The struggle to rise from a seated position or remain standing does not have to prevent you from strengthening your legs. If you have limited leg strength and spend most of your time in a seated position, you still can increase your muscle tone. Even the slightest bit of improvement to your legs will make getting in and out of a chair easier.
Leg Extension
A seated leg extension strengthens the front of your upper thighs. Sit in a chair with your knees bent and balls of your feet on the floor. To lift your heels, place a rolled up towel underneath your feet. Straighten your right leg as high as possible. Flex your foot to face your toes toward the ceiling. Maintain the leg extension as you count to two. Slowly lower your right leg and repeat with your left leg. Complete one or two sets of eight to 15 repetitions, resting between sets.
Heel Lifts
Heel lifts strengthen the back of your upper legs. Sit in a chair with your knees bent and full foot resting on the floor. Sit up tall with your back straight. Lift your toes off the floor. Keep your heels on the floor. Hold up your toes and count to three. Slowly lower and repeat. Begin with four repetitions and increase to eight to 12 as your strength improves.
Leg Contractions
An isometric leg contraction strengthens your muscles without moving a joint, such as your knee or ankle. Sit in a chair with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Contract your upper legs by squeezing the muscle tight. Concentrate on pressing down with your heels if that helps identify the muscle tightening feeling. Maintain the squeeze for five seconds and then release. Repeat 12 to 20 times. This isometric exercise is also used on your lower legs. Tighten your calves and maintain the contraction for five seconds.
Inner Thighs
Use a rolled up towel to strengthen your inner thighs. Sit in a chair with your back straight. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Roll up a towel and place the towel vertically between your thighs at a distance halfway between your knees and the tops of your legs. Squeeze your knees together to press your legs into the towel. Slowly release, while keeping the towel between your legs. Repeat for one to three sets of 20 repetitions. Rest for approximately one minute in between sets.
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