New in the True Course Series: A Chair Exercise Chart Book for Men
I went looking for a straight-talking chair workout chart for men like me and couldn’t find one. So I built it. Here’s what’s inside, plus one move you can try today.
A while back I went looking for a chair exercise chart for men like me. Nothing fancy. No video, no app, no instructor with too much energy for seven in the morning. Just clear pictures, plain numbers and a way to make it harder on the days I feel good.
I found plenty of books. Most of them seemed to be written for somebody who had already given up. So I did what a lot of us do when we can’t find the right tool: I made one.
It’s called Chair Exercises Over 60 for Men, and it’s the second book in the True Course™ Series.
What’s inside
- One movement per page. Open to it, look at the pictures, read the numbers, do it. No chapters to wade through first.
- Three levels for every move. Gentle for stiff mornings or getting started, Steady for the movement as it’s taught, and Strong for longer holds and slower tempo. Real work, still in the chair.
- 43 movements in all: 36 seated chair tai chi and qi gong moves, plus 7 standing ones for when you want them.
- A four-question check at the front that tells you where to start, so it’s not too easy and not too hard.
- A 28-day challenge with check boxes, then a plan for weeks five through twelve, and three ready-made routines, including a five-minute morning one.
- Large 18-point print on a big 8.5 × 11 page you can read from your chair, with setup notes for a wheelchair, walker or cane.
Try one today: Raising the Hands
This is the movement on the cover, and it’s a good way to see how the three levels work. Sit toward the front of a sturdy chair without wheels, feet flat, and breathe slowly the whole time.
- Gentle: rest one hand on your thigh and bring the other up in front of your chest, palm facing in. Hold for a few easy breaths, then switch hands.
- Steady: lift both hands slowly, palms in, one at chest height and one a little lower.
- Strong: same shape, but raise the upper hand to just above shoulder height and move more slowly, both up and down.
Start with Gentle, even if you feel good. Moving up a level is the fun part.
Try this today
- Pick the level that feels about right.
- Do five slow lifts on each side, breathing the whole way through.
- Notice how your shoulders and upper back feel afterward.
Which book is right for you?
Book One, Chair Tai Chi for Seniors Over 60, is the full program: 31 seated movements, every one illustrated full-page, step by step, over 214 pages. It suits anyone who likes to learn a move thoroughly before doing it. (See it on Amazon.)
The new chart book, Chair Exercises Over 60 for Men, is built for the fellow who wants to open it and go: one page, one move, three levels, and a challenge to check off. (See it on Amazon.)
Some households may want one of each. It might even settle who gets the good chair.
If you’re the one who shops for him
If you’re the wife, daughter or granddaughter who usually picks out his gifts, you may know a husband or dad who could use a little more movement but won’t hear a word about it. I understand. Speaking from the other side of the chair, most of us don’t love being told to exercise.
A few things tend to go over better than a hint:
- Make it an invitation, not a prescription. “Want to do the 28-day challenge with me?” lands softer than “Your doctor said…”
- Let him pick the level. The Strong level is there on purpose. A man who sees there’s a harder version tends to want to try it.
- Tuck a note inside. Something like “For more good years of fishing trips” says more than any book cover can.
- Pair it with something he already enjoys. His morning coffee, the sports pre-game, the evening news. Ten minutes fits in there.
And if a book isn’t his style, the free Chair Tai Chi printables are a no-cost way to start.
Please check with your doctor before starting any new exercise, especially after surgery, an injury or a recent change in your health. Move slowly, stay in a comfortable range, and stop if anything hurts or makes you dizzy.
Is there a fellow in your life who’d rather do it himself? Tell me about him in the comments.