds, then that is enough for your core muscles.

5.1) How to Do It?

• Lie down on the ground facing downward.
• Then maintain a straight line position for your body by lifting it off the ground.
• And make sure your stomach, hip, and shoulder are in a straight line.
• Then hold that position for at least 30 seconds.
• The focus stays on the entire core muscles while doing a plank.

And also, plank core exercise for seniors will bring a complete positive change for your core muscles.

5.2) Note:

Try to plant on the ground by using a blanket or mat. Holding the position and maintaining the correct posture are important.

6) Leg Raise

Leg raise is also an amazing core exercise for seniors. You can perform this exercise without any heavy pressure. Many people look for leg exercises that will work for the core as well.

And leg raise can be a package for both of them. Perform this exercise for better core strength.

6.1) How to Do It?

• Lie down on the ground facing upward.
• Then you start lifting your legs off the ground in a forwarding position.
• Make sure your legs are straight and do not bend from the knees.
• Just ensure that your legs and thighs are in a straight-line position.

The main focus lies on abdominal muscles, legs, and core muscles as well. Repeat the exercise for 10-15 repetitions for better results.

6.2) Note:

Try to perform this workout on the ground by placing a mat on it. And make sure you don’t do these core exercises for seniors on the bed or sofa.

7) Bridge

Bridges are very engrossing to perform and to note their benefits. Bridges can be performed by seniors looking for core exercises for seniors.

You should perform bridges for better core stability and structure. There are different types of bridges that people can perform.

But for seniors, it is always advisable to perform normal bridges at the initial stage. After that, once you are acquainted with that, you can proceed to the difficult ones.

7.1) How To do It?

• Lie down on the ground facing forward with your body constant and flexible.
• Then move your middle body upward, making a bridge-type structure.
• Your feet and hands should support your middle body, making a bridge-like pose.
• Make sure you don’t put pressure on your middle body but relax and enjoy the position.

7.2) Note:

The main focus stays on the core muscles. Make sure you perform this exercise on the ground using a mat or something.

8) Crunches

It would be best if you did crunches for better core strength. Crunches are easy to perform. At the initial stage, the person doing it could face a little trouble.

But it will be easy once you start doing it daily. Crunches will do wonders for your abs as well by toning up your abdominal muscles.

8.1) How to Do It?

• Lie down on the ground.
• Your hands should lie down facing the ground.
• Then take your hand towards your head, giving support to your head.
• Then start doing crunches by lifting your head towards your knees.
• And make a set of 10 crushes at one time. And do not do more than 2 sets a day for beginners.

8.2) Note:

Try doing crunches lying on the ground for better benefits for your core muscles.

9) Supine Toe Tap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnjxYnfDtZc

Suppose you are still searching for core exercises for seniors. Then supine toe tap is suitable to be added in core workout programs.

But a supine toe-tap will help in improving your core muscles by strengthening your back.

9.1) How to Do It?

• Start by lying down on the ground and facing upward.
• Then make a perpendicular position between your legs and hips.
• Make sure the angle between your legs and hips is 90 degrees.
• Then you can start doing a toe-tap touching the ground.
• Make sure you return to your position after each toe tap.

9.2) Note:

The main focus lies on the legs, thighs, and core muscles. Try to do a supine toe tap on the ground using a mat to prevent any minor sprain or injury.

10) Mountain Climb

Mountain climb is one of the most versatile core exercises for seniors with so many benefits. People looking for core strength and abs can also perform this.

Mountain climb is easier to perform and is also favorable for seniors.

10.1) How to Do It?

• Take a position facing downward towards the ground.
• Then start doing it like you are climbing mountains.
• Make sure your shoulder is straight, and your hip is properly positioned.
• Set a time limit and try to do a mountain climb for at least 30 seconds each day.

10.2) Note:

Make sure you do a mountain climb on the ground for better results. You can use shoes to prevent your feet from any pressure or for more comfort.

Core Exercises for Seniors

Go ahead! And give these astounding core exercises for seniors to strengthen their entire body by building their core muscles.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which Three Core Workouts Are the Best?

Here are 3 core-strengthening exercises that will improve your stamina and safeguard your back: bird dog, a side bridge, and a modified curl-up.

2. Can Walking Make Your Core Stronger?

You can strengthen your core muscles through dancing, swimming, cycling, running, brisk walking, skipping rope, stair climbing, hoops, yoga, and planks.

3. How Can I Make My Core Stronger when Seated?

Put your palms on top of your thighs while sitting tall in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Press your right leg up into your palm and gently press your right palm into your right thigh. Push strongly enough to cause your abs to contract. Release after a few breaths, then repeat on the other side.

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2. Galbusera, Fabio, and Tito Bassani. “The spine: a strong, stable, and flexible structure with biomimetics potential.” Biomimetics 4.3 (2019): 60. ↩︎
3. oblique muscles ↩︎
4. Kravitz, Len. “The Role of Glutes in Normal Functioning.” ↩︎
5. Häggmark, T., and Alf Thorstensson. “Fibre types in human abdominal muscles.” Acta Physiologica Scandinavica 107.4 (1979): 319-325. ↩︎
6. Bakkum, Barclay W., and Nathan Miller. “Back muscles.” Bergman’s comprehensive encyclopedia of human anatomic variation (2016): 262-288. ↩︎
7. Nakai, Yuki, et al. “A self-oblique exercise that activates the coordinated activity of abdominal and hip muscles–A pilot study.” Plos one 16.8 (2021): e0255035. ↩︎

Last Updated on July 29, 2024 by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology