Home Item Exercises
Here are some exercises that can be done using items around the house.
* If a chair is being used for one of these exercises, placing it against the wall may be a good idea, so there is no chance of it slipping from under you.
Chair Dips
Get a sturdy chair. Place your hands behind you and on the seat of the chair. This exercise will strengthen your triceps.
Starting Position: Arms extended on the chair and heels on the ground with the toes pointed towards the ceiling.
Movement: Slowly lower down, lowering your butt, until there is a 90 degree bend in the elbows. Then lift yourself up into the starting position. (Try to do 8-10 sets of these)
Get a sturdy chair. Place your hands behind you and on the seat of the chair. This exercise will strengthen your triceps.
Starting Position: Arms extended on the chair and heels on the ground with the toes pointed towards the ceiling.
Movement: Slowly lower down, lowering your butt, until there is a 90 degree bend in the elbows. Then lift yourself up into the starting position. (Try to do 8-10 sets of these)
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Inclined Push Ups
This exercise is actually a really good for somebody learning how to perform a regular push-up. The resistance is lower because the range of motion of the shoulder joint will be smaller depending on the height of your incline. This exercise can be performed on a step, a couch, a chair, or anything sturdy that you can find in your house to be a good level of incline.
The main muscle being worked is going to be your Pectoralis Major.
Starting Position: Your shoulder and and arms are going to be extended out in front of your body on the edge of your inclined object (shoulder width apart), with the balls of your feet on the ground. Your body should be aligned with itself (Butt should not be sticking up in the air, or dropped towards the floor. Use your abdominals to keep yourself up.)
Movement: Downward Motion - Start to flex your elbows and begin to lower your body down towards the object, still
keeping your entire body straight.
:Upward Motion - Push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your elbows.
This exercise is actually a really good for somebody learning how to perform a regular push-up. The resistance is lower because the range of motion of the shoulder joint will be smaller depending on the height of your incline. This exercise can be performed on a step, a couch, a chair, or anything sturdy that you can find in your house to be a good level of incline.
The main muscle being worked is going to be your Pectoralis Major.
Starting Position: Your shoulder and and arms are going to be extended out in front of your body on the edge of your inclined object (shoulder width apart), with the balls of your feet on the ground. Your body should be aligned with itself (Butt should not be sticking up in the air, or dropped towards the floor. Use your abdominals to keep yourself up.)
Movement: Downward Motion - Start to flex your elbows and begin to lower your body down towards the object, still
keeping your entire body straight.
:Upward Motion - Push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your elbows.
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Declined Push Ups
This exercise is similar to the inclined push-up except a little more challenging. Because it is the opposite of the incline, the range of motion of the joints is going to be greater as well as having more resistance due to the position of your body. There will be greater resistance on the eccentric contraction (the upward motion of the push-up) because you will be working to keep your body straight and parallel to the ground.
The main muscle being worked is the Pectoralis Major.
The higher the elevated object, the more work to be done.
Starting Position: You want to kneel on the floor with your object behind you. Place your feet on top of the object with your shoulder and arms extended in front of you, directly underneath your shoulders. Your body should be straight and parallel to the ground.
Movement: Downward Motion - With your body straight, lower yourself to the ground by bending your elbows, and
bringing the chest towards the floor.
:Upward Motion - Push yourself back up to the starting position, but extending your elbows, and keeping
your body straight.
This exercise is similar to the inclined push-up except a little more challenging. Because it is the opposite of the incline, the range of motion of the joints is going to be greater as well as having more resistance due to the position of your body. There will be greater resistance on the eccentric contraction (the upward motion of the push-up) because you will be working to keep your body straight and parallel to the ground.
The main muscle being worked is the Pectoralis Major.
The higher the elevated object, the more work to be done.
Starting Position: You want to kneel on the floor with your object behind you. Place your feet on top of the object with your shoulder and arms extended in front of you, directly underneath your shoulders. Your body should be straight and parallel to the ground.
Movement: Downward Motion - With your body straight, lower yourself to the ground by bending your elbows, and
bringing the chest towards the floor.
:Upward Motion - Push yourself back up to the starting position, but extending your elbows, and keeping
your body straight.
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1 Leg Squats
Get a sturdy chair. This exercise will help to strengthen your Quads, Hamstrings, and Gluteus Maximus.
Starting Position: Stand with the seat of the chair directly behind you. Take a step (about 2 feet) away from the chair. Stand with your back straight and your head facing forward. Hand will either be down by your side or on your hips.
Movement: Slowly lower down by bending the leg on the ground into a squat position then come back up until the front leg is extended.
All the weight should be on the front leg and no weight should be on the chair. If your knee is coming over your foot in the downward position, then you need to take a bigger step away from the chair.
Get a sturdy chair. This exercise will help to strengthen your Quads, Hamstrings, and Gluteus Maximus.
Starting Position: Stand with the seat of the chair directly behind you. Take a step (about 2 feet) away from the chair. Stand with your back straight and your head facing forward. Hand will either be down by your side or on your hips.
Movement: Slowly lower down by bending the leg on the ground into a squat position then come back up until the front leg is extended.
All the weight should be on the front leg and no weight should be on the chair. If your knee is coming over your foot in the downward position, then you need to take a bigger step away from the chair.
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Chair Step Ups
This is another good exercise that targets the hamstrings, quads, and glutes. This exercise may be better for those who have knee problems especially when performing squat exercises. You are working all the same muscles, without putting a lot of force on the concentric phase (When your knee joint is shortened and contracted.)
You need a sturdy chair for this exercise.
Starting Position: Stand in front of the chair, with one leg on top of the seat of the chair. For foot on chair: Your hamstrings and quads should be parallel to the ground, and your knee should be directly over your ankles.
Movement: Upward Motion - With the foot on the chair, you are going to lift your body up, and the other leg will come
up with the knee flexed at hip level.
:Downward Motion - Keeping the same foot on the chair, lower your body down, and other foot to
the ground, back in the starting position.
This is another good exercise that targets the hamstrings, quads, and glutes. This exercise may be better for those who have knee problems especially when performing squat exercises. You are working all the same muscles, without putting a lot of force on the concentric phase (When your knee joint is shortened and contracted.)
You need a sturdy chair for this exercise.
Starting Position: Stand in front of the chair, with one leg on top of the seat of the chair. For foot on chair: Your hamstrings and quads should be parallel to the ground, and your knee should be directly over your ankles.
Movement: Upward Motion - With the foot on the chair, you are going to lift your body up, and the other leg will come
up with the knee flexed at hip level.
:Downward Motion - Keeping the same foot on the chair, lower your body down, and other foot to
the ground, back in the starting position.
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Stair Climbs
Use your stairs to build endurance and strengthen your legs.
Run up a flight of stairs using each step, and back down. (Do about 6-10 times)
Run up a flight of stairs using every other step, and back down. (Do about 6-10 times)
Use your stairs to build endurance and strengthen your legs.
Run up a flight of stairs using each step, and back down. (Do about 6-10 times)
Run up a flight of stairs using every other step, and back down. (Do about 6-10 times)
2 Foot Step Hop
This exercise is great for building endurance and strength in your calfs (specifically your gastrocnemius.) Other muscles in your lower extremity are working as well, but because of the explosive action of the hop, the main focus is on your calfs.
Starting Position: you want to start at the bottom of the stairs in an athletic stance with
a slight bend in your knees
Forward Movement: Facing towards the stairs, with both feet, you are going to jump up onto one step and hop back
down. Continue this motion for 20 seconds. (Make sure you keep your knees in a slight bend.)
Side Movement: Turn so that the left side of your body is facing the stairs, and bring both feet together with a slight
bend in your knees. With both feet together, hop onto the first step, and back down to the ground.
Continue this motion for 20 seconds. (Make sure you keep your knees in a slight bend throughout
the exercise.)
This exercise is great for building endurance and strength in your calfs (specifically your gastrocnemius.) Other muscles in your lower extremity are working as well, but because of the explosive action of the hop, the main focus is on your calfs.
Starting Position: you want to start at the bottom of the stairs in an athletic stance with
a slight bend in your knees
Forward Movement: Facing towards the stairs, with both feet, you are going to jump up onto one step and hop back
down. Continue this motion for 20 seconds. (Make sure you keep your knees in a slight bend.)
Side Movement: Turn so that the left side of your body is facing the stairs, and bring both feet together with a slight
bend in your knees. With both feet together, hop onto the first step, and back down to the ground.
Continue this motion for 20 seconds. (Make sure you keep your knees in a slight bend throughout
the exercise.)