Fitness

5 Exercises You Can Do Without Having to Leave the Couch

Are you struggling to make time to exercise, or just prefer not going to a gym? No worries: you can get into shape from the comfort of your couch!

Are you just aching for a decent workout, but dread going out to the gym? Would you prefer to spend a bit more time at home, on the couch or with the family? Then you need couch potato exercises!

Learn to multi-task: get your daily workout while watching your favorite TV show! After a long, hard day at the office, few people still have the courage or stomach to go for a jog or visit the local gym. Most people just slump down in front of the TV and unwind. Motivation and time are usually the deciding factors.

However, exercise is a great way to relieve stress, keep healthy and stay in shape. With these easy couch potato exercises, you can reach you goals.

All you need in order to do a decent workout is yourself, so get moving with these quick couch exercises. It is recommended to start with at least ten repetitions. However, the amount of repetitions will depend on you, what you are capable of doing. So, if you can only manage five or eight, that’s fine; it’s a start. You will do more as you get stronger.

Similarly, the exercise routine you select will vary in accordance to your capabilities. There are many great exercise available you can try but here are some basic ones to start with.

You can fit these in during the ad breaks instead of grabbing another pack of crisps or snack from the kitchen. You can easily fit in four sets or one complete workout during your one-hour TV show.

The Pillow

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These exercises use the arms, upper back, chest and shoulders.

Start by sliding off the couch, just until your lower body is off, resting your shoulders and head on the couch. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Now grab two remote controls, water bottles or anything handy that is about the same weight. Stretch your arms out parallel to your shoulders, holding your make-shift weights. Take your arms up straight above you and slowly lower them again.

Next, sit up straight on the edge of the couch. Put your arms next to you, palms down so you can rest your body weight on them. Straighten your legs in front of you. Now shift your backside off the edge, keeping yourself off the ground with your arms. Lower yourself to the floor and push back up, but do not sit down on the ground. Try to repeat this 10 times.

The Seat

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Move forwards on the couch so that your legs can move easily. Start by raising your legs in front of you about shoulder width apart. Point your toes and move your legs in slow, steady movements first left over right, then back next to each other. Now go right over left and back. Do these a couple of times. You can also move your legs sideways, almost like a scissor, open and close or up and down for a variation of leg workouts.

You can do more and go faster as you gain muscle strength and control.

The Frame

These exercises are for the tummy area—we all seem to gain a little extra weight there.

Sit forward on the couch. Sit up straight, bending your back slightly and pushing out your chest. Straighten your legs, and place your hands behind your head. Now lift and bend your legs, bringing your knees towards your chest. Then, slowly take your legs back out, lower your feet to the ground and repeat.

Lay down on your couch, bending your knees and placing your hands beside you. Lift your backside off the couch and straighten your back, drawing a straight line from your chest to your knees. Start with a couple and do more as they become easier.

The Couch

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With these exercises, you will be doing a bit of cardio. Cardio aids in losing weight, toning and strengthening muscles.

Lay back on the couch, bending your arms and steadying yourself on your elbows. Raise your legs up straight with your lower body. Now ride the bicycle, using slow and steady movements. Moving slow also aids in raising your heart rate.

The Stuffing

Build a six-pack while sitting on your couch watching your favorite TV show. This is one of the most difficult sets of muscles to build. My advice to you is just to keep going; do not quite or give up; they will appear!

Lay down on your couch, flat on your back with your legs straight. Now lift your legs very slowly just a couple of inches and hold. Hold them for thirty seconds to start. Then, lower them slowly, tensing your stomach muscles as you do this.

Try to do five sets and as you find they are easier to do, hold them longer or do more per set. You can also, in time, lift them a couple of inches more and raise your head with your legs.

You can now turn around facing your couch. Raise your upper body onto your elbows and straighten your legs. Keep your body straight like a wooden plank and push yourself up with your feet, using the balls of your feet. Take a deep breath as you do this. Now, exhale and tense your stomach, breathe in releasing your stomach muscles and repeat. Try to hold for thirty seconds, taking three deep breaths and releasing them during each lift. Then, slowly lower yourself off your feet and repeat.

With these simple exercises, there’s really not excuse not to work out now without having to sacrifice your TV time.

Share your couch potato exercises with our readers, and let us know how your workout goes when doing these.

About the author

Minnie Bronwyn

I love spending time in the outdoors, riding motorbikes, reading good books and watching old movies. On the other hand I love cooking, clothing, fashion and fitness, therefore I spend hours researching and writing blogs, articles and more on these subjects.

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