Exercises are performed with the body in all different positions. Any exercise that is performed with proper form and technique is beneficial to the muscular of the body. If you are new to fitness or looking for a fresh change to your normal regimen, learn more about chair exercises and incorporate them into your next routine.
Identification
In similar fashion to standing or lying exercises, chair exercises are intended to increase muscular strength and muscular endurance. By doing low reps with heavy weights, you build strength and by doing high reps with low weights, you build endurance. Even though most chair exercises work the upper body, the lower body can be worked as well.
Chairs and Free Weights
Chair workout exercises with added equipment are done on workout chairs or regular table chairs. A workout chair is a heavy-duty steel chair with a padded seat and backrest. It is used for such exercises as overhead shoulder presses, biceps curls, overhead triceps extensions, shrugs and lateral raises. Each of these exercises can also be performed on a regular chair. In both cases, these exercises require dumbbells. The overhead shoulder press can also be done with a barbell, but you need a spotter to hand it to you.
Chair-Only Exercises
If you do not like the idea of going to the gym and you do not own a set of dumbbells, use the chair by itself for a whole workout at home. With some exercises--such as dips, for example--you can use more than one chair. To perform this exercise, place two chairs next to each other, position one hand on each one, extend your legs out in front of your body on the floor and lower and lift yourself by bending your elbows. Other chair exercises include military presses, front raises, push-ups, planks and leg pull-ins. If you have a very sturdy chair, you can perform step-ups on it for your legs. Simply step onto the chair one foot at a time and step off the same way.
Proper Form
When you perform standing exercises, you can move freely and this gives you the ability to cheat. Take the biceps curl, for example. When lifting a weighted barbell up toward your chest, you can easily arch your back and swing your hips to create momentum. By performing this same exercise from a seated position on a chair, you have to rely strictly on the strength of your muscles to do the work. This forces you to use proper form with chair exercises.
Special Needs
Elderly people often have special needs when it comes to exercise. Women with osteoporosis, for example, have weakened bones. Arthritic men have pain in the joints, and a number of people of all ages have poor balance. In these cases, the chair is used to strengthen muscles. With osteoporosis for example, strength-training exercises build muscle, which pulls on bones and makes them stronger. All upper body exercises with dumbbells strengthen the upper body bones. Men who have arthritis in the knees cannot use machines or free weights due to the stress on the knee joints. While sitting in the chair, leg exercises, including extensions and hamstring isometric holds, are performed with body weight.
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