Chair exercise is great for improving mobility
Family memories are often memorialized in photographs, but I have a wonderful map of Kansas that reminds me of time with my grandfather. There are small pins in each city that we visited during the summer of 2000, each containing a unique memory or conversation. This week, I will share more about how my grandfather and I bonded during this three-month window, and will discuss the workouts we performed together. Plus, I’ll introduce an exercise that became a mainstay in our exercise routine each day.
I graduated from college in 1999 and had three months before I would leave for graduate school. It wasn’t enough time to start a real job, and my grandfather needed a driver. So, I volunteered. We spent six to seven hours together each day for the next 90 days. During that time, I’d drive him to see his oil rigs, have meetings, and have lunch. We ate so much Chinese food that I started to order off menu items.
But it was a wonderful chance to develop the kind of relationship that runs deeper than holidays and barbecues. I learned who he was, what was important to him, and what wasn’t. I was early in my wellness career at that point, but I’d been a certified personal trainer for a few years. My grandfather struggled with his mobility, so I started incorporating daily “workouts” into our routine.
We started each morning with chair exercises. I’d pull into his driveway before 8 a.m., and he’d already been up for hours drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. We would perform chair squats together, which started with two sets of five in the beginning. His little legs struggled under his own weight, but he was one of the most determined men I’ve ever meet. He pushed through the discomfort and always completed the sets assigned.
By the end of the summer, we were easily performing three sets of 25. His legs grew stronger and he was able to get into and out of the car without assistance. We’d learned so much about one another by that point, and I was so proud of his dedication to our workout program.
My grandfather continued those chair exercises without my help until he passed 12 years later. The framed map that I’d given him was bequeathed back to me, and it’s something I’ll always cherish.
Over the years, I’d come back from wherever I was living to check in on my grandfather and his workouts. As he developed more strength, we added some variety to the chair squats. This week’s exercise is one of those variations – the Chair Squat with Leg Lift.
1. Stand in front of a chair with your feet a little less than shoulder width apart.
2. Very slowly squat down and sit in the chair.
3. Quickly stand back up.
4. As you reach full knee and hip extension, lift the right foot off the floor about one foot. Pause here for three seconds and maintain balance.
5. Now place the right foot back on the floor.
6. Go into the squat again and sit down.
7. Stand back up and this time, lift the left foot and hold for three seconds.
8. Perform two sets of 12. This exercise was particularly useful for developing better balance and coordination. Since I wasn’t around to help my grandfather, he used to perform these in a door frame in case he lost his balance. For those looking to add some lower body strength without leaving the house, this kind of exercise is a great place to start. Let’s get moving!