Chair or Exercise Equipment?
For many people intense stand up exercise is completely out of the question. They may be overweight, have diabetes, an injury, or have mobility issues for one reason or another. Sit behind a desk all day? Good news! There are exercises and stretches you can do right in your office!
Now that we have your attention, let's get down to business. There are plenty of exercises that can be done with just a chair. It's too easy. This will help you burn calories, improve circulation and reduce stress. Five minutes of exercise every few hours can help people stretch and relax, strengthen specific muscles and even get your heart rate up and your oxygen circulating throughout your body. You don't need to worry about tripping or losing balance. Exercising in a chair can be done safely in your home, or office. Here are some exercises you can do:
Side Stretch:
Sit straight, raise your arms towards the ceiling, lean towards to the right, counting slowly to four, back to the center. Then lean left, again counting to four, then back to center. Repeat both ways, three to four times.
Tone Core Muscles:
Begin with your shoulders resting on the back of the chair. Contract your abdominal muscles, bringing your shoulders up as your leg goes down. Repeat 8 times with each side.
Lower Back Stretch:
Sit up straight, hug your right leg, pull up and hold for five seconds, leaning your shoulder towards your knee feeling the muscles in your lower back, then lower and relax. Then do the same to the other leg. Repeat this four to five times - contracting your abdominal muscles as if a magnet is pulling your belly button towards the back of your chair.
Spine Stretch:
Place the right leg over your left knee, then slowly turn towards the right, hold for five seconds feeling the stretch in your back, then relax. Repeat two or three times, then switch legs and do the set again on the other side.
People with limited mobility can derive significant benefits from implementing exercises in a chair dancing routine such as such as help with combating fatigue, reducing pain and increasing range of motion.
