Everyone loves a convenient workout, whether that involves a quick abs blast on your break or stretching on your yoga mat after a long day on your feet. This short but effective standing mobility routine releases tension across your upper body, and you only need a chair to try the exercises for yourself.
The hips get notoriously tight from prolonged sitting, but your posture takes a real beating, too, especially if you tend to hunch over, which means muscle groups in your shoulders and upper back can hold tension and become weak.
Chair cat-cow
The cat-cow exercise is a staple yoga pose, but you can also do a modified version of this exercise using your chair for support. Cat-cow stretches the abdominal muscles, chest and back, and acts as a spinal mobilizer, which is great for releasing tension and warming the body for exercise.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands on a chair seat in front of you
- Stack your shoulders over your wrists and start with a neutral spine
- As you inhale, gently push your stomach down towards the ground and lift your chin and chest toward the ceiling, arching your back for the cow pose
- As you exhale, start to reverse the motion, pushing your upper back toward the ceiling and tucking your pelvis toward you
- Draw your belly toward your spine and chin to chest, separating the shoulder blades for the cat pose
- Continue moving between cat and cow for 10-20 reps.
Pendulum swing
The pendulum swing is an exercise approved by physical therapists for improving shoulder mobility and health. If you have a light dumbbell, it’s useful, but you can substitute it with whatever you have in the house or office. This move promotes blood flow and range of motion; the key to getting it right is passive motion rather than active.
- Hold onto a chair with one hand, supporting your weight, and let the other arm hang in front of you
- Hinge at your hips and maintain a straight back, then step the leg back on the same side as the hanging arm
- Pull your shoulder back, then move your weight forward and backward through your feet to create a swinging motion. Keep your arm fully relaxed and heavy
- Ensure the momentum comes from your lower body rather than swinging your arm actively
- Change directions and allow your arm to create swings and circles, then switch sides
- Aim for 60 seconds per side, or longer
Scapula push-up
The scapula push-up is a straight-arm push-up used to build strength in the shoulder joints by moving the scapulae through retraction and protraction.
Your rotator cuff muscles surround the scapulae and act as stabilizers for pushing exercises like the bench press and overhead press, so keeping them strong and active is beneficial for shoulder health.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and position a chair in front of you
- Place both hands on the chair and hinge forward at your hips, shoulders over wrists
- Maintain a flat back and put a soft bend into your knees
- Lower your chest toward the chair as if performing a push-up, but keep your arms straight
- Pause, then press upward through your hands, separating your shoulder blades as you push your back toward the ceiling
- Repeat for 8-12 reps
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