5 Chair Exercises That Build Core Strength Faster Than Planks After 60

 Did your competent? doctor get you recovered enough to do these exercises? OH, I see; YOUR DOCTOR DID NOTHING! Well what are YOU going to do about that incompetence? If your board of directors is also incompetent in not setting standards for stroke recovery then YOU have even more work to do! Reconstitute the whole stroke department/hospital!

5 Chair Exercises That Build Core Strength Faster Than Planks After 60

 If you’re looking to build a strong, resilient core, look no further than chair workouts. This form of exercise offers both accessibility and stability, which are essential for safe strength building after 60>. What makes incorporating a chair into your session especially productive? It eliminates the need to get up and down from the ground while reducing strain on the shoulders, spine, and wrists. So, we spoke with an expert to learn the five best chair exercises build core strength quicker than planks alone.“These exercises train the core in supported, upright positions, helping improve posture, stability, and functional strength—often more effectively for older adults than holding static planks alone,” says Karen Ann Canham, CEO and founder of Karen Ann Wellness, Board-Certified Wellness Coach, and Nervous System Specialist who has almost two decades of experience in wellness and corporate leadership.

Seated Abdominal Bracing (Deep Core Activation)

This exercise fires up the transverse abdominis and boosts internal support of the spine.

1. Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Place your hands on your lower abs.
3. Slowly inhale through the nose.
4. Exhale through the mouth.
5. Perform 2 sets of 8 to 10 slow breaths.

If You Can Hold These 3 Positions After 60, Your Core Strength Is Top-Tier

Seated Knee Lifts

1. Sit tall at the edge of a sturdy chair.
2. Place your hands on the side for support.
3. Lift one knee toward your chest, then lower it, bracing your abs and maintaining a tall spine.
4. Switch sides.
5. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

If You Can Hold a Plank This Long After 60, Your Core Strength Is Stronger Than 90% of Peers

Seated Marches

1. Begin seated with your feet placed hip-width apart on the floor.
2. Lift your left knee up to hip height.
3. Lower.
4. Then, lift your right knee up to hip level.
5. Lower.
6. Maintain solid posture—trying not to lean back for support—as you continue to “march.”
7. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 20 alternating marches.

If You Can Hold a Bridge This Long After 55, Your Core Strength Is Top-Tier

Seated Torso Twists

1. Begin sitting tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor. Activate your core.
2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them in front of your chest.
3. Slowly twist your torso to the left, keeping your hips facing forward.
4. Return to the center, then twist to the right.
5. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps on each side.

The 8-Minute Daily Routine That Builds More Core Strength Than Planks After 65

Seated Lean-Backs

1. Begin by sitting tall on a sturdy chair with your feet flat on the floor, hip-distance apart.
2. Activate your core while keeping your spine long and your shoulders relaxed.
3. Place your hands on the sides of the chair for support or crossed in front of your chest.
4. Slightly lean back from the hips, holding for a moment at the back of the lean, feeling your core fire up.
5. Use control as you return to a tall seated position.
6. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.

Alexa Mellardo

Alexa is a freelance writer, editor, and content strategist based in Greenwich, CT. She has 11+ years of experience covering wellness, fitness, food, travel, lifestyle, and home. Read more about Alexa

7 Lower Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your Core and Improve Stability

 By the time you leave the hospital you need to be able to do all of these! NOT GETTING THERE is doctor incompetence!

7 Lower Ab Exercises to Strengthen Your Core and Improve Stability

• Hollow holds engage your deep core muscles for improved strength and stability.
• Lying leg raises target your lower abs and support pelvic stability.
• Doing lower ab exercises has benefits for your stability and balance.

Lower abdominal exercises are essential for achieving a fully developed core. A strong core supports your posture, protects your spine, and enhances your overall movement. Lower ab workouts, in particular, help strengthen the deepest parts of your core, giving you better stability, strength, and control.1

1. Hollow Hold(Video at link)

The hollow hold works your entire core from bottom to top with an emphasis on the lower region. This exercise activates the transverse abdominis (the deepest ab muscle, which wraps your abdomen horizontally) and rectus abdominis (the top layer of your abs, also called the "six-pack") through sustained tension.23

This exercise also builds isometric (static) strength in the core muscles, which is critical for stability.4 Follow these steps to perform a hollow hold:

1. Lie on the floor on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight.
   
2. Engage your core and lift your arms, head, shoulders, and legs a few inches off the floor.
   
3. Make sure to keep your lower back pressed firmly into the ground so you only feel your abs working.
   
4. Hold the position for 30–60 seconds, rest, and repeat.

Modification: If the original exercise is too challenging, sit up into a V-shape, balancing on your butt while you keep your knees slightly bent, feet off the floor, and arms by your sides. Hold the position for as long as you can.

2. Lying Leg Raises(Video at link)

Lying leg raises target your lower abs by keeping your torso static while creating tension by lifting your legs off the floor straight into the air. This isolates the lower half of the rectus abdominis and works the hip flexors, which support pelvic stability.5

Follow these steps to perform lying leg raises:

1. Lie on your back with your legs extended and hands under your hips, right below your butt.
   
2. Keeping your legs straight and engaged, flex your stomach and lift your legs toward the ceiling until about 90 degrees.
   
3. Slowly lower your legs, stopping to hover them a couple of inches above the floor. Avoid letting your lower back arch off the floor.
   
4. Repeat for 5–15 reps.
   

Modification: If you find the full range version too challenging, bend your knees more and don’t bring your legs down as far. This will help offload your core and make it a bit easier. 

3. Butterfly Kicks(Video at link)

Butterfly kicks target your lower abs similarly to leg raises and hollow holds. However, this exercise incorporates dynamic movement into your legs, making it even more challenging for your lower abs. 

Follow these steps to perform butterfly kicks:

1. Lie flat on your back with your hands under your glutes.
   
2. Brace your core and lift your legs a few inches off the floor while your head and neck stay on the ground.
   
3. Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.
   
4. Perform for 30–45 seconds.

Modification: To make this exercise less challenging, bend your knees and lift your legs a little higher off the ground while you do the fluttering motion. 

4. Dead Bug(Video at link)

This movement is highly effective for targeting your entire core and exercising spinal stability while emphasizing your lower abs. It engages the deep core muscles by opposing arm and leg movement, all while maintaining a neutral spine.

Follow these steps to perform dead bug:

1. Start on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and knees bent at 90 degrees.
   
2. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor while keeping your back flat, pressing into the floor beneath you.
   
3. Return to the starting position, then alternate sides.
   
4. Do 10–12 reps per side.
   

Modification: If your lower back comes off the floor as you do the exercise, you can modify by reducing how far you extend your legs and arms. This will make the movement easier and prevent your lower back from rising up.

5. Russian Twist(Video at link)

Although it’s often thought of as an oblique exercise, the Russian twist engages your entire core, including your lower abs. The twisting motion strengthens your rectus abdominis and internal and external obliques, while holding the declined position keeps your lower abs engaged.

Follow these steps to perform a Russian twist:

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet slightly lifted.
   
2. Lean back slightly to form a V-shape with your body.
   
3. Twist your torso side to side while holding a light weight. Go slowly enough so that each twist feels intentional. Keep your abs engaged throughout the movement.
   
4. Complete 10–30 total reps.
   

Modification: If the exercise is too challenging, don’t hold a weight and just focus on the rotation instead. If you want to increase the challenge, use a heavier dumbbell or medicine ball. 

6. Mountain Climbers(Video at link)

This exercise combines core activation with upper body strength, particularly for the shoulders and triceps. The rapid knee-driving motion keeps your lower abs under continuous tension while recruiting your other upper body muscles for support.

Follow these steps to perform mountain climbers:

1. Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Keep your back flat and core engaged.
   
2. Drive one knee toward your chest, and then bring it back to a straight position as you bring the other knee up to your chest. Continue switching your legs back and forth, increasing your speed to create a continuous motion.
   
3. Maintain a consistent pace while keeping your hips low and core engaged.
   
4. Perform for somewhere between 30 and 60 seconds.
   

Modification: You can make this exercise easier by slowing down your pace, or increase the difficulty by going faster and holding for longer.

7. Alternating Leg Drops(Video at link)

Leg drops are similar to the dead bug exercise. They’re a slow, controlled movement that challenges your core through eccentric (lengthening) muscle contraction. The movement forces you to stabilize your spine and control the descent of your legs, which engages the lower part of your abdominal muscles.

Follow these steps to perform alternating leg drops:

1. Start on your back with legs lifted straight up at 90 degrees.
   
2. Slowly lower one leg toward the floor, aiming your heel toward the ground.
   
3. Stop just before your heel touches the floor and raise your leg back to the starting position before switching legs, going back and forth.
   
4. Repeat for 12–15 reps, keeping your back pressed into the floor beneath you for maximal core engagement.
   

Modification: If your lower back is lifting off the floor or feels like it's supporting part of the exercise, try placing your hands under your hips to take the pressure off your back. You can also make this exercise more challenging by keeping your legs straight as you go through the motion. 

How To Create a Lower Ab Workout

You can safely exercise your core multiple times per week. Try incorporating your lower ab workouts into the rest of your workout. This way, you can be efficient and not have to set aside separate time exclusively for your lower abs. Pick a handful of exercises and complete 3-5 sets of each. Over time, you’ll want to increase the difficulty of the exercise by adding more sets and reps or complexity. 

Benefits of Lower Ab Workouts

Training your lower abs and improving your core strength has several benefits, including:

• Increased stability: Strengthening your lower ab muscles improves the stability of your torso and pelvis.6
  
• Reduced back pain: By enhancing spinal stability, core exercises can help decrease lower back pain.7
  
• Better balance: A strong core leads to more controlled and coordinated movement.8
  

Safety Tips

When doing core exercises, it's important to avoid activating your lower back, which can cause unnecessary strain. This can happen if your pelvis and spine aren’t in a neutral position. Aim to keep a flat back during all core exercises and maintain intraabdominal pressure by flexing your stomach muscles.

Best Core Exercises for Stroke Patients by Flint Rehab

 Of course, your competent? doctor already had these for your needs? NO? So, you DON'T have a functioning stroke doctor, do you? Mine did nothing, as proven by writing three prescriptions of E.T.(Evaluate and Treat) to the therapists. 

Best Core Exercises for Stroke Patients

Core Exercises for Stroke Patients: 15 Ways to Improve Trunk Control, Gait, & Balance by Flint Rehab

 My useless doctor gave me nothing post hospital and obviously told the therapists nothing either.

Core Exercises for Stroke Patients: 15 Ways to Improve Trunk Control, Gait, & Balance by Flint Rehab

Core Exercises for Stroke Patients: 15 Ways to Improve Trunk Control, Gait, & Balance by Flint Rehab

 My core was rock solid prior to stroke from all the whitewater canoeing I did. I've been living off that for the past 16 years, so now before I let my core completely lapse I'll be doing these.

Core Exercises for Stroke Patients: 15 Ways to Improve Trunk Control, Gait, & Balance by Flint Rehab