Living increasingly busy lives often means getting out to the gym and exercising can present something of a dilemma more especially when you’ve paid for a membership that you rarely make use of. Despair not! you can actually do a lot to negate those missed sessions – doing simple exercises at your office desk or at home can also supplement in between the training that your usual program prescribes. Finding yourself stuck at the desk more often than not? Then read on for these 5 Great Exercises You Can Do from Your Chair!
1. Bulgarian Split Squats
These require very little space or expertise to complete yet at the same time, offer you a solid range of benefits. They’re great for your legs and help overall quad strength. As a unilateral exercise they also allow you to concentrate on one leg at a time and iron out any discrepancies along the way as well as improving your balance and stability. Finally, split squats are excellent for improving hip mobility – a real concern for many adults given the sedentary lifestyle habits that many still have.
2. Chair Dips
These take up virtually zero space and can be completed by almost anyone. These are great for working on your wrist, triceps and chest strength as well as improving shoulder stability. If you need more resistance either stretch your legs out further or find a heavy book to place on your legs to add to the weight.
3. Ankle Rotations
For a number of us, the ankles don’t get much direct attention so some deliberate strengthening will often be found useful. Simple ankle rotations are easy to do and you can complete them while working or watching TV. This simple exercise can increase mobility and ankle strength, prevent strains. If you want to improve your squat or deadlift form, ankle mobility will be a significant key to bearing heavier loads, as well as supporting other areas of your training.
4. Leg Raises
Another simple one to do in front of the TV or at your desk. Doing a few sets of leg raises a day will do wonders for your core strength and overall trunk stability. You can get strong quite quickly with this exercise. Start with your legs tucked into your chest and as that becomes easier, straighten them out to give a little more resistance and make the exercise more challenging.
5. Breathing Exercises
Lots of people focus on their physical training and often neglect their mental well being. Simple breathing exercises can go a long way to helping control anxiety thereby enhancing peace and mindfulness. Adding some of these exercises into your daily routine will assuredly improve your physical function and, by extension, increase your productivity.
