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Chair Yoga Push-Ups: The Perfect Modification for Seniors or Beginners

Are you looking for a simple yet effective way to add some exercises to your busy routine? Do you think your body deserves some care after spending hours at the workstation? Starting with your chair could be a great option if you’re ready to add more exercise to your daily routine. Exercises in a chair allow you to target your entire body, and you don’t need a whole room to perform them.

Once you’ve learned the basic exercises, you can add advanced techniques such as chair yoga elevated push-ups. This article explores the basics of this particular exercise, its variations, and the perks that go with it. If you want to make your exercise routines more engaging and successful, you should definitely consider learning a chair yoga elevated push-up.

Are Chair Push-Ups Effective?

Exercises like tricep dips and chair push-ups are examples of a way to get as creative as possible regarding physical fitness. Exercises in chair yoga are quite helpful for adults with mobility issues and those who are losing their flexibility. In addition, those who are afraid of falling could opt for chair yoga to activate the muscles they don’t use.

Below you’ll find some of the benefits of the chair yoga elevated push-up. Perhaps once you’ve scanned these, you’ll feel convinced to add them to your exercise regime.

Improved Strength

Doing chair yoga poses can make you stronger, which will help you keep your balance and avoid falling (5). It can also help you stay safe if you do fall. More muscle makes it easier to carry groceries or lift children, and it helps you burn more calories and build stronger bones. Several chair exercises for seniors can be included in a routine to potentially help older individuals be less dependent on others.

Better Flexibility

Chair yoga helps you stretch and move more easily (3). Being more flexible can help older adults avoid getting hurt, feel less stiff, and make everyday tasks easier.

Increased Self-Awareness

During chair yoga elevated push-ups, you must shift smoothly from one pose to another. This shift can improve your proprioception (4), which is the ability to sense where your body is in space. It helps improve your coordination, which can further decrease your likelihood of a fall.

Reduced Stress

In addition to the physical benefits, exercises such as chair yoga elevated push-ups can also help you deal with mental pressures. Paying attention to your body and breathing during chair yoga can be like meditation. It helps you relax, feel less stressed, and think more clearly (2). As with other exercises, chair yoga can help you feel happier and more confident.

Many other rewards could be enjoyed if you incorporate chair yoga elevated push-ups into your routine. We strongly advise you to discuss your plan with a certified trainer and/or a medical professional, particularly if you’re considering chair push-ups for seniors.

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What Are Elevated Push-ups Good for?

Elevated push-ups or incline push-ups are a modified version of conventional push-ups. You must place your hands on an elevated surface such as a chair or a bench. An elevated push-up works your chest at a different angle to regular push-ups and helps provide a well-rounded chest workout. Although it works on your shoulders and arms, your chest should feel the burn too (1).

Unlike traditional push-ups, they exert less strain on your wrists and arms. Therefore, if your arms or wrists are sensitive to weightlifting, you may want to try chair yoga elevated push-ups for beginners. They have different levels that can be modified according to your fitness level and capabilities. For example, you can check out chair yoga for men over 60 and determine how elevated push-ups can help older men get more fit and healthy.

How to Do a Chair Push-Up

A chair is one of the most versatile exercise tools out there and you can perform multiple exercise poses on it. Even a basic exercise such as the chair push-up can have different variations. Keep scrolling to find out the original chair yoga elevated push-up and some modifications of this exercise.

Standard Chair Push-up

Chair Push-ups Muscles Worked: arms, shoulders, chest, and core

  1. Stand tall in front of your chair.
  2. Place both hands on the seat of the chair and step your feet back a little.
  3. Lean forward, keeping your back straight and tummy tight.
  4. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the chair, keeping your knees slightly bent.
  5. Straighten your arms and while focusing on your chest, push your upper body away from the chair.
  6. Repeat these steps as many times as you want.
  7. Keep the chair steady while performing this exercise.
  8. If you want to make it harder, step your feet further back.

 

As soon as you’ve mastered the regular chair push-ups, you can move to the next step of learning some advanced techniques. These include:

Incline Push-Ups

Incline Push-Ups Muscles Worked: Chest, shoulders

  1. Stand facing a table that is 3 feet high
  2. Place your hands on the edge, a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms straight, but don’t lock your elbows.
  3. Make sure your body is straight from your head to your heels.
  4. Bend your elbows and slowly lower your chest toward the edge. Breathe in as you do this. Keep your body straight and strong.
  5. Push back up until your arms are straight again, but don’t lock your elbows. Breathe out as you push and focus on your chest while completing this pushing movement.
  6. Keep doing this slowly and smoothly.

Chair Yoga Tricep Dips

Tricep Dips Muscles Worked: Pectoralis, Trapezius, and Serratus Anterior

  1. Sit on the edge of the chair with your legs straight out and your hands gripping the front corners.
  2. Push down with your arms, lifting your bottom off the seat.
  3. Lean forward, lowering your body until your arms make a 90-degree angle. Be careful not to go too low.
  4. Push back up while focusing on your triceps to straighten your arms.
  5. Do this 10 times, stopping if it gets too hard.

You can learn these moves and create a circuit by including rest periods in between. Aim for three circuits and add more as your fitness progresses. You can also learn to perform exercises such as Bulgarian split squats or pike press to ensure you target all your body’s muscles. Also, don’t forget how you will feel happier and more confident when your physical fitness improves!

Read more: 21 Day Chair Yoga: Reasons To Add This Challenge To Your Routine

Can I Do an Incline Push-Up on a Chair?

Yes, we’ve already mentioned the steps to perform an incline push-up on a chair. Considering how diversity is the spice of life, you can include an incline push-up or a regular chair push-up in your chair yoga sequence. If you’re new to this, you can start with incline knee push-ups and then try to make it harder with narrow incline push-ups. There’s always the option to seek professional assistance or use a reliable chair yoga app to learn the exercises.

Generally, incline push-ups and chair elevated push-ups are an excellent way to mix things up and give your wrists and elbows a break from regular push-ups. Don’t forget to add some cardio for a full-body workout.

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FAQs

  • What happens if you do 20 push-ups and sit-ups every day?

If you perform 20 push-ups and sit-ups daily, you may develop stronger muscles, improved posture, and better upper-body strength.

  • What happens if I do 30 wall push-ups a day?

You can get toned arms and a stronger upper body if you do 30 wall push-ups daily. They work many muscles, including your biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, back, core, and hips. This is why they’re so effective for toning the entire body.

  • Do chair exercises really work?

Yes, chair exercises have proven their effectiveness with different studies. If you learn the correct forms and consistently perform them, you can eventually start to see some rewards coming your way.

  • How effective are stair push-ups?

Putting your feet on the stairs when doing push-ups makes them harder and this can help your muscles grow bigger and stronger over time.

The Bottom Line

Chair yoga has become a go-to exercise for many fitness gurus. It benefits beginners and seniors due to its accessibility. The gentle movements that target different muscles can help you feel stronger and in control. After evaluating chair yoga elevated push-ups, we can safely state that chair yoga is a versatile form of fitness. There’s practically no limit to how much you can move your body. It all boils down to one question – are you ready to take your fitness to the next level?

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.

BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.

You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.

SOURCES:

  1. Association Between Push-up Exercise Capacity and Future Cardiovascular Events Among Active Adult Men (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  2. Fifteen Minutes of Chair-Based Yoga Postures or Guided Meditation Performed in the Office Can Elicit a Relaxation Response (2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  3. Yoga Is as Good as Stretching–Strengthening Exercises in Improving Functional Fitness Outcomes: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial (2015, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  4. Yoga for proprioception: A systematic review (2023, researchgate.net)
  5. Yoga Poses Increase Subjective Energy and State Self-Esteem in Comparison to ‘Power Poses’ (2017, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
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