Dumbbells, barbells, weight machines and benches make good tools when you are trying to tone and tighten your muscles. However, if you do not have a gym membership or access to any of this equipment, you need to find an alternative means for workouts. Towels and chairs make good resources, and you can use them from the comfort of your home.
Chair Dips
The chair dip primarily works the triceps muscles on the back of the upper arms, and it also slightly targets the shoulders and chest. Sit near the front of a chair with your hands wrapped under the front edge. Carefully walk your feet out so your butt slides off the chair and fully extend your arms. Slowly lower your butt down by bending your elbows and stop when your upper arms parallel the floor. Steadily push yourself back up and repeat. To increase the challenge to your core, alternate raising one leg out straight in front of you with each dip.
Gliding Lunges
A gliding lunge requires a towel and a slippery floor surface. Stand with your legs together, right foot on the towel and arms at your sides. Keeping your back straight and abs tight, slide the towel back behind your body as you bend both knees 90 degrees. Once your left thigh parallels the floor and right knee is an inch above the floor, rise back to the starting position. Repeat for a set of reps and switch sides. This exercise works the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.
Pushups
Pushups target the pectorals in the chest, the deltoids on the shoulders and the triceps. A chair gives you a couple different variations to choose from. Decline pushups target the upper segment of the pecs. Begin by placing your feet together on top of the chair and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the floor. Your arms should be fully extended at this point, and you should have a straight line from your shoulders to heels. Keeping your abs tight, lower yourself down by bending your elbows and stop when your chest is close to the floor. Steadily push yourself back up and repeat. To do incline pushups for your lower chest, place your hands on the chair and feet on the floor.
Lateral Stepups
Lateral stepups work the quads, hamstrings, glutes and outer hips. Stand with your right side facing the chair, place your right foot on top and place your hands on your hips. Steadily press down to lift your body up and balance on your right foot for a full second with your left leg hanging in the air. Slowly lower your left foot back to the floor, repeat for a set of reps and switch sides.
Obliques Peak
The obliques run alongside the stomach in a diagonal direction. The obliques peak exercise targets these muscles as well as the glutes, thighs and the rectus abdominis in the center of the stomach. Start in a regular pushup position on the floor with your toes on a towel, arms fully extended and back straight. Keeping your legs together, slide the towel toward your right side and move your knees just past your right elbow. Slide your legs back to the starting position, repeat on your left side and continue to alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
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