Relationships June 18, 2018
Let's get physical.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that it is basically impossible to find the time to work out.
Well, not according to the superhumans who find the time to work out upwards of five times a week, but how can us normal people be held to those standards? Between school or work or just life in general, it can be hard to make the time to fit in exercise.
But wait! That doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to a sedentary lifestyle. That chair you’re probably sitting in right now can be your newest piece of workout equipment.
That’s right, these exercises can all be done while you’re seated in a chair. No, you’re not dreaming. We’re giving you a list of the best chair workouts.
Assuming you have a chair in your home, you just got discovered a free home gym. Not to mention, some of these workouts are great for doing at work, during class or even for people who live with limited mobility issues.
Although, don’t be fooled, just because you’ll be exercising while sitting doesn’t mean it’ll be easy.
Turn on your favorite workout playlist, find a chair and let’s get physical.
Cardio might be the absolute bane of my existence. And I know I’m not alone on that one, but this 11-minute video from a certified personal trainer is great for getting your heart moving and your blood pumping. You can do all this without ever letting your butt leave your chair.
It’s also a great way to get a warm up in for the rest of your workout. Warming up may seem unnecessary, but it helps with increasing your blood flow and muscle temperature, both of which can help with a better performance during your workout.
For the I’m basically-going-to-the-gym-but-actually-staying-at-home chair workout, check out these 11 exercises. Warning: you will have to actually stand up for a couple of the moves, but all of the exercises incorporate a chair in some form.
This is a great workout for doing at home if you don’t have time to go to the gym or if you don’t want to drop the money on a gym membership.
Moves in this set of chair workouts include the Russian twist, chair planks and tricep dips. You’ll be strengthening your abs, arms and legs with these exercises, so prepare to feel the burn.
Not a problem! These six workout moves are great for working your whole body. They’re probably best for a home workout though, as they do involve a decent amount of movement, although the moves keep you seated the entire time.
These exercises are especially great if you’re looking for a low-impact workout routine that’ll still get your heart rate up.
You can run through these six moves more than once too if you have time for a slightly longer workout.
Trust me, I’ve been there. But fear not — there’s a way you can get your workout while at school or work.
If you find yourself staring off into space during the day or taking a moment to organize your thoughts, try physically engaging yourself as well. These workouts are inconspicuous enough that you can get away with doing them while seated at your desk.
Your legs and abs don’t have to suffer just because you’re required to be seated for several hours during the day.
If you do these exercises a few times throughout the day, you’ll give your muscles a nice workout. By the time you get home, you’ll feel satisfied that you got a bit of physical activity in, even if it was from a chair. It’s certainly better than not moving at all.
If you still feel uncomfortable doing these chair exercises in public, at the very least try to sit with perfect posture. Sitting with good posture, meaning your shoulders are back, your spine is straight and your abdominal muscles are sucked in, engages your abs (obviously). Even if you don’t want to do full on exercise moves while sitting in a chair, this is a great way to get a little daily ab workout in.
Now no more excuses, go out there and get strong!
