Endurance plays a crucial role in overall wellness, giving you the stamina to handle daily activities, hobbies, and an active lifestyle. It supports both physical and mental health while strengthening the heart and lungs, helping you feel more energetic and capable throughout the day.
“As we age, both muscular and cardiovascular endurance naturally decline due to factors such as muscle fiber loss, stiffer arteries, reduced heart efficiency, and lower oxygen use,” explains Eric North, The Happiness Warrior—a wellness speaker, coach, and advocate for aging with purpose and vitality. “However, regular physical activity can significantly slow these changes and preserve much of our functional capacity.”
North adds that key age-related shifts include muscle atrophy, especially fast-twitch fibers, along with a decreased maximum heart rate and reduced blood vessel flexibility. These changes affect how efficiently the heart delivers oxygen, though the body can adapt to maintain performance with consistent movement.
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How Endurance Supports Long-Term Health
Endurance training is closely linked to better long-term health outcomes. It enhances mitochondrial function, supports cardiovascular wellness, and improves essential metabolic markers. Together, these benefits can boost daily energy levels and lower the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
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“While strength training is critical for slowing muscle loss, endurance directly benefits the heart, lungs, and cellular energy systems, offering broader systemic support for aging well,” North explains.
A Simple Four-Minute Chair Workout Test After 60
To assess your current fitness level, experts recommend trying a four-minute chair-based workout. Successfully completing it is a strong indicator that your endurance is in excellent shape.
Why Chair-Based Exercises Are So Effective
“Many exercise programs overcomplicate fitness, but one of the most effective tools is something nearly everyone has—a basic chair,” says Erin Richardson, Corporate Director of Aging & Functional Ability at Sun Health. Research shows that adults over 65 who perform controlled, chair-based exercises often experience improved lower-body strength, better health outcomes, and greater independence.
One of the most valuable chair movements is simply standing up from a seated position. The sit-to-stand exercise mirrors a daily activity essential for maintaining independence.
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“Chair exercises are also safer,” Richardson explains. “They reduce fall risk and accommodate mobility limitations, allowing individuals to focus on control, strength, and progression rather than fear of injury.”
Chair Sit-to-Stand Exercise
“Move with control—avoid dropping back into the chair,” Richardson advises. “Using armrests is acceptable at first, but the long-term goal is standing without arm support. This movement strengthens the quadriceps, which are essential for everyday tasks like standing up from a chair or toilet.”
- Start seated near the front of a sturdy chair with feet flat under your knees.
- Lean forward slightly.
- Stand up without using your hands or knees if possible.
- Slowly lower yourself back down with control.
- Count how many repetitions you complete in 30 seconds.
- Rest briefly.
- Repeat for 3 to 4 rounds.
Seated Weight Shifts
“This exercise improves trunk control, which is necessary for daily activities like dressing or putting on socks,” Richardson notes.
- Sit upright while holding a light weight in one hand.
- Reach comfortably to the side, forward, and across your body.
- Lean gently into each reach.
- Return to center after each movement.
- Switch sides.
- Complete 5 to 10 reaches in each direction per side.
Seated Marches
“Seated marches strengthen the hip flexors, which are essential for shifting weight and initiating walking,” Richardson explains.
- Sit with feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor.
- Lift your left knee to hip height, then lower it.
- Lift your right knee to hip height, then lower it.
- Maintain an upright posture without leaning back.
- Continue alternating in a marching motion.
- Perform 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 20 marches per leg.
- For added difficulty, use ankle weights.
Seated Twist With Resistance
“This movement reflects real-life actions such as reaching into cabinets,” Richardson says.
- Sit tall in a chair.
- Hold a resistance band at hip level with one hand.
- Grip the band with the opposite hand.
- Rotate your torso away from the anchored hand while reaching upward.
- Complete all repetitions on one side before switching.
- Perform 3 to 5 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions per side.
“These exercises are highly adaptable,” Richardson concludes. “They can be modified to be easier or more challenging and can eventually progress to standing movements. Prioritize safety, proper posture, feet flat on the floor, and relaxed shoulders to get the most benefit.”
