6 Simple Chair Exercises to Get You Back into Shape

Chair exercises are a great option to stay fit and add some movement to your otherwise redundant lifestyle. People who have desk jobs, elders, and writers have greatly benefitted from chair exercises.

Chair exercises are a simple way to work out and engage in physical activity while seated in a chair. You don't even need to leave your house to do this; a chair you already have in your house would probably work just fine.

What Are the Benefits of Chair Exercises?

The advantage of chair exercises is that they are low impact, allowing you to work out various body areas without some of the safety issues associated with other forms of exercise.

It's important for seniors to exercise. Regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help you reduce your risk of developing a number of injuries and diseases. They can also help you stay physically and mentally healthy as you age, promoting healthy aging.

Best Chair Exercises That Anyone Can Do

Here’s a list of some of the best chair exercises that you can do anytime, anywhere:

1) Sit and stand

The sitting and standing motion will engage and enhance your upper body muscles in addition to enhancing your lower body strength and power.

Instructions:

• Start by settling into a sturdy chair and placing your feet about hip-distance apart on the ground.
• Engage your core and tip forward from the hips with as little help from your hands or arms as possible.
• As you struggle to rise up, completely extend your knees and hips and force your weight through all four corners of your feet.
• Reverse the motion, bringing your knees to a gentle bend and lowering yourself to a seated posture.

2) Seated jacks

You may already know about other jumping jacks variations to lose belly fat. But this chair variation focuses on your back muscles.

Instructions:

• Sit upright in your chair, with your knees touching.
• As you open your arms wide, move your legs wide apart.
• Now bring your arms together and bring your knees back to the touching position.
• Repeat the steps 15-20 times.

3) Seated marches

Seated marches is one of the nicest chair exercises. The marching motion constitutes the basic leg exercises for beginners or people with any level of fitness. Being seated against the chair helps in erecting the spine.

Instructions:

• Occupy an arm-supported chair.
• Start by placing your feet firmly on the ground.
• Raise one knee gradually without slouching. Holding the armrests will prevent your upper body from sagging backward.
• After that, extend your leg and plant your foot firmly on the ground.
• Continue by using your other leg.

4) Back Twist

A back twist is a simple and effective chair exercise to get a well-toned back.

Instructions:

• Sit upright in your chair.
• Bring your right on your right hip and twist to your right side.
• Hold for some time then repeat on the other side.

5) Hinge and cross

With this chair exercise, you can strengthen your back and abdominal muscles while still keeping your lower body active.

Instructions:

• With your hands behind your head and your knees bent and together, sit tall.
• Squeeze your inner thighs together to activate your muscles.
• Hold your abs firmly in place and tilt back such that only your shoulder blades barely touch the chair's back.
• Bring your body forward while bending your right elbow over your left knee.
• Repeat on the other side as well.

6) Seated row

The seated row is a simple and quite efficient chair exercise. It targets the shoulder blades. The movement depicted in this exercise is beneficial for getting toned back. You can also use a resistance band to increase the range of motion.

Here’s how to do it:

• Thumbs pointing upward, extend your arms straight out in front of you.
• As you squeeze your shoulder blades together and draw your elbows back, your upper arms will eventually align with the sides of your chest.
• Return to the starting posand ture, extend your arms.
• Repeat 15-20 times.

Conclusion

You might not be able to jog due to an injury, or you might have only recently started working out and don't feel ready to join a gym. That's fine, but that doesn't mean you should stop exercising. With chair exercises, you can still increase your strength, burn calories, and increase your flexibility while seated.