10 Best Fat Burning Seated Cardio Exercises for Your Next Chair Workout
Benefits of Chair Cardio
It may seem like working out while sitting in a chair can’t be effective. The truth is that seated exercise is a practical and efficient way to get your cardio. Seated exercises offer many of the same benefits as you get standing up but without the stress on joints or the difficulty with balance.
Chair cardio is an excellent way for someone with mobility issues to work out, something you can do while at work, or maybe it’s just another chance to diversify your exercise. Staying active is essential for your physical and mental health. Nothing in the rule book says you must stand up to workout! Here is a cardio routine you do while sitting safely in a chair.
How to Do this Seated Cardio Exercise Routine
You need a sturdy chair. It should have no wheels for this chair cardio exercise. This routine is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). You shouldn’t let that scare you, though. It just means you do an activity for a set time and then rest for a set time.
You’ll spend 45 seconds with each movement in this chair cardio routine and then take 15 seconds of rest. You can do anything during your rest. If you want to keep moving, try marching in place. You can also take longer than 15 seconds if you need it. Move as fast as you can during the 45 seconds, though.
There are ten exercises total for one round. And we will do two rounds.
Arm Circles
Hold your arms out to your side at shoulder height. Make large circles with each arm simultaneously, going in whatever direction you choose. Feel free to change directions at some point during the chair cardio exercise.
Half Jacks
Raise one arm up and over your head. It should feel like you are trying to touch something on the other side.
At the same time, push the corresponding leg out and to the side. These are called half jacks because the movement is similar to a jumping jack, but you stay seated and do one side at a time.
Windmills
Hold your arms out to your side at shoulder height. Hinge forward ( bend at the waist) then touch one toe with the opposite hand. If you can’t get to your toe, touching your shin is okay.
Use your core to pull your torso back up and repeat the movement on the other side. Using your core is essential in this chair cardio exercise to protect your lower back. Keep your core engaged.
Boxing
Hold your hands in fists and pull them close to your chest in a boxing stance. Punch out your right hand and pull it back. Now, punch out your left hand and pull it back. Do a left leg kick and then a right leg kick before returning to start.
Rowing
Ball your hands into fists and hold them to the side at shoulder height. Hinge forward as you reach your hands out in front of your body, then pull your arms and torso back. Imagine rowing a boat. The movement is the same.
As you lean forward, it might help to go up on your toes to balance, but you can do it with your feet flat as well.
Make sure to engage your core and use it to pull your body back up. Don’t just use your back.
Scissor Kicks
Lift your legs up in front of you. You don’t have to lift them far. Just go as high as you can. Now, scissor your legs. Move your top leg out and in while the bottom leg also moves out and in and your feet meet stacked in the middle. Move your legs out wide again and switch what foot is on top when you meet back in the middle.
This is a challenging chair cardio exercise, so slow down if you need to, and you can even drop your feet and rest for a few seconds. Just pull them back up when you can and start again.
This is a core movement, so keep it engaged as you move. That will help stabilize your legs.
Hip In And Outs
Go up on your toes with your feet while keeping your legs bent. Push both legs out in the opposite direction, then pull them back into the center.
Flutter Kicks
Hold your legs out in front of your body with your feet pointed, then kick them up and down as if swimming. Make sure to keep your core engaged to support your legs. You can use a chair for support, as well.
Seated Burpees
Sit with your feet flat on the floor for this chair cardio movement. Lift both hands over your head, then bend down and touch your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, touch your shins.
Side Toe Taps
Place your hands on your waist. Stretch one foot out to the side and tap your toe on the ground. Repeat the movement with the other leg. This chair cardio exercise is the same as the half jack but without the arms.
As you stretch your foot out, bend slightly to the side. Use your core to pull yourself back up as you move your foot back to the center.
Repeat
Wait one minute before starting the second round to repeat the exercises.
More Chair Workouts with Mighty Health
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