Tai chi chair exercises for seniors
You can do tai chi in a sturdy chair: sit tall with your feet flat and keep the arm work. Each of the 7 tai chi moves in our walking plan has a seated version. In a trial of 59 older adults in residential care, 3 months of sitting tai chi improved sitting balance and reach, where the comparison group's did not.
What the sources say
59 older adults in residential care: sitting tai chi, 36 sessions of an hour over 3 months, against mobilizing exercises. Weight shifting while sitting improved 29%, reach from sitting 21.2% and accuracy in a finger pointing task 17.3%; the control group did not improve.
Lee et al., Disability and Rehabilitation, 2015, The effects of practicing sitting Tai Chi
The Older Adult Compendium lists "Tai Chi, chair, general" at 2.8 MET60+, against 3.8 for tai chi in general.
Compendium of Physical Activities, Older Adult Compendium
In a lab study of 29 adults aged 62 to 87 in China, video-led chair tai chi measured about 2 METs (2.1 on average).
Cai et al., International Journal of Exercise Science, 2023, Energy Costs of Chair Sitting and Standing Video Exercises
Tai chi is a practice that involves a series of slow, gentle movements and physical postures.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NIH), Tai Chi: What You Need To Know
The numbers, worked out
| Move | The seated version | Days of 28 |
|---|---|---|
| Tai chi opening | Sit tall with your feet flat. Float your hands up on the in breath and let them sink to your thighs on the out breath. Everything else is the same. | 25 |
| Tai chi step | Sit tall, feet flat. Slide your right foot forward on its heel, roll it down, then slide it back. Switch sides. | 4 |
| Closing form | Sit tall, feet flat. Float your hands up, sink them to your thighs, then rest for 3 breaths. | 25 |
| Wave hands like clouds | Sit tall, feet flat. Sway gently from one sit bone to the other while your hands float side to side in front of you. | 13 |
| Embrace the tree | Sit tall, feet flat, back away from the chair. Round your arms in front of your chest as above and hold. | 2 |
| Part the horse's mane | Sit tall with your feet flat. Lean a little to one side as your hand rises and the other hand rests by your hip. Switch sides. | 12 |
| Brush the knee | Sit tall, feet flat. Sweep one hand past your thigh and push the other forward, then switch. Keep your back long. | 10 |
From each move's own card, with how many of the walking plan's 28 days have it.
What to do with it
- Use a sturdy chair without wheels, and sit away from its back.
- Take one move from the table and do it for a few slow breaths.
- Add the next move when that one feels easy.
Seated or standing, tai chi at home with a 28-day walking plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.