Sit Down and Exercise!

September 26, 2012

Sit Down and Exercise! Chair exercises are a great form of exercise for those with disabilities, people with poor balance, anyone who has trouble standing, or anyone else who wants to start something new. Chair exercises can also be done in the office during the course of the workday when you need a break and a way to work activity into your day. Chair exercises are gentle on the body and generally safe for most people to do. Here are some great chair exercises for you to try:

Seated Row — Sit upright in your chair. Lean forward from the waist. Arms should be hanging down near your feet. Pull your arms up toward your stomach, keeping your elbows near your side, palms facing in. Lower your arms.
Overhead Press — Raise your arms straight up above your head. Lower your hands to your shoulders, to a 90 degree angle, keeping palms facing forward. Hand weights can be added for extra resistance.
Tricep kickbacks — Lean forward from the waist. Bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle and keep close to your body. Keep the upper arms stationary while you straighten your arms back. Squeeze at the top then return to the starting position.
Bicep curl — Sit upright with arms at your side, palms facing forward. Keeping elbows close to your side, bring your hands up to your shoulders.
Arm circles — Sit upright in chair. Raise arms out to side at 90 degree angle. Slowly make small circles with the arms forward five times then backward five times.
Ankle pumps — Sit upright in chair. Extend one leg. Slowly point the toes up, then extend toes away. Repeat on other leg.
Knee extensions — Sit upright in chair. Slowly straighten the knee. Hold for few seconds then slowly lower. Repeat on other side.
Marching — Sit tall in chair. Alternate lifting knees, marching in place. You can move arms forward (in a punching motion) with the opposite leg.
Leg scissors — Sit upright with legs extended out in front. Slowly cross one leg over the other while holding them in the air. Then repeat on the other side.
Inner thigh squeeze — Sit up tall in chair, with feet resting comfortably on floor. Place a rolled towel or large ball (size of a soccer ball) between knees. Squeeze the object, hold for a few seconds, release halfway, and then squeeze again. Start with 5-10 repetitions of the exercise and increase to 20 as tolerated.

Sit Down and Exercise for good health

Weights can be added if desired to the first four exercises when ready. Chair exercises are suitable for all ages and fitness levels. This is a good place to start if you are easing into working out or need to proceed slowly due to other health concerns or limitations. These exercises may seem simple, but they can still provide a good workout. Even from a seated position, you can improve your fitness level. As always, check with your physician before beginning any new exercise program.