Chair sit-ups: Key benefits & how to do them

What is a chair sit-up?

A chair sit-up is a simple, effective exercise to improve your core strength from a seated position. If you have difficulty getting up and down from the floor or are looking for a quick movement to do from anywhere, chair sit-ups are a great addition to your workout routine. 

Doing a chair sit-up isn’t just about developing your abdominal muscles or getting a flatter stomach.

This exercise activates muscles throughout your core, which includes your abdomen, back, sides, pelvis, and buttocks. The core acts as a key stabilizer in the body, helping to improve balance, prevent injuries, and improve your posture. For older adults, a strong core can help prevent many common health issues, including back pain and falls. 

How to do a chair sit-up

One of the best parts of chair sit-ups is that they require almost no equipment. Just grab a sturdy chair and get started.

Starting position

1. Start in the middle of the seat of a sturdy chair, sitting straight up and down. Use a dining chair or something similar. Avoid chairs with wheels. 
2. Cross your arms in front of you with your hands on your shoulders.
3. Lay your feet flat on the floor with your knees hip-width apart. This will help you establish a strong base.
4. Lean back towards the top rail of your chair while keeping your lower body as still as possible. Each sit-up begins from this position.

Movement

5. To conduct a chair sit-up, lean forward as you engage your abdominal muscles. Try to exhale during this part of the movement. The movement is completed when you are again seated in an upright position.
6. Lean back into your starting position in a controlled motion. Inhale as you lean backward.
7. Repeat 8-12 times to complete one set. Aim to do at least 3 sets for optimal benefits, but it’s okay to start with as many repetitions as feel comfortable for you and work your way up.

Benefits of chair sit-ups

If you want to build a stronger core, it’s important to train with exercises like chair sit-ups. Your core supports and stabilizes your center of gravity, a key component of balance and stability. Strong core muscles protect your spine and help you maintain good posture, making it easier to do everyday movements like reaching, twisting, and lifting. For example, it’s easier to swing a golf club or a pickleball paddle, grab something at the grocery store, or bend over to tie your shoe with a strong core. On the other hand, having weak core muscles can sometimes lead to poor posture and chronic lower back pain. 

Core strengthening exercises are also a component of balance training that can reduce your fall risk. You’ll find chair sit-ups and many other exercises in Bold’s balance classes.

Alicia Rios, Bold’s head trainer, says, “There’s a common myth that abdominal exercises are the key to weight loss, especially around our midsection. While exercise generally helps us lose weight and keeps us healthy, abdominal exercises like chair sit-ups are just one piece of the pie. It’s important to establish a well-rounded exercise routine with a mix of different types of exercise, including aerobic activities (which increase your heart rate and breathing rate), strength training and flexibility training, and mind-body movement.” 

With Bold, you have on-demand access to these types of exercise and more, so you can find the routine that’s right for you.

Chair sit-up variations

If you’re looking for other movements to activate your core muscles from a seated position, you can find these and others like them in Bold classes:

Side crunches

This is a great variation to fire up your obliques, which are the muscles on the sides of your core. They allow for rotation and stabilization of the spine.

How to

Begin from the same starting position as a chair sit-up by sitting in the middle of your chair with your feet flat on the ground. Instead of crossing your arms, put your hands behind your head and keep your elbows pointing away from your body. While keeping your hands on the back of your head, bring your elbow down toward your knee on the same side. Keep your core engaged and lift your head and elbows back to a neutral position. 

Seated knee lift with reach

If you’d like to incorporate more of your upper body, this is a good way to engage both your arm and core muscles.

How to

Go to the starting position for a chair sit-up, but keep your arms by your side. Reach both arms in the air. One at a time, bring one of your elbows to the opposite side as you lift the knee. Alternate sides. While doing this, be sure to keep your core muscles engaged and breathe as you move. 

Keep moving with Bold

Find exercises like chair sit-ups and so much more in Bold’s online classes. Designed for older adults by clinical experts, Bold has thousands of seated and standing classes to help you stay active and healthy as you age. Check your eligibility through your health plan and get full access to Bold’s library of classes today.