Have you ever heard of a whole exercise routine that can be done completely sitting? One of Stokesley and District Community Care Association’s newest activities is exactly that! This toe-tapping addition to the centre’s range of activities has proven popular among their clients, and it’s not difficult to see why.

The hour-long session features fun and gentle exercises, like rhythmical marching, boxing, stretches, and focus on breathing, totally designed to help with mobility and circulation, all whilst being in the comfort of a chair. A lot of the moves even cater to people with manoeuvrability problems, such as arthritis and osteoporosis, so everybody is encouraged to have a go and feel the benefits.

The members are taken through the session by a DVD, instructed by Simon Roll, beginning with a warm up, followed by several marches, an upper body workout and a lower body workout, before finishing with a cool down. With the moves being set to the music of Max Bygraves, along with other classic tunes such as ‘Pretty Woman’ and ‘(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles,’ participants of the class are guaranteed to be singing along in no time.

As this workout is created entirely for seniors, the steps are very simple and the participants are reassured that if they struggle with anything, then they can stop and jump in again when they feel ready. There are also plenty of opportunities to take a break or grab some water, as well as the promise of tea or coffee at the end, which no one can turn down!

This class is ideal for any seniors that are looking to put a bit more activeness into their lives, or any that are looking to meet new people. One member said, “it’s been nice, because we normally just sit in all afternoon and fall asleep,” so the chance to take part in an activity and move about has been greatly appreciated. Many of the members are left feeling energised, eager to practise the exercises in their own time and looking forward to the next session, so new faces will be warmly welcomed!

The chair based exercise class is held on the first floor of the Stokesely and District Community Care Association on Town Close, from 1:30pm-2:30pm. For any further information, give Phil Henderson a call on 01642 710085.