5 Chair Exercises That Build More Strength Than Weight Training Over 50

By Alexa Mellardo

December 26, 2025

Chair exercises are a stellar addition to your workout routine if you’re looking to boost strength, balance, flexibility, and circulation. Building strength is essential as you age, since you begin to lose muscle after turning 30 due to the natural process known as sarcopenia. Muscle strength will help you age with dignity, enabling you to perform daily tasks on your own.

It may surprise you to learn that there are five chair exercises that will build more strength than weight training after 50. We spoke with yoga experts who let us know what they are and how to perform them.

“Chair yoga can contribute to longevity and increased healthspan for adults over 50 by improving flexibility, strength, stress management, posture, circulation, and promoting overall well-being. Incorporating regular chair yoga practice into one’s routine can be a valuable component of a holistic approach to healthy aging,” says Patrick Franco, Co-Founder and Instructor at YogaRenew Teacher Training. “However, while chair yoga offers many benefits, it’s essential to recognize its limitations and consider incorporating a variety of exercises into your routine to promote overall health and well-being.”

Below, Isa Brand, RYT- 500, Instructor at YogaRenew, breaks down five stellar chair exercises that build strength after 50.

Chair Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

1. Begin by taking a big inhale—pressing evenly into your hands, elongating through your side body.
2. As you exhale, press your hips back and up, allowing your chest to melt toward the ground.
3. Maintain a micro-bend in your knees so your lower back remains spacious.
4. Bring your shoulder blades back and down your back and soften your jaw.
5. Hold the pose for 2 to 3 breaths before moving into upward-facing dog.

Chair Upward-Facing Dog (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana)

1. Take a deep breath in, lifting your heels high and rippling your body weight forward so your shoulders shift over your wrists and you assume a supported plank.
2. Breathe out as you continue to glide your chest forward, slightly dropping your hips toward the chair.
3. Press into the palms of your hands and the balls of your feet to avoid collapsing form.
4. Roll your shoulder blades back and down, widening your collarbone.
5. Activate your legs, ensuring your quads stay lifted.
6. Hold for 2 to 3 breaths before moving back into chair, downward-facing dog.

Seated Twist (Chair Twist)

1. Take a deep inhale, sit tall on the chair, and reach both arms overhead.
2. Breathe out, turning your torso and chest toward the back of the chair.
3. Wrap your fingers around the back of your chair to use for support as you twist.
4. Keep your elbows high and widen your collarbone.
5. Hold the position for 2 to 3 breaths.

Seated Twist (Chair Twist) to Wide-Legged Fold

1. Take a deep inhale and slightly lift your chest.
2. As you exhale, allow your torso to drape down—your hands can rest on yoga blocks, the floor, or the chair’s legs.
3. Hold the position for 3 to 5 breaths. Allow your head to be heavy and your neck soft.

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Chair Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Fold)

1. Breathe in, sit tall, and reach both arms overhead to elongate the spine.
2. Exhale, hinge at the hips, and fold over the seat of the chair.
3. Keep your spine tall at first before softening and naturally rounding it.
4. Your hands/forearms can rest on the chair’s seat or reach underneath to grab the back legs of the chair.
5. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.