Look around you. It is pretty obvious that not everyone is a
fitness geek and the though of getting all hot and bothered at a fitness center
is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea.
However, exercise is good for you.
So good for you, that not a day goes by when you aren’t being bombarded
with information about physical exercise being the panacea for all that ails
you, or all that will every ail you.
Okay, your mom had a stroke,
your aunt has diabetes, your husband has high blood pressure, and your sister
is morbidly overweight, so you are probably thinking that your turn is right
around the corner. If you haven’t done
anything that resembles physical fitness since you were in high school the idea
of joining anything is probably more than you want take on, not to mention that
most exercise programs are for people who are already quite fit. That is the kicker. If you haven’t participated in an exercise
program for some time or if traditional programs are too strenuous for you at
this point, it is hard to know where to start.
Exercise doesn’t have to be that hard and programs/instructors should be
flexible enough to offer support and encouragement to people who are not
already in good shape bit this isn’t always the case.
Now is a good time to
examine the merits of a chair exercise program.
Chair exercises are ideal for people who are severely over weight, who
feel uncoordinated, have problems with balance or feel that they can’t get down
on the floor. Health Club workouts
aren’t for everybody. You can improve
muscle tone, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance in your own home. A low-impact, low-demand exercise program is
a safe and easy way to increase your fitness level.
Chair exercises are great
for seniors and folks with physical or medical limitations but it important
that you understand this is not just a pretend to exercise program. You can start out with really light weights,
but you will eventually want to build up to something physically demanding
enough to contribute to your overall fitness.
If you look around a bit you will notice that chair exercising is
recognized by many disciples and you will find information on chair yoga, chair
strength building, chair aerobics, chair dance, chair Pilates and even chair
tai chi. Chair exercises are not pretend
anything so don’t feel that you aren’t doing enough to make a difference.
Chair exercises are vigorous
enough that you need a warm-up segment to alert your muscles that you are going
to do some work, but you will be pleased to know that you don’t have to jump up
and down in order to get a credible aerobic workout. Aerobic exercise means that you move our feet
and arms at the same time so that your heart and lungs work more
efficiently. Most aerobic exercises that
you will do are done using a chair for support, but if you feel comfortable
doing them without a support that is good too .Yes, you will be using weights
or resistance bands for some of the exercises so don’t feel that this is all
child’s play. The most important
element of any exercise program is consistency.
If you find a program that is easy, inexpensive and fun you will stick
with it, which is better than taking an all or nothing approach.
Chair exercising is an
inexpensive way to get started as you don’t need to spend money, go anywhere
else, or buy new clothing. You can
exercise at home, at work or when you are traveling. You can exercise any time of the day or night
or wherever you happen to be. All you
need to get started is a chair and some weights. The best chair is a straight back chair
without arms, but use whatever you have because sometimes a desk chair or a car
seat is all that you have. Some
exercises call for a few small hand weights.
Hand weights are relatively inexpensive, but if you don’t any you can
improvise from everyday things like soup cans or pop bottles filled with sand.
Okay. Are you ready to start? Select a chair, pick up your weights, wear
something comfortable, turn on the television (there are a number of excellent
chair video’s available if that is more fun for you) or invigorating music and
just do it!
A good resource: Get Fit While You Sit by Charlene Torkelson
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