|  | Chair Ankle Curl | Sit on front of chair with feet firmly grounded. Lift left leg straight in front of you. Flex and point foot (toes stretch up to). Stretch toes down. Repeat on other leg.
Benefits: Ankle stretch.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/uEYvmHg3Pw0
Modifications: Rotate your foot in circles. |
|  | Chair Arms Lift | Sit tall on chair. Feet shoulder width apart. Feet grounded. Gently engage core muscles. Lift arms to sides.
Benefits: Strengthen arms, core.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/_iNUzJnd7YY |
|  | Chair Arm Circles | Sit on chair. Circle arms clockwise. Circle arms anti-clockwise.
Benefits: Shoulder stretch
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/P4Sl5IuoZG0
Modifications: Circle with one arm. Circles with arms in front of body.
Precautions : Shoulder pain. |
|  | Chair Back Extension | Sit on chair with knees at right angles and feet flat on floor. Clasp hands behind head with elbows facing forwards. Relax and let shoulders drop. Lean back as far as you can without pain. Hold for a few seconds. Return to start. Repeat.
Benefits: Loosen tight muscles in upper back. Improves posture.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/WEn8aV1m9oA |
|  | Chair Clam | Sit on chair. Feet flat on floor. Hands on thighs. Open knees out wide, like opening a clam. Hold. Release to start position. Repeat (use elastic band to deepen the stretch).
Benefits: Hip opener. Abduction exercise.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/kFMa6YNmyz8
Modifications: Elastic band. |
|  | Chair Forward Bend | Sit on chair with legs apart. Bend forward. Let back round over. Lower torso towards thighs. Rest backs of hands on floor under chair. Let head hang down.
Benefits: Lower back stretch.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/4G-DTlbYE1Q?rel=0
Modifications: Come half way down. Gentle twist. |
|  | Chair Calf Raise | Stand on left leg. Wrap toe of right leg around back of left ankle. Use chair for support. Raise up onto ball of left foot while breathing out. Pause. Lower to start. Repeat. Switch legs.
Alternatives: Standing calf raises using dumb bells.
Benefits: Helps back and buttocks. Strengthen calf muscles. Improve posture.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/gwLzBJYoWlI
Resources:
|
|  | Chair Down Dog | Face seat. Step back with both feet holding onto chair. Bend knees. Keep length in spine. To exit walk forward.
Benefits: Stretches spine, hams, shoulders.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/IlwgQzYYJ-4?rel=0
Precautions : Pregnant. High blood pressure. |
|  | Chair Flying Crane | Stand by the side of chair. Lift left leg and bring arms up. Balance. Repeat on other leg.
Benefits: Balance. Strengthens legs.
Precautions : Leg injury. |
|  | Chair Hamstring Lift | Stand behind chair. Hold onto chair. Ground right foot into the floor and lift left foot. Repeat on other leg.
Benefits: Hamstring stretch. |
|  | Chair Hamstring Stretch | Stand to side of chair. Hold onto chair. Place right foot on chair (to deepen stretch flex toes towards you). Repeat on other leg.
Benefits: Hamstring stretch. |
|  | Chair Hip Flexion | Sit on chair. Feet and legs shoulder width apart. Sit straight. Slowly bring one leg up towards chest. Repeat on other side.
Benefits: Stretches hams, thighs.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/XJG9UC-3R3g?rel=0 |
|  | Chair Hip Hinge Fold | Sit on a chair. Place a stick behind your sacrum with arms behind holding it. Hold. Release.
Benefits: Shoulder stretch. Feedback of the stick touching sacrum, thoracic and head. Core strengthener.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/BGodV3s7f2U
Modifications: Feet touching.
Precautions : Low back problems. High or low blood pressure. |
|  | Chair Knee Lift | Sit on front of chair. Feet grounded. Clasp hands behind head. Raise right leg and hold. Repeat on left leg.
Alternatives: Both knees up at same time.
Benefits: Strengthens knees, thighs. |
|  | Chair Leg Stretch I | Sit on front of chair. Place right leg straight in front. Inhale. On exhale reach forward towards foot. Gently roll yourself up. Repeat on other side.
Benefits: Leg stretch.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/5q2ipRFTDpw?rel=0
Modifications: Interlock hands around foot. |
|  | Chair Leg Stretch II | Face chair. Place hands on chair. Bring left leg forward. To deepen the stretch in the forward leg widen the stance. Repeat on other side.
Benefits: Leg stretch. |
|  | Chair Lunge | Take left leg into back of chair. Press right foot into mat (or wall). Take hands to chair. Inhale, lengthen spine. Exhale, extend into a gentle backbend. Repeat on other side.
Benefits: Strengthens quads. Stretches psoas, hips. Relieves sciatica.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/vBZybJ4-hDc
Modifications: Place foot on chair. |
|  | Chair Lunge Reverse | Stand behind (or to side) chair. Take hold of chair. Step back with left foot. Drop left knee to floor. Return to start. Repeat on other leg.
Benefits: Strengthens quads. Stretches psoas, hips. Relieves sciatica.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/eB0z3ohhHU0
Modifications: Place foot on chair. Place leg through chair and sit on it. |
|  | Chair Mermaid | Sit on chair with feet flat on floor. Reach up with left hand, palm facing inwards, holding onto edge of chair with right hand. Press down on seat with right hand, and with straight back, stretch left hand up and over your head. Hold. Release.
Benefits: Loosen muscles around spine. Improves upper back mobility.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/h2qOGvu1a3U |
|  | Chair Neck Retraction | Fix eyes straight ahead. Slowly retract head back (can apply pressure with hand to chin). Release. Repeat.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vg4iSulJStI
Resources:
|
|  | Chair Neck Incline | Sit on chair. Feet shoulder width apart. Sit straight. Feet grounded. Right ear to right shoulder. Left ear to left shoulder.
Benefits: Neck stretch
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/pjwHL8-b-VM |
|  | Chair Neck Stretch | Sit on front of chair. Ground feet into floor. Engage core. Open arms to T position. Look over right shoulder, then left shoulder. Lower arms. Repeat.
Benefits: Stretches chest and shoulders. |
|  | Chair Neural Glide | Sit on chair with back straight. arms tucked behind back and hands resting on chair. Slump forwards and down so spine is rounded and neck is flexed. Straighten left leg and lift head. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat with right leg.
Benefits: Eases neural tension in spine and legs.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/auX1CkFd8OI |
|  | Chair Pelvic Elevator | Sit on front of chair. Feet firmly grounded. Imagine that your pelvic floor is a lift in a building. During this exercise you'll be taking your "pelvic floor lift" up to different floors. Breathe in full into back and sides. Lengthen up through spine. On exhale, draw muscles of pelvic floor as if preventing flow of urine and take pelvic lift up to first floor of the building. Breathe in, release lift back to ground floor. Breathe out, take lift up to second floor (lower abs will engage). Breathe in, release. Breathe out, take lift to third floor. Breathe in, relax.
Benefits: Teaches control of transversus abdominus.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/2bZXYSh8eAc |
|  | Chair Press Up | Sit on chair. Grip outside edges of chair with hands, placing them in line with shoulders. Push down with hands. Relax back. Elongate back. Pause. Lower to start. Repeat.
Benefits: Elongate spine. Good for desk workers.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/E9YY_x46yig |
|  | Chair Reach For Sky | Sit on front of chair. Feet firmly grounded. On inhale slowly raise arms over head. On exhale brings arms down. Repeat.
Alternatives: Interlock fingers with palms facing up.
Benefits: Strengthens arms. Grounding.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/0IbNOlFv5WA?rel=0 |
|  | Chair Ribs To Thighs | Sit on chair with legs apart. Hands on knees. Lower ribs towards thighs. Engage core. Gaze at floor (between your feet).
Alternatives: Gentle twist to right and left.
Benefits: Ab workout. Lower back stretch.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/wNMvyjtAY_8 |
|  | Chair Shoulder Shrugs | Sit on chair with feet flat on floor. Let shoulders drop. Arms hang by side. Raise shoulders as high as you can. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax. Repeat.
Benefits: Loosen neck and shoulder muscles.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/P9uhAVIeu6E |
|  | Chair Shoulder Squeeze | Sit on a chair (or stand) with back straight. Arms hang loosely by sides. Feet hip width and flat on floor. With palms facing out, push arms backwards and away from body as far as you can go without straining. Hold for 5 seconds. Return. Repeat.
Benefits: Loosen tight muscles in upper back. Improves posture.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/9tJTdqUXW14 |
|  | Chair Side Bend | Sit on front of chair. Feet grounded. Inhale and raise arms overhead. On exhale lean over to left. Inhale back to centre. Arms down. Repeat on left.
Alternatives: One arm overhead.
Benefits: Stretches side of body.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/HPGbIhyVvWg?rel=0 |
|  | Chair Sit Ups | Sit on front of chair. Feet firmly grounded. Hands on thighs. Engage core and stand up. Repeat several times.
Benefits: Strengthens and stretches quads, hamstrings and buttocks.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/tj0lQeps4R0 |
|  | Chair Squat II | Stand behind chair. Hold onto back of chair. Lower down as you're going to sit into a chair. Thighs parallel with floor. Chest out. Look straight ahead. Repeat.
Benefits: Strengthens legs and buttocks.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/9fk08E7mnJw |
|  | Chair Abdominal Breath | Sit on the front of a chair. Feet firmly grounded. Hands-on thighs. Place both hands on the belly. Feel hands rising on inhale. Imagine the belly is a balloon that inflates on the inhale and deflates on the exhale.
Benefits: Calming.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/embed/C_4E_QoDRSQ |