7 Full Body Chair Workouts Explained with Instructions

Are you looking for a quick and easy way to get in a workout? Take a seat: Chair exercises allow you to work almost every muscle in your body without needing additional equipment. Chair exercises will enable you to focus your lower body while sitting or supported, making them ideal for people who have balance or mobility concerns or are recuperating from an injury. They’re also ideal for pregnant women who need a little additional help as their baby grows. However, working upper-body muscles like your arms, shoulders, and chest while stimulating the essential core muscles to help with stabilization isn’t limited to your legs. In addition, a chair is ideal for conducting seated stretches or Pilates chair exercises. So whether you’re sitting on a chair or simply holding one for support, these workouts will benefit you greatly.

7 Full Body Chair Workout

1. Inner Thigh Plank

Begin with a side plank on your knees and a chair near your feet on the floor. Place your top leg on the chair by lifting it. As if you were doing a conventional side plank, brace your abs and tighten your core, lift your bottom leg off the floor and bring it just beneath the chair seat. Lift from your bottom oblique (side abs) as you drop your bottom leg till it just hangs over the floor, then utilize your inner thigh on that leg to push it back up, keeping your hips elevated and core tight. Keep your hips stacked, and don’t let your torso slide. On each side, complete 15 reps.

2. Seated Jack

Jumping jacks are excellent for cardio but can be challenging to perform throughout the workday or if you have a lower-body problem. This seated variation raises your heart rate and burns calories without causing you to sweat much. Sit tall with your knees bent, and together, your feet pointed and your toes softly touching the floor, your elbows bent and your arms open to the sides, palms facing forward. Open your legs out to the sides, flex your feet, rest on your heels, and extend your arms overhead. Return to the beginning. Perform 30 quick reps in a row (the higher your tempo, the more difficult it will be).

3. Seated Shoulder Press

The sitting shoulder press improves strength, mobility, and endurance by extending the arms overhead. Select a set of low-weight dumbbells or a resistance band to slide beneath the seat or sit on, keeping it at an equal length on both sides of the body. Sit in the chair as comfortably as possible, with your hips as far back as feasible. Make sure your back is firmly attached to the chair’s backrest. Maintain a firm core. Begin by spreading both elbows out to the sides of the body and aligning them beneath the shoulders. Extend your chest.

Face the dumbbells with your palms ahead and your body straight. Extend your arms above your head till they’re fully extended (or get to a range that feels most comfortable). Keep both arms parallel to each other and don’t touch them together. Slowly return the hands to the beginning position, maintaining the elbows spread until the arm’s extension limit has been reached. Don’t tuck your elbows into your sides; extend them until the top of your back feels a pinching sensation (not pain) between your shoulder blades.

4. Mountain Climber

Standing with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides, face a sturdy chair. Place your palms flat on the edge of the seat directly below your shoulders and lower your upper body toward the chair. Extend your legs straight behind you, toes planted and heels raised off the ground. Maintain a flat and straight back by bracing your core muscles. Maintain a downward gaze on the seat. Bring your right knee up to your right arm and hold it there. Bring your knee nearer your left arm as your right leg returns to its starting position. That counts as one rep. Alternate for a while. Maintain a steady speed and make adjustments as needed. Perform this action at a walking pace to make it easier. To make it more advanced, quicken the pace.

5. Chair Squat

Hips, thighs, and buttocks are strengthened in this workout. Put your weight on your feet while standing in front of the chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. In a slow and controlled motion, bend the knees and lower the buttocks to the chair. Slowly raise yourself to stand, keeping your knees over your ankles and your back straight. Rep 10 times more.

6. Tricep Dips

Begin by sitting on the chair’s edge, with your hands on the edge and fingers pointing towards you. Lift your hips off the chair by pressing down into your hands. Hover in front of the chair and lower yourself by bending your elbows. Maintain a 90-degree elbow bend while keeping your chest lifted and keeping your hips and back as close to the chair as possible. To press yourself back up and straighten your arms, press into your hands and engage the triceps (back of the arm muscles)—a rep of 15 times.

7. Leg Lift and Twist

This Pilates-inspired seated strengthener targets and tones your quadriceps, inner thighs, and abs. Extend your right leg out straight with your foot on the floor, arms crossed over your chest, and sit tall on the edge of your chair. Squeeze your knees together and spin your torso to the right as your right leg raises to the left knee. Return to the beginning. (To improve abdominal activation, try timing your breathing—exhale during the twist and lift, then inhale as you return to the starting position.) Do 20 reps on one side, then switch sides.

Are Chair Exercises Effective?

Low-impact chair workouts are a terrific way to get extra movement into your week. Anyone can benefit from them, but according to WebMD, sitting workouts are a good alternative for individuals who are afraid of falling or want to securely develop their balance, endurance, strength, or flexibility. According to the British Heart Foundation, having trouble standing or walking does not have to limit your capacity to exercise. Katie Knapton, a registered physiotherapist and the founder of Physio Fast Online, agrees. “Chair exercises are an excellent approach to enhance fitness, strength, and even mobility for less mobile or chair bound persons.”

“Even those with a substantial impairment can improve their strength and quality of life by doing chair exercises.” These exercises can help you strengthen your upper and lower body, allowing you to be more self-sufficient.” However, you should always see your doctor or healthcare professional before beginning any physical activity, especially if you haven’t been active in a long time. You may need to perform specific workouts prescribed by a physician if you have a chronic disease, such as a heart condition.