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Livestrong has once again reached out to our own Heather Jeffcoat for her expertise, this time on the best seated strength workout.
In this latest article by Amada Capritto, Heather reveals some valuable tips on how to get your reps in even if your mobility is limited.
Having limited mobility can be frustrating — it might even feel fruitless to attempt strength training. But it's important to exercise regardless of your ability level, says Heather Jeffcoat, Los Angeles-based physical therapist. With the right fitness programming, it's totally doable.
According to Heather:
If a person has limitations that require them to exercise seated, they need to make an extra effort to keep what they have strong," Jeffcoat says. And it all starts with your core. "Think of your core as the foundation of your house. If your foundation is weak, your house will not last. If your core is weak, it can't support optimal function for your upper or lower extremities.
Strengthening your core, along with the upper-body muscles in your arms, shoulders and make daily life activities easier. "Upper-body and core strength are essential in doing seated transfers from chair to bed, for example," Jeffcoat says. With the right exercises such as the ones below, a seated strength workout can deliver the goods.
Warm-Up
Move 1: Engage Your Core
- Fill your stomach with a breath and brace it — think about pulling your belly button to your spine.
- Hold the brace for 5 seconds.
- Exhale, and repeat for 10 reps.
Tip
Every rep of all the exercises in a seated strength workout should start with core engagement. Bracing your core before beginning and exercise helps to ensure you won't get injured.
Move 2: Arm Circles
- With your core engaged, extend your arms out to the side like a T.
- Rotate your arms in a forward circular motion for 10 reps.
- Then rotate your arms in a backward circular motion for 10 reps.
- Repeat both (forward and backward) one more time.
For more great tips to maximize your seated strength workout, continue to the full article here.
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