The Roman chair, also known as a pilot's chair, is a piece of gym equipment that provides a raised backrest, padded arm rests for your forearms and vertical handles affixed to the arm rests for you to grip. When you lean against the back rest and place your forearms on the arm rests, your legs will hang straight down without support. To perform exercises correctly, make sure you keep your lower back in contact with the back rest and lift, and lower your legs steadily, refraining from using momentum to perform the routines.
Bent Leg Raise
For people just starting out on a Roman chair, a bent leg raise will help protect your lower back from muscle strain. Lean against the back rest and place your forearms on the arm rests, gripping the handles. Allow your legs to hang naturally from your hips. Tighten your core, shoulders and forearms and draw your legs into each other, forming a straight line with your body. Use your abs and hip flexors to pull your knees up toward your chest, allowing your knees to bend until they form a 90-degree angle. Reverse the movement and allow your legs to extend under your body. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.
Straight Leg Raise
The straight leg raise on the Roman chair requires greater core and hip flexor strength than the bent leg raise. Lean against the back rest and place your arms on the arm rests, gripping the handles. Allow your legs to hang under your body. Tighten your core, hips and shoulders, and pull your legs together, pointing your toes. Keeping your legs completely straight, use your abs and hip flexors to pull your legs upward, hinging at the hips until you form an "L" shape with your body. Steadily lower your legs back to the starting position and repeat eight to 12 times.
Roman Chair Oblique Pull
Switch your oblique routine occasionally by incorporating a Roman chair oblique pull. Roman chair exercises target the hip flexors more than the abs, although the abdominal muscles do engage in order to help stabilize your body.
Lean back against the Roman chair and grasp the handles with your forearms on the arm rests. Pull your knees up, starting with your hips and knees bent at 90-degree angles, just as if you were sitting in a chair. Tip your hips to the left so that your feet angle toward the right, keeping the 90-degree angle in your hips and knees. From this position, use your right obliques and hip flexors to pull your legs upward about 3 to 6 inches, "crunching" your body together. Repeat 10 to 12 times, lower your legs to rest, then perform the exercise on the opposite side.
Hanging Dips
Most Roman chairs also add handles to the front of the arm rests, enabling you to perform hanging dips to work your triceps. To do this, face the back rest with your feet on the foot rests and your hand gripping the horizontal handles. Your elbows should be bent in this position. Extend your elbows by pressing your palms against the handles, lifting your body upward. When your feet come off the foot rests, press your legs together and bend your knees backward, lifting your feet. From this position, engage your entire body, leaning forward slightly. Bend your elbows and begin lowering your body. When your elbows form a 90-degree angle, press your body up to the starting position. Continue performing eight to 12 repetitions.
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