Truth! It’s no surprise that any motivation to get outdoors and work up a sweat has gone with summer and spring. Some days, it’s just really difficult to go outside, especially in the winter months. It can be rainy or cold, and the sun may already set by the time you get off work.
So what are you going to do to get some exercise, especially if you don’t have a gym membership to rely on or want to stay healthy and exercise at home on a budget? We have exercise that you can do at home.
Staying in shape throughout the colder months has never been easier – all you need is a chair and a few minutes out of your day. To get a serious sweat started, you also won't need any equipment and barely any space—so basically, there's no excuse for missing an opportunity to keep moving.
5 ways to exercise using a chair from the Herbalife Team:
1. Seated crunches
Start by sitting on the edge of a chair with your legs bent and feet planted firmly on the floor. Using the armrests for support, lean back and slowly pull your legs in towards your chest. Stretch your legs out straight in front of you into the air, and then return to the crunch-like position. Repeat 15 times.
Muscle groups exercised: Abdominal muscles, obliques and lower back muscles.
2. Russian twists
If you have an armchair and a few minutes to spare, you can perform Russian twists anytime. Simply sit on the edge of the seat, then lift and bend your legs, raising your knees as high as possible while keeping your spine straight. Slowly twist your legs to the left, hold it. And then twist your legs to the right and hold it. Repeat 15 times on each side – this number can increase as you get stronger.
Muscle groups exercised: Hip flexors, abdominal muscles and obliques.
3.Tricep dips
To start, position yourself in front of a chair, facing away from the chair. Grip the edge of the chair behind you with your hands (as if you were sitting on an imaginary chair just in front of the real chair), and slowly lower your hips down towards the ground as low as you can go, keeping your back straight as you do so. Lift yourself back up and repeat 15 more times.
Muscle group exercised: Triceps.
4.Inclined plank
You can perform a basic plank on the ground or make it slightly easier by trying inclined planking. Standing in front of a chair and facing the chair, place your forearms flat on the seat and position your legs straight behind you with your toes holding you in position. Keep your body straight and hold for 30 seconds.
Muscle groups exercised: Abdominal muscles, obliques and shoulders.
5. Squats
This is by far the best way to get the correct form for your squat. With a chair positioned behind you and your feet positioned hip distance apart, keep your back straight and slowly lower your bum towards the chair – but don’t touch it. Hold it for a few seconds and then return to your starting position. Repeat 15 times.
Muscle groups exercised: Hip flexors, glutes, hamstrings, calves, lower back and quadriceps.