Are you looking for a way to add some lower-body strength training to your routine without going to the gym? If so, complete this lower body workout with a chair which may be just what you are looking for. This routine combines strengthening with stretching exercises for an impactful lower-body workout that can be done from anywhere. All you need is a chair to help facilitate a few of the exercises and to help with balance for other movements. Doing these exercises a few times each week will help you look and feel your best, so there’s no better time to get started.
1. Shoulder Rolls
Begin this lower body chair workout in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on your hips. Engage your core. Shift your shoulders forward, then roll them up and back until you feel resistance in your shoulder blades. Relax and repeat the movement. Start with 10 repetitions in each direction.
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Shoulder Rolls
2. Chest Opener
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Extend your arms out at your sides at shoulder height with your thumbs facing down. Engage your core and rotate your arms so that your thumbs are facing up, then pull your arms back to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Perform the exercise in reverse to return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start this lower body chair workout with 1 set of 5 repetitions.
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Chest Opener
3. Swimming Motion
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms at your sides. Engage your core and make a large circular motion forward with one arm, similar to a forward crawl swimming motion. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 10 repetitions on each side.
After completing the forward swimming motion, complete 10 repetitions on each side in the reverse direction, similar to a backward crawl, to properly do the lower body chair workout.
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Swimming Motion
4. Overhead Reaches
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place one hand on your hip. Engage your core and bend your upper body to the side, reaching over your head with your opposite arm. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
Overhead Reaches
5. Bodyweight Squats
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Clasp your hands together at chest height and tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a deep squat. Make sure your knees stay behind your toes. Raise back to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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Bodyweight Squats
6. Sit to Stands
Begin in an upright standing position in front of a chair with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Clasp your hands together in front of your body at chest height and tighten your abdominal muscles. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower into a seated position on the chair. Raise back to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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Sit to Stands
7. Good Mornings
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Interlace your fingers behind your head or hold your hands at your ears. Contract your abdominal muscles and pivot through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Ideally, your back should be parallel to the floor. Hold this position for a couple of seconds. Raise back up to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start this lower body chair workout with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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Good Mornings
8. Knee Drive to Leg Extension
Begin this lower body chair workout in an upright standing position with your hands on the back of a chair for support, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Take a deep breath and lift one knee up towards your chest, then extend the same leg back behind your body, ideally to be parallel to the floor. Lower your leg to the starting position and repeat the sequence of movements. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions on each side.
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Knee Drive to Leg Extension
9. Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your feet on the seat of a chair and rest your arms at your sides. Contract your abdominal area, then push from your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Lower your hips to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
To make this lower-body chair workout easier, go through the motions with your feet on the floor rather than having them elevated on the chair seat.
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Glute Bridges
10. Child’s Pose
Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Tuck your toes together and open your knees slightly. Tighten your abdominal area. Shift your hips back to your feet, extend your arms overhead, and lower your forehead down to the floor, relaxing your mid-back area for a light stretch. Take several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.
Child’s Pose
11. Dynamic Low Lunge
Begin upright kneeling, maintaining good alignment with your upper body. Take a step forward with one foot, keeping your toes straight ahead. Place your hands on your hips. Squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, tighten your abdominal area, and shift your hips forward. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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Dynamic Low Lunge
12. Squat Pulses
Begin in an upright standing position with your legs wide, and your toes pointed slightly outward, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Press your palms together in front of your body at chest height. Engage your core. Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to lower your seat into a squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Slowly move your hips up and down in a small pulsing movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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Squat Pulses
13. Lateral Leg Swings
Stand upright with one hand on the back of the chair for balance, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core and shift all of your weight onto one leg. Extend your opposite leg to the side, ideally to a 45-degree angle, then swing it across the front of your body and back. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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Lateral Leg Swings
14. Knee External Rotations
Begin in an upright standing position with one hand on the back of a chair for support, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Take a deep breath and lift one knee up towards your chest, then rotate your knee out to the side. Rotate your knee back to the center position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side
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Knee External Rotations
15. Calf Stretch
Begin in an upright standing position with both hands on the back of the chair, keeping your head, shoulders, hips, and legs in alignment. Engage your core and take a big step back with one foot to stagger your stance, keeping both heels on the ground for a light stretch in your calf area. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 1 repetition on each side, holding for 10 seconds.
Calf Stretch
16. Single Leg Sit to Stands
Begin sitting on a chair with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Extend both arms in front of your body at chest height. Lift one knee to shift all your weight onto one foot. Raise up to an upright standing position on one leg, squeezing your glutes at the top. Lower your seat to return to the starting position. Repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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Single Leg Sit to Stands
17. Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body. Bend your arms and anchor your elbows at your sides. Contract your abdominal area, then push from your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Lower your hips to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.
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Glute Bridges
18. Single Leg Glute Bridges
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, relaxing your upper body. Cross one ankle over your opposite knee. Contract your abdominal area, then push from your heel to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Lower your hips to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions on each side.
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Single-Leg Glute Bridges
19. Seated Bound Angle
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together to open your hips. Hold onto your feet with both hands and pull your heels closer to your body, elongating your spine. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Seated Bound Angle
20. Seated Forward Fold
Begin in an upright sitting position on the floor, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together to open your hips. Extend your arms overhead. Engage your core, bend your upper body forward and lower your hands down to the floor. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.
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Seated Forward Fold
21. Seated Single Leg Forward Fold
Begin sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of your body, keeping your toes pointing upward. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Bend one knee and plant your foot against the inner thigh of your extended leg. Contract your core, hinge from your hips to bend your upper body forward, and reach for your toes with both hands. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.
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Seated Single Leg Forward Fold
22. Wide Legged Deep Squat
Begin in an upright standing position with your legs wide and your toes pointing slightly outward. Maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Press your palms together in front of your body chest height. Engage your core, bend your knees and hinge through your hips to move into a deep squat, pressing your elbows against your inner thighs. Hold this position for several deep belly breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and return to the starting position.
Wide Legged Deep Squat
For safety reasons, it is best to use a chair that does not roll or swivel. If you do not have a chair available, place one hand on the wall whenever you need help with balance. Not only will these toning and tightening exercises increase your strength and improve your stability, they’ll also help you look great in your favorite pair of jeans.
