You may think chair exercises are only for those with injuries or mobility issues — but, you'd be wrong.
"Trust me when I say this: Things can get heated while seated!" says Start TODAY trainer Sarah Eika Burke. "All from a chair, you can get full-body strengthening, effective cardio, mobility exercises, and proper stretch and flexibility. Just because you’re not standing doesn’t mean it’s not full body."
So whether you're dealing with joint pain, stuck at the office, or just looking for a fun way to mix up your workout routine, these exercises will help you strengthen and tone your entire body without even having to get out of your chair.
For guided chair workouts from Sarah Eika Burke, download the Start TODAY app!
Chair Workout Benefits
When all you need is your own bodyweight and a chair, you can do this type of workout anywhere, anytime. "That means whether you’re traveling, at home, or even stuck at the office, you can do these exercises!" says Burke. "These workouts are low impact, which is great for those with less mobility or for someone recovering from an injury. And the best part is you can progress all the exercises to be harder and more demanding without needing a gym or any equipment."
Here are some of her favorite seated cardio, core and strength exercises:
Cardio Chair Exercises
Marching
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core before lifting one foot off the ground a few inches. Return it to the ground before picking up the opposite foot. Continue alternating.
Marching Arm Pump
To increase your heart rate even more, get your arms moving, too. Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core before lifting one foot off the ground a few inches. Return it to the ground before picking up the opposite foot. Pump your arms as you march, by lifting the opposite fist forward with each step. Continue alternating.
Marching Punch Out
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core before lifting one foot off the ground and tapping the heel straight out in front of you. At the same time, punch both fists straight out away from your body. Bring your arms and leg back in, and then tap the opposite heel out, while punching both arms out again. Continue alternating
Seated Jacks
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and bring both arms out to your sides with fingertips pointing down toward the ground. Bring both arms up overhead as you tap one foot out to the side, toe pointed. Return to the starting position, and then tap the opposite foot out to the side, bringing both arms overhead. Continue alternating.
Modification: Seated Jacks Single Side
This is a great modification for those with shoulder mobility issues. Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and bring both arms out straight in front of your chest, palms facing each other. Bring both arms out to the sides into a "T" position as you tap one foot out to the side, toe pointed. Return to the starting position, and then tap the opposite foot out to the side, bringing both arms out to a "T" position again. Continue alternating.
Seated Jacks Reach Across
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core. Sweep your right arm across the body toward the left side of the room as you tap your right foot straight out to the side. Return to the starting position, and then sweep the left arm across the body toward the right side of the room as you tap the left foot out to the side. Continue alternating.
Seated Knee Drives
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and lean to the right, bringing your weight into your right sit bone and resting the right hand lighting on the edge of the chair by your thigh. Lift your left arm straight up overhead and point your left foot straight out to the side. This is your starting position. Drive your left knee up toward your chest, while pulling your left elbow down toward your knee. Return to the starting position. Repeat for 10-12 reps and then, switch sides.
For a full cardio workout, try this 20-Minute Seated Cardio Workout from Burke.
Dance Cardio Chair Exercises
For these fun seated dance moves, press play on your favorite song!
Twerky Tornado
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core. Lift the right hand straight up toward the ceiling and then straight down toward the floor. (Add a snap for fun!) Lift the left hand straight up toward the ceiling and then straight down toward the floor. Then bring both arms up over your head and draw a circle twice while rolling your pelvis in a circle. Repeat.
Butter Leans
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core. Lean toward the right and trace your left side body with your left hand from your upper ribs to your glutes. Put some attitude behind it and think of spreading butter down the side of your body with your hand. Then lean to the left and trace your right side body with your right hand from your upper ribs to your glutes. Continue alternating.
For a fun dance cardio sequence, combine both moves! Or try Burke's dance-inspired 10-Minute Chair-obics Workout.
Upper-Body Strength Chair Exercises
V to T
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core. Bring both arms straight out to the side into a "T" position. Then, raise them both up toward the ceiling into a "V" position. Continue alternating.
Overhead to Cactus
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core. Bring both arms straight out to the side into a cactus position, with a 90-degree angle at the elbow. Then, reach both arms straight up overhead. Return to the cactus position and continue alternating.
Arm Circles
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and bring both arms straight out to your sides into a "T" position. From here, draw circles forward with both arms. Then reverse and draw circles backward.
Core Chair Exercises
Oblique Crunches
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and bring both hands behind your head with elbows pointed out to the sides of the room. Lean to the right by bending at the hip, feeling a lengthening in the left side body, and reach the right hand straight down toward the floor. Using your left oblique, pull yourself back up into a tall, seated position and place your right hand back behind your head. Lean to the left feeling a lengthening in the right side body, and reach the left hand straight down toward the floor. Using your right oblique, pull yourself back up into a tall, seated position and place your left hand back behind your head. Continue alternating.
Knee Lifts
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor in a narrow position with knees touching. Engage the core and come up onto your toes. Gently rest both hands on the front of the chair on either side of your legs. Pull both knees up toward the chest and lower them, gently tapping the toes on the ground before lifting them up again. Repeat for 10-12 reps.
Rainbows
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor in a narrow position. Engage the core and come up onto your toes. Gently rest both hands on the front of the chair on either side of your legs. Pull both knees up toward the chest. Lower them toward the right, tapping your toes gently on the ground. Lift them again to center, before lowering them to the left. Think about drawing a rainbow with your feet. Continue alternating
Trunk Rotations
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor hips-width apart. Engage the core and bring both hands behind your head with elbows pointed out to the sides of the room. As you lift the left knee toward your chest, rotate your torso to reach the right elbow toward the left knee. Return to center, and then lift the right knee toward your chest and rotate your torso to reach the left elbow toward the right knee. Continue alternating.
Lower-Body Strength Chair Exercises
Band Abduction
Place a looped resistance band around both legs, just above the knees. Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor shoulder-width apart. Engage the core and press both knees out toward the side of the room, keeping your feet flat on the floor. Slowly bring your knees back to parallel and repeat.
Squat
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor with feet slightly wider than hips-width. Engage the core and press through the heels to lift your body off the chair into a low squat. Come up a few inches and then lower back down, gently tapping your glutes on the chair before raising back up. Continue pulsing.
Knee Extension
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor with feet hips-width apart. Engage your core and lengthen your one leg straight out in front of you by squeezing the quad to lift the foot off the floor. Hold for a beat before bending at the knee to lower the foot back down. Repeat for 10-12 reps and then switch sides.
Leg Lift
Sit tall with your weight equally distributed between both sits bones and feet planted on the floor with feet hips-width apart. Engage your core and straighten your left leg out in front of you with your heel resting on the floor. Keeping your leg straight, lift it straight up into the air until the ankle is even with the hip (or however high your mobility allows). Repeat for 10-12 reps and then switch sides.
This seated 25-Minute Full-Body Strength Routine sculpts the arms, core and lower body, all from a chair.
