Working 9 to 5 doesn’t have to mean sacrificing fitness. Here are some power-packed chair exercises for full body workouts that can help you control your weight without even going to gym.
1. CHAIR CRUNCHES
- Sit toward the edge of your chair. Your fingers should face the ground.
- Lean backward until you feel your core engaged (even if you don’t, just lean back a few inches).
- Extend both legs out slowly. Bend the knees, bringing them toward your chest.
- Repeat the movement for 15-20 reps.
2. CHAIR RUNNING
- Sit with legs extended, toes pointed, arms bent by sides. Brace abs in tight and hinge back until just shoulder blades are lightly touching the back of the chair, lifting legs low in front of you.
- Bend left knee into chest, turning right shoulder in towards knee, pulling left elbow slightly back, then quickly switch sides.
- Repeat as quickly as you can for 30 alternating reps.
3. CHAIR SQUATS
- This is a great place to start for chair exercises and segue into the world of squats! To do this, stand in front of the chair as if you were going to sit down.
- Point your arms straight out in front of you, parallel to the ground, with your palms facing down. Slowly push your hips back, bend at the knee, and sit down.
- Before you get too comfortable, stand back up and return to the starting position. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.
4. SEATED OBLIQUE TWIST
- Sitting in a chair, take your right elbow and twist your torso so that your elbow touches your left knee, while bending forward so you feel your abdominal muscles contract.
- Return to an upright position and then repeat, taking the left elbow and bringing it down to the right knee.
- Do up to 3 sets of 10 reps.
5. SKATER SWITCH
- From the edge of your chair, bend right knee out to the side, extending left leg out straight to the side, toes pointed.
- Extend arms straight and lean forward slightly, reaching left arm to inside of right foot, raising right arm up behind body, twisting through torso. Quickly switch sides.
- Repeat as quickly as you can for 30 alternating reps.
6. PLANK KNEE CROSS
- Start by placing both forearms on the seat of a chair and stepping back into a plank position.
- Now, raise your right knee up to the inside of your left arm, pause for a couple of moments and repeat on the opposite leg, this time touching your left knee to the inside of your right arm.
- This alternate movement makes 1 repetition. Do 15 to 20 repetitions without any gap. Keep your hips low and core engaged throughout the workout.
7. STANDING KICKBACK WITH CHAIR
- Stand a few feet behind a chair, hold the back of the chair with both hands and bend forward from the waist.
- Transfer your entire body weight to your left heel and lift your right leg up and stretch it out behind you.
- Now, bring your right knee up close to your right shoulder, pause for a moment and then swing the leg out again behind you. This makes 1 repetition.
- Complete 20 repetitions on one side and then switch sides.
