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Ab workouts aren’t limited to athletes and the under-30 crowd! As a matter of fact, seniors rank as one of the top groups who should be doing core strengthening exercises regularly.
The reason? Targeting your midsection with sculpting and strengthening exercises is crucial to staying healthy and active. Your core is more than just the visible ab muscles you see on display in popular fitness magazines. It’s made up of all the muscles in your trunk, which assist in nearly every movement you make.
Here are the benefits of working your core as often as you can:
Improves posture
Reduces back pain
Improves balance
Helps with everyday activities
Improves coordination
The following 8 moves are some of the top core exercises for older adults. Aim to do these exercises daily to keep your core muscles strong and healthy.
Perform each move for 5-10 reps (per side), and you’ll get a great core workout in less than 10 minutes.
1. Seated Forward Roll-Ups
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a seated forward roll-up:
Sit in a chair with your legs extended, heels on the floor, and feet flexed towards your face. Extend your arms in front of you. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
Begin curling your chin to your chest. Exhale as you roll the entire torso up and over, keeping your legs straight, abs engaged. Reach down towards the toes.
Once you can’t reach any further, inhale as you begin to roll back up to the starting position, one vertebra at a time.
Repeat moving slowly. Avoid using momentum; try to use your abdominals to lift and lower.
2. Seated Side Bends
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform seated side bends:
Sit with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Bend your right arm to bring your right hand to the right side of your head. Allow your left arm to hang at your side. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
Inhale. As you exhale, bend gently at the waist to lower your left arm toward the floor. Keep your chest open and pull your right elbow back to feel a stretch in your right side.
Inhale to return to starting position. Repeat.
3. Seated Leg Lifts
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a seated leg lift:
Sit in a chair. Your left knee should be bent with your left foot flat on the ground, and your right leg extended. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
Engage your core to raise your right leg. Lift your leg as high as you can without letting your back collapse. Hold briefly before returning your foot to the floor.
4. Seated Leg Taps
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform seated leg taps:
Sit in a chair with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
Hold onto the bottom of your seat for support. Engage your abdominals and extend both legs out in front of you, tapping the floor with both feet.
Reset by pulling your legs under your chair, allowing your feet to rest on the floor. When you’re ready, repeat.
5. Seated Half Roll-Backs
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a seated half roll-back:
Sit in a chair with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your arms in front of your chest to create a circle. Keep an upright posture; don’t slouch or lean back in the chair.
Keeping your feet on the floor and your arms joined in a circle in front of your chest, begin to round your back. As you round your back, think about scooping your abdominals.
Once you can’t go any further, engage your abs as you slowly roll back up to the starting position.
6. Forearm Plank
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a forearm plank:
Lie face-down on the floor with your forearms on the ground. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders and hands flat on the ground, elbow-width apart.
Engage your core to prepare. Then, press down through your forearms to raise your body off the floor until you’re supported by your forearms and toes.
Keep your body in a straight line from your head down to your feet. Pull your navel into your spine and squeeze your glutes to keep your hips from dropping toward the floor.
Hold for 30 seconds or 1 minute if you’re more advanced. (Or as long as you can!)
Modification: Drop down to your knees if you can’t keep your hips in line with your shoulders, or you feel pressure in your lower back.
7. Superman
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a superman:
Lie on your stomach with your legs long. Extend your arms overhead. Draw your abdominals up and away from the ground, and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
Engage your abs, back muscles, and glutes to lift your arms and legs simultaneously off the ground. Keep your gaze on the floor.
Release back to the starting position with control.
8. Glute Bridge
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Here’s how to perform a glute bridge:
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Engage your abs and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips to a bridge.
Hold briefly and return your glutes to the floor with control.
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