Many seniors put off exercising. But to stay healthy you need a variety of exercises. Resistance band exercises for seniors are the perfect way to keep muscle without any expensive equipment. They are an important part of exercises to include for the elderly. Make sure to get cardio and strength training regularly.

Resistance bands are lightweight, inexpensive and you can take them anywhere. The home, the office, or even traveling. There are a variety of exercises you can do with them, giving you a full-body workout.

Exercising three or four times a week for at least 30 minutes a day will help to keep you on track and as healthy as possible for as long as possible. It will help you keep your strength and balance as well.

I love working with seniors at my job. I am the resident trainer for seniors at our facility. They are so much fun to talk to and I love how exercise can give them such an improved quality of life.

It’s a blessing to be able to help people like that. When they tell me stories about how their range of motion or balance is better for everyday life, I feel so good about the time I spent with them.

I offer resistance band workouts that help anyone improve balance, strength, and mobility. Check out the details at Training Kamp. I can also bring them to your club, church, or office. We also offer online classes on youtube here.

RESISTANCE BANDS FOR SENIORS

Remember, before starting ANY kind of exercise, consult with your doctor to make sure they recommend it.

Resistance bands are giant rubber bands that come in a variety of strengths that offer different amounts of resistance. Results from using them are similar to that of using hand weights. Using different strengths of bands for each workout helps you avoid a plateau in your results.

You use your body’s own strength to perform the exercise. They are inexpensive and easy to store and bring with you. You don’t even need a lot of space to use them. So what are the best workout moves to do with resistance bands?

Start slowly and work your way up to reduce soreness and risk of injury. You can gradually increase as you become more comfortable.

Resistance band shoulder exercise

Start with the seated shoulder press. Sit in a chair and place the band under your feet. Sit upright and grasp the band and pull it up to your shoulders. Push your hands up until your arms are straight above your head. Hold to the count of 10 and slowly lower them to where you started. Start with 10 and work your way up to 30. Remember to change the strength of your bands each time so you don’t plateau. This goes for all of these exercises.

Next, do the neck and shoulder stretch. Place the end of the band in each hand and lay the middle of the band along the base of your neck. You are still seated in a chair. Rest your hands on your thighs and pull up against the band with your neck and shoulders. Don’t force it. Just do what is comfortable. Hold for the count of 10 and release. Start with 10 and work your way up to 30.

Now a lateral raise. Place the band under your feet and stand up with the band in each hand. Keep your arms straight and lift them up. Raise them out to your sides and then over your head. Slowly lower your arms to original positions. Start with 5 reps and gradually increase to 10.

Resistance band exercise for chest

For the chest, we will start with the chest pull. Grab a resistance band at each end and gently pull the ends as far apart as your arms will go. Feel the muscles across your chest tighten. Slowly allow your hands to return to their original position. Start with 10 and work your way to 30.

Now sit in a chair and wrap a band around your shoulders with an end in each hand. Push your hands away from your body until your arms are straight and you are reaching out far in front of yourself. Slowly release back to the original position. Start with 10 and work your way to 30.

Resistance band exercise for back

Now you can stretch out your back. In the chair, extend your legs and place the resistance band around your feet. Grab it with each hand and pull back arching your back and stretching back as far as possible. Hold it for the count of 10 and slowly release it to the original position. Repeat 5 times and work your way up to 10 eventually.

Now take the end of the band in each hand and stretch your arms above your head and pull your hands apart as far as you can. Keep your arms straight and hold it for 10. Slowly return to the original position. Repeat 10 times and work your way to 10.

Next, put a band under your feet and the other end in your hands. Stand up straight and lift your arms one at a time over your head. Stretch your hand over to the opposite side and reach as far as you can. Then do the other side. Hold each stretch for 10 seconds and slowly return to start. Do each side 5 times and work your way up to 15.

Now remain standing and put a band under your left foot. Hold the other end with your right hand. Pull the band up and back across your body and extend your arm out to your side. Hold it for the count of 10 and slowly return. Do it 10 times and work your way up to 20. Repeat with the other side.

And for more back strengthening exercises for seniors, check this out.

Resistance band exercise for legs

We will start our resistance band exercises for legs with an inner thigh stretch. Place a band around both legs near your knees while seated in a chair. Spread your legs as far apart as you can and hold for the count of 10. Slowly allow your knees to come back together.

Now stand up and hold the ends of the band in each hand. Step on the band. Squat down and start to stand upright pulling the band tight on each side. Stretch yourself upright and hold for the count of 10. Slowly return to the squatting position.

Now sit back in your chair. Place the ends of the band in each hand. Place your toe onto the band and press your foot away from the body until your leg is completely straight. Hold for 10 and slowly return to the original position. Now do the other foot. Do each side 10 times and work your way up to 30.

Now place the resistance band around your left thigh just above your knee. Put the other end under your right foot. Keeping your left knee bent, slowly lift your left foot 1 inch off the ground. Hold for 10 and slowly lower it. Repeat it with the right leg. Start with 10 of each side and work your way up to 30.

resistance band exercise for arms

You can start the arm workout with bicep curls. Put the band under your feet and stand up straight. Grab the band with each hand, and curl your arm upward with your palm facing your body. Slowly lower it back down. Start with 10 on each side and work your way up to 30.

Now turn your palm facing away from your body and do the same thing over again to work your tricep. Start with 10 again and work your way up to 30 on each side.

Resistance band exercises are great for seniors to get them back into shape. They help with balance, strength, and mobility. We all want that. Start out slowly and gradually increase resistance and repetitions until you are mastering each move. And enjoy more range of motion as well. I can’t wait to hear all about the progress you make.

For more exercises for seniors, check this out:

• Exercises for arthritis
• Fun balance exercises for seniors
• Arm exercises for seniors
• Low Impact Workouts for Obese Beginners

Here are some super simple exercises for beginners too.

Now for a joke: Ah, the modern days…
I just saw a grandpa help a youngster who was staring into his phone, to cross the street. Bwah ha ha ha!