I tried an easy 10-step home workout that requires no equipment except a chair and would highly recommend it for anyone who sits down all day.
Our modern lives have become increasingly sedentary over the years, whether that’s through working in offices all day or more recently the advent of working from home. But as such inactive lifestyles have been linked with health risks, it’s vital to get up and about when we can.
10-step home workout demonstrated by two physical therapists
Bob Schrupp and Brad Heinick are a pair of physical therapists who run the YouTube channel Bob & Brad, a channel that boasts more than five million subscribers and is dedicated to providing health and fitness guidance for those who may not be typical fitness fanatics.
In May 2020, the duo shared an easy at-home workout that requires no equipment except a chair and is ideal for beginners or those who may be a little out of shape.
“This is really for beginners,” says Bob at the beginning of the video. “I’ve seen this before where they say, ‘it’s for beginners,’ and then they’re doing advanced stuff or moderate stuff. This is really easy, low-level stuff.”
Bob also reminds any potential participants to keep breathing throughout and that if “any of these [exercises] bother you, don’t do them.”
For a visual guide on how to complete the home workout, check out Bob & Brad’s video below.
The exercises in the workout
The video sees the light-hearted pair run through a series of 10 simple exercises that include:
- Ws | While sitting on a chair, raise your arms up to the side with your upper arms pointing out sideways and your lower arms and wrists pointing upwards (so a W shape is formed with your arms and your head) before lowering them again. Complete 10 reps (repetitions) of this exercise.
- Knee extensions | While sitting, simply extend your lower leg out straight. Complete 10 reps for each leg.
- Hip flexors | While sitting, raise your leg upwards from the hip. Complete 10 reps for each leg.
- Sit to stands | From a sitting position, raise your arms out straight and stand up before lowering yourself back onto the chair again. You can make this more challenging by raising your arms straight up in the air or easier by using armrests to help lever yourself up if you need them. Complete five reps. If you want to push yourself, you can aim for 10.
- Hip abductions | While standing behind your chair to help you balance, move your leg away from you to the side, keeping your leg straight and your toes pointing forward. Complete 10 reps for each leg.
- Hip extensions | While standing behind your chair for balance, raise your leg out behind you to a 45-degree angle while remaining in an upright posture. Complete 10 reps for each leg.
- Toe raises | While standing behind your chair for balance, raise the toes on both feet into the air and shift your weight towards your ankles. Complete 10 reps.
- Heel raises | While standing behind your chair for balance, stand up on your tiptoes to raise your heel into the hair. Complete 10 reps.
- Wall push-ups | While standing up against a wall, place both hands against the wall and bend your arms so you lean towards the wall, then straighten your arms out again to push away from the wall into an upright standing position. Complete 5-10 reps depending on your ability.
- Angels | While standing with your back flat against a wall, raise your arms into the air above you and lower them again, similar to how you would make a snow angel on the ground. Complete 10 reps.
I tried it
As someone who works from home, I’ll be the first to admit that I probably don’t get as much exercise as I should so a quick and easy workout to get me out of my office chair is something I’ve been on the lookout for.
I’m still in my 20s, just about, and play soccer once a week so the exercises in Bob & Brad’s video didn’t give me any grief in terms of difficulty – I do agree that the workout is certainly beginner-friendly.
But while the workout didn’t get my heart racing too much, it still felt extremely beneficial.
As a remote worker, it can be incredibly easy to stay sat in one spot all day and never move.
The easy workout was a great way to get me out of my chair and get me stretching and putting my muscles to use.
For that reason alone, it’s definitely something that I’ll aim to keep up with and would highly recommend for any remote workers – or indeed office workers – who may spend their whole day sitting down.
