Don't let a day behind a desk keep you from getting a good workout. With this simple workout, all you need is a chair or exercise ball, some breathing room, an exercise band, hand weights, and a variety of head-to-toe exercises, like the ten listed below. Now there's no excuse; chair-fitness works at home, work, and even from a wheelchair.
Sit as tall and straight in your chair as you can. Take a few deep breaths and start at the top:
1) Neck rolls. Place your chin on your chest and roll your head in a complete rotation, right to left. Don't hurry; go gently. Feel your muscles stretch to gently release tension in your neck and shoulders. Reverse and roll your head to the left. Repeat several times in each direction.
2) Should shrugs. Pick up your hand weights (one, three or five-pound weights). While holding them in both hands, palms facing inward, shrug your shoulders up and roll then back as if you're trying to touch your shoulder blades together. Reverse and roll forward. Repeat ten times in each direction.
3) Bicep Curl. Continue holding your weights but re-position your palms so they're facing upward. Tighten your abs and keep your elbows close to your ribs as you bring your hands to your shoulder. Repeat 10 times.
4) Front raise. Start by holding weights in both hands, palms up and by your hips. Raise arms straight in front to chest height and lower to starting position. Repeat ten times.
5) Shoulder Press. Start with weights in both hands and arms held straight above your head. Lower weights slowly to shoulders and keep elbows at a 90-degree angle. Return to straight-arm position overhead. Repeat ten times.
6) Triceps extension. Hold one weight with both hands behind your head. Slowly straighten arms until they're straight overhead. Return to starting position and repeat ten times.
7) Hip Flexion. Wrap your resistance band around your right thigh, just above the knee. Step on resistance band ends with your left foot and create tension for your right leg. Keep your right knee bent and lift it as high as you can. Feel the resistance. If it's too easy, tighten the slack and try again. Repeat ten times and switch legs.
8) Leg lifts. Loop your band around your right foot and hold the ends with both hands. While holding the band tightly, lift your right leg until it's at a 90-degree angle with your hip. Make sure you feel resistance. Repeat ten times and switch legs.
9) Ab-tightener. Place both feet on the resistance band and raise legs straight in front. Pull the slack so knees are bent. Press against band to straighten legs while tightening your abdominal muscles. Repeat fifteen times.
10) Stretch. Finish your chair-fitness workout with a good stretch. Reach arms over your head and stretch to each side. Place legs on ground in front and with knees slightly bent, reach your hands to your shins for a gentle hamstring and back stretch. Roll your neck again, rotate hands and feet, do a few spine twists and voila - all you need now is a fast walk on your lunch hour and you're good to go, until you can get to the gym again.
