Isolating at home needn't mean letting your fitness routine fall by the wayside. You can still enjoy a full body workout from the comfort of your living room, using a humble chair.
Opt for a dining chair with a sturdy frame and pop it in the middle of the room to allow yourself space to manouvre.
Aim for eight to ten reps of each exercise.
Beginner? Start with one set then work your way up over the next few weeks.
Pro? Add extra challenge to your chair workout by holding a set of light dumbbells (or cans) as you perform each exercise.
Seated Dumbbell Row
Great for: Back & Shoulders
Sit with your butt at the edge of your chair, legs together, back nice and straight. Lean forwards, holding your weights near the floor, palms facing you, and arms extended. Breathe out as you squeeze your shoulder blades together and bend your elbows around 90 degrees to lift your weights away from the floor, then breathe in as you straighten your arms to return them. Your arms should do all the work here, so aim to keep your abs engaged and your back still.
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Great for: Biceps and Triceps
Sit on the edge of your chair, holding your dumbbells/soup cans/water bottles with your palms facing out, elbows at 90 degrees and hands at shoulder level.
Breathe out as you push the weights over your head, nice and straight until your arms are fully extended.
Don't lock your elbows, make sure all the work is concentrated in your upper arms.
Inhale as you return to your starting position. Do ten reps.
Tricep Dips
Great For: Triceps and Shoulders
Sit with your back nice and straight on the edge of a dining chair. Grip the front of the chair, curling your fingers underneath. Your feet must be in front of you with your knees bent. Using your arms to push your weight off the chair, lift yourself forward, and lower your butt down to the floor. On your way back up, don't sit, continue pushing up and down, slowly for ten reps.
(Add an extra challenge - straighten your legs out in front of you rather than having your knees bent.)
Seated Knee Lifts
Great For: Abs
Sit on edge of your chair with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grasp the sides of the chair, and lean back slightly. As you breathe out, pull your knees in towards your chest, using your abs to control your movement. You'll feel the work in your upper and lower abdomen. Breathe in as you lower your feet almost to floor, but without touching down, go again. Repeat ten times. Keep it slow and steady, and focus on your abs rather than your arms to do the work.
Seated Leg Extensions
Great For: Quads, Butt and Calves
Sat down, with your feet flat on the floor, grip the edges of your chair. Breathe out, and extend your right leg, from the knee until it's parallel with the floor. Hold for 3 seconds and return. Complete ten reps and then swap to the left leg.
Single-Leg Squat
Great For: Butt and Thighs
Stand behind your chair, with the seat facing away from you, holding onto the back. Lift your right leg off ground, keeping your left leg slightly bent. As you breathe in, bend your left leg to squat. Hold for three seconds, then return, without touching your right leg back down until you've completed ten reps.
Switch legs and repeat.
Then sit down... you've earned it! Or, add a killer core finisher to your home workout!
