How to Work Out Sitting Down in a Chair

Chair workouts come in handy when stuck in a small space, such as a cubicle, all day. Being able to work out in a chair can also help those with physical difficulties maintain strength and improve muscle condition even while sitting. Regardless of age, having plenty of healthy muscle keeps the body younger and significantly healthier and can help reduce chronic pain, such as back and joint pain, by strengthening the muscles that support those areas of the body.

Things You'll Need

• Chair
• Free weights or other resistance

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Instructions

• 1

  Sit up straight, with feet flat on the floor. If necessary, slide forward in the chair, rather than sitting with back straight against the back of the chair, to allow better posture. Reach both arms straight up in the air, maintaining straight-back posture. Hold the stretch for a moment, then allow the arms to float out to the sides and down, resting on the arms of the chair or by the edge of the seat. Repeat this stretch three times.

• 2

  Place hands on the opposite shoulders, crossing the arms over the chest area with elbows slightly pointing outward to the front. Slowly rotate from the waist, while maintaining good posture, just to the point of feeling the stretch. Slowly rotate back to center, facing front, and continue the slow rotation to the other side. Stretch the waist with this torso-twist motion three times to each side. Then, place one hand on the thigh, and reach the other hand straight up. Slowly bend toward the side of the resting hand, allowing the upward-extended arm to point diagonally toward the spot on the ceiling where the wall and ceiling meet. Repeat the side stretch twice on each side.

• 3

  Return the hands to the shoulders as in Step 2. This time, tighten the abdominal muscles while carefully arching the back and pulling the abs inward. This is essentially a seated crunch. Relax the abdominals as you come up from the crunch to a straight-back seated position. Repeat for a set of 10 concentrated, slow seated crunches.

  Now, bring the fingertips to the sides of the head, between the temples and ears. Slowly twist the torso to one side, while pulling in and tightening the abdominal muscles and bending forward slightly and pointing the downward-moving elbow toward the opposite knee. It is not necessary to bring the elbow all the way to the knee, but to increase difficulty, simultaneously lift that opposite knee to meet the elbow. Rotate back to the start position slowly, then repeat to the other side. Perform a set of 12, six on each side.

• 4

  Hold the free weights or some other resistance-providing item, such as two bottles of water or canned goods. Slide forward in the chair to balance on the front edge, with feet flat on the floor. Keeping back straight and abdominal muscles tight for support, extend the arms downward by the sides of the thighs and bring the elbows close to the waist. Keeping the elbows in place, slowly bring the weights up to about shoulder level, but do not bring them all the way to the shoulders. Then, slowly lower to the start position. Perform these seated bicep curls for 10 slow repetitions.

• 5

  Hold the handles or front edge of the chair and bring your feet outward about 2 or 3 feet from the chair. Keeping the arms close to the sides of the body and keeping the knees bent slightly for support, lift and lower the body, focusing on the triceps at the back of the arms. Concentrate and move slowly to make this move most effective. Perform six to 10 reps of these modified tricep dips.

• 6

  Hold the weights or alternative resistance in both hands. Bring the arms up so the elbows form 90-degree angles and the elbows are straight outward to the sides of the shoulders. The weights should be nearly level with the top of the head in this position. Slowly extend the arms upward, pushing the weights up in a seated shoulder press. Do not lock the elbows when the weights are in their highest position. Slowly bring the weights down to the start position, keeping elbows at 90 degrees and level with the shoulders. Perform 10 slow repetitions.

• 7

  Stand about 12 inches in front of the edge of the chair. Raise arms out in front, about shoulder level, as you move slowly into a seated position. Bring your rear just to the chair's surface, then slowly stand up to the start position, lowering the arms as you come up. Repeat this modified squat for five to 10 reps, depending on ability.