You want to stay healthy and fit, but who wants to do all those strenuous exercises? Sometimes just getting out of bed or off the sofa is a monumental chore. Luckily, there are plenty of home workouts for lazy people (hey, no judgment). The best part: you don’t even have to leave your cozy little blanket nest to do them.
- Working Out in Bed
- Exercise On Your Couch
- Sitting Home Workouts
- Get Up (But No Need to Roam Too Far)
Working Out in Bed
On days when you can’t bear to peel back those covers, try these in-bed home workouts to get the blood flowing and limber up. Who knows? You might get energized enough to leave the cocoon, after all.
And if not, at least you’ll feel better about lounging around all day.
Leg Stretches
Even when you are working out in bed, you have to stretch first. While laying on your back, pull your legs up, one at a time, to your chest. Grab the back of your thigh and pull upward, holding for a count of three. Do this 10 times for each leg.
Arm Stretches
Staying on your back, stretch both arms over your head as far as you can and hold it for 30 seconds. Do this 10 times. Be sure to stretch your legs out, as well.
Shoulder Stretches
Sitting up, slowly turn your head to the left, reaching out with your right arm. Use your left arm to grab your right shoulder and stretch, holding for 10 seconds. Do this on each side 10 times.
Quad Stretches
Lay on your side with your legs together. Bend your leg and use your hand to pull your heel toward your back as far as you can. Hold for five seconds. Do this 10 times on each side.
Back Stretches
Lastly, sit up and put your legs out straight in front of you. Bend at the waist as far as you can. Try to grab your feet and stretch your back. If you cannot reach your feet, it’s okay to just grab the back of your legs to pull yourself forward. Hold for a count of three. Do this 10 times.
Exercise On Your Couch
Yes, even devoted couch potatoes can exercise! These are great home workouts for those in need of low-impact maneuvers, since the cushions of your sofa will ease pressure on your spine that normal yoga mats can’t diffuse.
Leg and Back Stretches
Sit on the edge of the couch and put your feet on the floor. Hang your arms and head down. Keep your back rounded; hold the stretch for a count of five. Do this 10 times.
Knee Bends
Lying on the couch, bend both knees and pull them up until your feet are flat on the couch. Use your hands to pull your knees up and into your chest. Hold for a count of five and do this 10 times.
Back Arches
Lying down, bend your legs and use your feet to push your hips up. Keep your arms at your sides to help push your hips upward. Hold it for five breaths, and repeat for a total of 10.
Leg Lifts
Lay on your side and lift your leg to form a 90-degree angle. Hold it for five seconds and then switch to the other side. Do this five times on each side.
Sit-Ups and Crunches
Comfy sit-ups or crunches can also be done on the couch (or in bed). You won’t feel much of a burn in your abs—but your spine and neck won’t be burning or aching, either.
Sitting Home Workouts
Exercises done from a sitting position translate well to desk jobs Take a break midway through your workday to try these seated home workouts.
Butt Builders
Want a better butt? Sit on the edge of your chair and keep your feet spread to about hip width. Your knees should be over your ankles, with your arms bent in front of you. Lean forward, letting your weight shift onto your feet as you lift your hips about five inches from the chair. Take one deep breath, and then slowly lower back down. Do this five times.
Chest Toners
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. With a three- to five-pound weight in each hand, loosely hang your arms straight at your sides. Pull them straight up toward your chest while rotating your arms. Repeat five times.
Biceps and Triceps
To work your arms and chest, sit on the edge of your chair with your shoulders resting on the back of the chair. Hold your weights, overhanded, up by your shoulders, with your elbows out and palms away from you. Straighten your arms out, pushing the weights up and forward at the same time. Repeat five times.
Easy Chair Planks
Planking is not as easy as it looks—but it is not as difficult as some people make it sound, either. Placing your forearms on the seat of your chair, walk your feet backwards until your body is in a straight line, and hold for 10 seconds. You can do these three to five times.
Get Up (But No Need to Roam Too Far)
To make home workouts as effective as possible, you might have to leave that comfy chair or bed and get moving. Not to worry, though: these are just as low-impact and simple as previous exercises.
In fact, just getting up might be the hardest part.
Stretches
Standing straight with your feet together, put your arms over your head as far as you can. Take a deep breath in as you reach upward, and then breathe out as you stretch toward the left. Hold for five breaths and return to the center. Repeat on the right side.
Easy Lunges
Kneeling on the floor with your knees bent, lunge forward with your left leg, keeping your knee at a 90-degree angle in front of you. Keep your foot flat and your right leg bent underneath you. Put both your hands on top of your left knee and push your hip forward, stretching. Hold for 10 seconds, and do it again with the right leg.
Superman Pose
Lying face-down on the floor (on a mat or blanket), hold your arms out to your sides at shoulder height. Point your thumbs up to the air and lift your legs, arms, and chest off the floor at the same time, like you are trying to fly. Hold for five seconds. Repeat five times.
Butt Crunches
Get those weights back out and work on your butt some more! Stand up straight, with the weights on the floor by your feet. Bend your knees and lean down to get the weights.
Keep your back straight and face forward. Stand up slowly with the weights in your hands, then slowly return the weights to the floor. Do this 10 times.
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These are some easy home workouts that anyone can do, which makes them perfect for people in recovery from illness or injury, or those brand-new to working out. Additionally, there are plenty of benefits when it comes to exercise such as better sleep and stress management. But, don’t forget to pair this lifestyle change with a healthy diet such as your favorite breakfast smoothies.
Remember to push yourself, but don’t go too crazy. Nothing kills a newfound fitness ambition like overwhelming soreness on Day 2. Build up that strength over time and then maybe you’ll be able to tackle that bike tour you’ve been planning.