To get a fit body before summer, we have to make ourselves go to the gym. But sometimes we don’t have enough willpower or time to get up and do that. The solution to this problem is pretty simple. Try to do these exercises while sitting in a chair.
We gathered some core and waist exercises that you can do in the office or in front of the TV at home.
7. Warming up
This exercise helps warming up our muscles because even if our workout lasts for 5 minutes, we have to be prepared.
Exercise technique:
- Sit at the edge of a chair, put your hands on your knees.
- Smoothly lean back contracting the abdominals and keeping your back straight. Your back can touch the chair’s back, but don’t put your weight on it.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
- Do 10-12 reps.
6. Twists for your obliques
This exercise involves oblique muscles and helps to make them strong.
Exercise technique:
- The starting position here is the same.
- Bend your arms and place them behind your head.
- Rotate your trunk to the right. Keep your legs and hips straight and still. Hold for 3 seconds and rotate to the left.
- Do 10 reps for each side.
5. Leaning forward
This exercise works on abs just as well as traditional twists.
Exercise technique:
- Place your hands behind your head, clasp your fingers.
- Slowly lean forward and return back. Don’t help yourself with your arms when you tilt.
- Do 15 reps.
4. Pull your knees toward your chest
This exercise works on the obliques, the rectus abdominis muscle, and even the muscles of the hip.
Exercise technique:
- The starting position: you sit in a chair as comfy as possible.
- Pull one bent leg to your chest, take your knee with your hands, and stay in this position for 3 seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Do 15 reps for each leg.
3. Pulling your knees to your chest and straightening your legs
To have great abs, you have to involve your legs. Make sure your chair is steady before you start.
Exercise technique:
- Lean back in your chair and put your legs together.
- Pull your knees to your chest and hold for 3 seconds.
- Now straighten your legs and hold for 3 seconds.
- Slowly bend your knees and pull them to your chest, straighten them again.
- Repeat this exercise 10 times.
2. Bent knee rotations
This exercise works the abs very well.
Exercise technique:
- The starting position: the same as in the previous exercise.
- Pull your bent knees to the chest.
- Start rotating your legs. Make sure your whole leg works (not just the toes) because it’s the best way to pump your abs.
- Do 10 rotations for each side.
1. “Scissors”
This six pack exercise also involves the muscles of the hip.
Exercise technique:
- Lean back in your chair and hold both sides of a seat with your hands.
- Raise your straight legs and start spreading your legs out to the side, and then cross one leg over the other in the middle.
- Do this exercise for one minute.
Some bits of advice
The advantage of these seated workouts is their simplicity. But if you want to get rid of the excess weight, you have to remember your diet. These tips will help you to achieve your goals faster:
- Try to consume the amount of calories that is recommended for your age, sex, and lifestyle. For example, a 25-year-old woman who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs 2,000 calories per day. You can find out your norm in this table.
- Your diet should be balanced. Half of your daily intake should be with food containing carbohydrates, 30% with food containing proteins, and 20% with food containing fats.
- Products containing omega-9 (oleic acid) prolong the feeling of fullness and help us to not eat too much. Olive and peanut oils, turkey, trout, and avocado contain this kind of acid.
We decided to perform these exercises during a lunch break. Do you usually warm up at your work place?
