Start incorporating seated movements into your routine to improve your posture, strength and balance. Here are 15 seated movements to try at home.  

SEATED POSTURE EXERCISES

Practicing Posture 

Benefits: Keeps bones and joints in the correct alignment so that muscles are being used correctly.

1. Sit up straight, chest lifted, engage the core.
2. Sitting up with back off the chair.
3. Engage the core muscles to help you sit upright.
4. Shoulders down and back and chest lifted.

Chin Tuck

Benefits: Can help reverse forward-head posture by strengthening the neck muscles and can be done seated or standing.

1. Start with your shoulders rolled back and down. While looking straight ahead, place two fingers on your chin, slightly tuck your chin and move your head back.
2. Hold for 3-5 seconds and then release. Repeat 10 times.
Tip: The more of a double chin you create, the better the results.

Shoulder Circles 

Benefits: Mobilizes and warms up the shoulder girdle.

1. Circle shoulders up, back, and down several times.
2. Repeat, reversing the direction (down, back, and up).

Seated Cat Cow

Benefits: Improves lower back strength, core, chest, hips and neck.

1. Sit towards the edge of your chair. Inhale as you lift your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together, and push out your stomach. This is cow.
2. Exhale as you round your back and tuck your chin to your chest. This is cat.
3. Repeat 5 times.

Rib Lift

Benefits: Improves shoulder range of motion, strengthens postural muscles, expands chest, and promotes deep breathing.

1. Place hands behind head. (Avoid bringing head forward to get the hands behind the head. If it’s difficult to put your hands behind your head, place your hands on your shoulders).
2. Draw back your elbows as you inhale and feel your ribs elevate.
3. Exhale, and relax to your starting position. Repeat 2 times.
4. After your second repetition, breathe in and reach up with your right arm, then your left arm, as though you were pushing away the ceiling.
5. Breathe out and circle your arms down to your sides.

SEATED STRENGTH EXERCISES

Seated Leg Slide to Life 

Benefits: Improves upper leg strength
1. Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor.
2. Slide forward on the floor your right foot as you inhale.
3. Exhale and lift your leg (your leg with lengthen as you lift your foot off the floor)
4. Alternate legs repeating 5 times on each side.

Seated Heels Raise

Benefits: Strengthens feet and calves
1. Sit up tall in your chair with your hands on your thighs and both feet flat on the floor
2. Raise your heels off the floor as you gently press down into the ball of your foot
3. Hold for a count of 3 and return your heels down to the floor
4. 5 repetitions

Seated to Taps to Side

Benefits: Strengthens hips and lower back muscles
1. Sit up tall in your chair with your hands on your thighs and both feet flat on the floor
2. Pick up your right foot and tap the floor to the side.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Pick up your left foot and tap the floor to the side.
5. Return to the starting position
6. Repeat 5 times on each leg.

Seated Twists

Benefits: Strengthens stomach muscles and stretches back muscles
1. Begin with your right hand on your left thigh and inhale deeply.
2. As you exhale, slowly rotate your upper body to twist and reach your left arm as far as you can with comfort.
3. Inhale and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Seated Triceps Stretch   

Benefits: Stretches the back of the upper arm and improves shoulder range of motion
1. Sit up tall in your chair.
2. Touch the back or top of your shoulder with your right hand.
3. Inhale and raise your elbow as high as you can.
4. Exhale and relax your arm back to the starting position.
5. Repeat 3 times on each side.

SEATED STRENGTH EXERCISES

Shift Weight Side to Side

Benefits: Improves balance and core control.
1. Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor.
2. Inhale and shift your weight to one side, hold for a count of 3 and exhale slowly returning to center.
3. Repeat on the other side.
4. Repeat 10-20 times.

Seated Leg Lift

Benefits: Improves balance and lower body strength.
1. Sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor and steadying yourself with your hands on the chair.
2. Brace your stomach muscles as you inhale, then exhale and lift one leg keeping your knee bent. Hold for 5 seconds.
3. Repeat with the other leg.
4. Repeat 5-10 times.

Seated Single-Leg Knee Extensions

Benefits: Improves balance and strengthening the muscles around the knee.
1. Sit up straight with your stomach muscles braced.
2. Extend one leg at the knee, then lower your foot back to the ground.
3. Repeat with the other leg.
4. Do two sets of 10 extensions.

Forward Reach with Clasped Hands

Benefits: Improves balance and lengthens the muscles in your back.
1. Sit up straight with your stomach muscles braced.
2. Inhale and clasp your hands together as you extend your arms out in front of you.
3. Exhale slowly while keeping your arms in front for a count of 5.
4. Relax to your starting position.
5. Repeat 5-10 times.

Side Reach with Clasped Hands

Benefits: Improves balance and lengthens the muscles in your back.
1. Sit up straight with your stomach muscles braced.
2. Keeping your hands clasped together, reach your hands to the right side.
3. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to your starting position.
4. Alternate sides and repeat 5-10 times.