Chair exercises are an excellent way to sneak in a quick workout at your desk. Also, being actively aware of how you sit into and stand up out of your chair will help you to protect your lower-back. You burn more calories standing than you do sitting, so try to take as many opportunities as you can to stand. Mayoclinic.com suggests standing whenever you are on the phone. Doing five minutes of sit to stand chair exercises throughout the day can help you burn extra calories and improve your circulation.
Chair Squat Knee Lifts
To do this exercise, make sure you have enough space in front of you to lift your knees. Begin in a sitting position on the chair, engage your core and stand. As you stand, lift your right knee up to hip level, hold for five seconds when you are fully standing. Release the right leg back to the floor and slowly squat down to your chair by keeping your weight balanced over both feet, core engaged and shoulders slightly forward of your hips. Repeat this movement on the left side and continue with five full sets on both sides.
Plie Stand
This exercise engages the inner-thighs along with the gluteals, quadriceps and core. Begin the plie stand sitting in your chair with your feet on either side of your chair, legs extended out into a "v". Secure your feet on the floor, squeeze your gluteals and inner-thighs and rise up to standing. Slowly lower yourself back down to the chair. Repeat 15 to 20 times. To increase the level of difficulty add a calf raise on the stand by rising up onto the balls of your feet.
Bottle Squeeze
This basic squat incorporates a water bottle for added intensity. Begin sitting in your chair and place a water bottle between your knees. Squeeze the water bottle to hold it in place. As you are squeezing the bottle, stand and then sit. Be aware of your glutes and inner-thighs as you stand, squeezing them as tightly as you can. Repeat this movement 15 to 20 times.
One Foot Squat
This exercise isolates the muscles of one leg to help to increase difficulty and intensity. Begin sitting in your chair, feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor. Start to stand, slowly shifting your weight to the right while lifting your left heel off of the floor. Lower yourself back to the chair, keeping your weight on your right leg the whole time. Repeat on the opposite side. To increase difficulty, lift the entire foot off the floor, making sure you are balanced by engaging your core.
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