Ready for a workout that involves nothing but you and your sofa? Try our sofa exercise plan to keep healthy whilst indoors. This means no equipment is necessary except for a chair, meaning that you can work out whilst watching TV.
Note: If you are struggling with any of these exercises, try reducing the amount of times you repeat the exercise and reduce the amount of times you do the sets. If you start to feel ill whilst exercising, stop.
Warm-up – This will increase your heart rate and make sure your joints are warmed up to prevent injury.
High knee Toe Touch
- Stand facing the sofa, with hands behind your head.
- Raise a leg to touch your toe at the edge of the sofa seat.
- Repeat on each leg at a slow pace for a minute.
- Continue at a slightly faster pace for a minute.
- Speed up to a fast pace for a final minute.
Main Workout
Sofa Sits – these are good for your legs and bum
- Sit up straight on the edge of your sofa, with feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
- Stand up, making the body as straight as possible before slowly returning to a seated position over a count of 4.
Repeat 30 times, rest 60 seconds (repeat three more times)
Glute Bridges – these are good for your bum
- Sit on the floor, with your upper back against the corner of the seat.
- Lift your bum slightly off of the floor (start position).
- Raise your bum up until you are flat from your knees to your shoulders making a table shape. Hold for a count of 2 and then lower slowly for a count of 4.
Repeat 20 times, rest 60 seconds (repeat three times)
Sofa Push-ups – these are good for your chest and upper arms. There are two ways of doing this:
Option 1:
- Kneel on the floor and place hands on the edge of the seat about shoulder width apart.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest to hand level and hold for a count of 2. You should feel mild tension in the chest.
- Push back up to start position. To make this harder outstretch your legs to a plank position, this means that your weight is on your feet and hands and your body is straight all of the way through.
Option 2: Harder!
- Face away from the sofa on all fours on the floor, place your feet onto the edge of the sofa.
- Have hands shoulder-width apart with your body straight from your shoulders to your feet.
- Slowly bend elbows to lower your chest to slightly above the floor and hold for a count of 2.
- Push back up to start position.
Repeat 12 times, rest 60 seconds (repeat three more times)
Sofa Dips – these are good for your arms and chest
- Sit at the very edge of the sofa with your legs straight to the floor.
- Place your hands on either side of your bum and push until your bum is off of the sofa.
- Shuffle forward slightly and slowly bend your elbows, so your bum comes down in front of the sofa seat.
- When you are as low as you can get without touching the floor, hold for a count of 2.
- Push back up to start position.
Repeat the exercise 12 times, rest 60 seconds (repeat the whole set three times)
Leg raises – these are good for the stomach and core strength. There are two ways to do this:
Option 1:
- Sit on the sofa with your legs straight in front of you and your heels on the floor.
- Lean back slightly, your hands can be behind your body to support your balance.
- Lift one leg to just above hip level and hold for a count of 2, then switch legs. To make the move harder you can lift both legs at once.
Option 2:
- Lie across your sofa with your shoulders back against the sofa.
- Lift one leg up as straight as you can and flatten the foot if you want to make it harder, switch legs. To make the move harder you can lift both legs at once.
- Repeat the exercise 20 times, rest 60 seconds (repeat the whole set three times)
For further advice and virtual physical activity advice, call: 0333 005 0095 or take the online assessment.