What happens when you exercise your body and challenge your brain at the same time?
In this 15-minute Brain + Body workout, Mom and I are finding out!
We'll alternate easy, low-impact movement with fun coordination challenges that ask your hands, eyes, and body to work together in different ways. Some may look surprisingly simple until you try them!
And if you get mixed up, don't worry. Mom and I might too. 😊
This workout isn't a test, and there's no score. The goal is to move, think, challenge yourself, and have fun.
What We'll Work On: Coordination Exercises for Seniors
Today's workout includes:
- Finger Switch: one hand in a thumbs-up, the other pointing, then switch at the same time
- Fist + Palm: one hand in a fist, the other open, then switch
- Nose + Ear: one hand on your nose, the other on your opposite ear, then switch sides (once we've practiced, we add a clap between switches)
- Easy, low-impact movement between the challenges, such as walking in place, heel digs, toe taps, and side-to-side movements
- 15 minutes, with no special equipment
I'll demonstrate the standing exercises while Mom shows you seated options, so you can choose the version that works best for you.
Watch the full workout video above and follow along at your own pace.
Why Exercise Your Brain and Body Together?
We know that regular physical activity is important for maintaining strength, mobility, balance, cardiovascular health, and independence as we age.
Movement is important for our brains, too.
Physical activity supports brain health, and activities that combine movement with thinking add an interesting challenge: your brain has to process information while your body responds.
Think about how often that happens in everyday life.
You might walk through a busy store while looking for an item, reach across your body to fasten a seat belt, hold a container with one hand while opening it with the other, or use your fingers to operate a phone while carrying on a conversation.
Our brains and bodies are constantly working together.
That's the idea behind this workout.
Rather than doing 15 minutes of complicated exercises, we're alternating easy movement with short Brain + Body challenges.
Think of the challenges as brain exercises you do with your body.
The movement keeps your body active. The challenges ask you to concentrate, coordinate different movements, and try something that may not feel automatic at first.
And that's where the fun begins!
Brain + Body Challenge #1: Finger Switch
This one looks easy.
Hold one hand in a thumbs-up position and point the index finger of your other hand.
Now switch them at the same time.
Go ahead. Try it!
Did both hands cooperate?
The Finger Switch challenges the coordination involved in small, precise hand movements. We use this type of hand and finger control throughout the day for activities such as typing, handling coins, turning pages, and using buttons or controls on our phones and appliances.
We'll begin this finger exercise slowly and then see if we can make the switch a little faster.
Remember: getting it right immediately isn't the goal. Give yourself time to figure it out.
Brain + Body Challenge #2: Fist + Palm
For our next challenge, one hand has a different job from the other.
Make a fist with one hand while keeping your other hand open.
Now switch.
One hand opens while the other closes.
This gets interesting when you try to make both changes happen at exactly the same time!
Our hands often need to perform different jobs simultaneously during everyday activities. Think about holding a jar with one hand while twisting the lid with the other, or stabilizing a bowl while stirring with your other hand.
We'll practice slowly before making the switches a little quicker.
If your hands decide they'd rather do the same thing, you're not alone! 😂
Brain + Body Challenge #3: Nose + Ear
This may be the challenge that gets you!
Place one hand on your nose and cross your other hand over to your opposite ear.
Then switch sides.
Once we've practiced that, we'll make things even more interesting by adding a clap between switches.
This challenge incorporates cross-body movement: coordinating movements that cross the midline of your body.
Cross-body coordination shows up in everyday movements such as reaching across for your seat belt, reaching into an opposite pocket, putting on a jacket, or reaching across a table or counter.
Take your time with this one.
And if you end up holding the wrong ear?
Laugh with Mom and me and try again!
Easy Movement Between the Brain Challenges
This is still a workout, so we won't spend all 15 minutes concentrating on our fingers!
Between our Brain + Body challenges, we'll keep moving with simple, low-impact exercises such as walking in place, heel digs, toe taps, and side-to-side movements.
These intervals are intentionally easy to follow.
The Brain + Body challenges require concentration, so the movement sections give us an opportunity to relax mentally, enjoy moving, and get ready for the next challenge.
If you're exercising seated, follow Mom. If you're standing, follow along with me or keep a sturdy chair nearby if you'd like additional support.
What If I Can't Do One of the Brain + Body Exercises?
That's completely okay.
These exercises are supposed to make you think.
If a movement feels confusing, slow it down. Watch us for a few repetitions. Try one hand at a time if that helps, and then see if you can put the movements together.
You don't need to keep up with Mom or me.
And you certainly don't need to perform every challenge perfectly for the workout to be worthwhile.
One of my favorite things about these coordination exercises is that you can come back and try them again.
Something that feels awkward the first time may begin to feel more familiar with practice.
How Many Calories Can You Burn in 15 Minutes?
Calorie burn varies considerably from person to person. Your body weight, exercise intensity, pace, range of motion, fitness level, and whether you perform the workout standing or seated can all affect how much energy you use.
As a general estimate, 15 minutes of light-to-moderate walking-style activity may burn roughly 35 to 90 calories for many adults, but that number should be treated only as a broad estimate rather than a target or guarantee.
More importantly, calories are only one small part of what we gain from movement.
For this workout, I'd focus less on the calorie number and more on getting your body moving, challenging your coordination, and enjoying 15 active minutes.
Can I Do This Workout Seated?
Yes!
Mom demonstrates seated options throughout the workout.
You can do the entire 15-minute workout seated, follow my standing version, or switch between the two depending on what feels best for you that day.
That's an important part of Yes2Next: exercise should meet you where you are.
Choose the version that allows you to move safely and comfortably.
Is This a Dementia Exercise Workout?
This workout was not specifically designed as a treatment or exercise program for dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other cognitive conditions.
Brain + Body exercises can challenge skills such as coordination, attention, and movement control, but we don't want to suggest that this workout prevents, treats, or slows dementia.
If you or someone you're exercising with has cognitive impairment, significant balance challenges, or another health condition, consider whether the exercises are appropriate for that person's abilities and ask a healthcare professional when needed.
Most importantly, exercise should feel supportive rather than frustrating. Slow things down, simplify the movements, or follow the seated options whenever appropriate.
Why I Want You to Try This Workout More Than Once
Here's a little challenge for you.
Pay attention to which of the three Brain + Body exercises feels hardest the first time:
Finger Switch?
Fist + Palm?
Nose + Ear?
Then come back another day and try the workout again.
Don't worry about keeping score. Simply notice whether any of the movements begin to feel more familiar.
And let us know in the comments which challenge got you!
Mom and I would also love to know if you'd like us to make more Brain + Body workouts. We have plenty of other fun ways to get ourselves moving and thinking together.
Ready to Train Your Brain and Move Your Body?
You don't need special equipment.
You don't need complicated choreography.
And you definitely don't need to get everything right.
You just need about 15 minutes, a little room to move, and a willingness to try something different.
Press play and join Mom and me for our 15-Minute Brain + Body Workout.
Let's move, think, laugh, and have some fun together!
Enjoyed today's workout?
Here are a few more ways to keep moving with us:
📱 Looking for a complete exercise program? Join the Get Moving 50+ App, where you'll find guided workout plans, monthly calendars, and the encouragement to help you build healthy habits and stay consistent.
🎥 Want another workout? Explore our growing library of Yes2Next workouts to continue building strength, balance, mobility, and confidence.
📖 If you enjoy gentle movement and flexibility, my book, 10-Minute Chair Yoga Exercises for Seniors, is available on Amazon and anywhere books are sold.
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