Chair Exercises

Please check with your physician before starting any type of exercise program.

Stretching (flexibility) exercises help prevent joint and muscle stiffness and keep your body limber. Stretching helps loosen you up and produces a sense of well-being and enthusiasm for the day's events. When done at the end of a day, you will feel relaxed and less stressful.

Strengthening exercises make the muscles stronger. Weight-lifting comes to mind when thinking of strength, but you don't have to lift hundreds of pounds to develop strong muscles. "Strength" in this context refers to the ability of a muscle to perform work, not to the size or bulk of a muscle.

Exercises On The Chair

1. Neck
In a seated position, straighten your back then extend your neck muscles and move them in a big circular motion.

2. Back/Stomach
In a seated position, raise both your arms; then while lowering and raising your chin, bend your chest backwards.

3. Shoulders
In a seated position, lightly bend your elbows and very smoothly rotate your shoulders.

4. Arms
In a seated position, loosen up your arms and hands; then shake, rotating from front to rear and side to side.

5. Chest
In a seated position, bend your back against the chair and expand your chest upwards, then straighten out your arms downwards. After that, continue the motion by bending your upper body forward.

6. Ankles
In a seated position, put your feet together lightly and pull your toes towards yourself, and then release.

7. Knees
While holding onto the desk with both hands, place your neck between your arms and while straightening out your back, shoulders, and waist; slowly, squeeze your body downwards. Then, continue the motion by straightening out your body and bending backwards.

8. Waist
While holding onto the desk with one hand, twist your arm and waist to one direction and straighten out coming back. You should then change directions while keeping your eyes on the hand in motion.

Source: www.aarogya.com/wellness/fitness/exercise/chair.asp