May 19, 2020, by Kate Rothery

Inclusive workout series | Seated exercises

University of Nottingham Sport are proud to be a leading institution for inclusive sport in the HE sector. We have a full time Disability Sport Officer and a range of award winning inclusive sport programmes.

As part of our new online Health and Wellbeing Home, the University of Nottingham Sport fitness team have put together a series of inclusive workouts and exercises aimed at all abilities.

In the first of our Inclusive workout series, join Sue as she runs through a fun seated session. This workout is ideal to anyone who struggles to perform exercises while standing, is suffering from a lower body or lower back injury or feels like they need a little extra support.

There are nine exercises in the main part of the workout. You can perform as many or as few as you feel able.

All you need is a sturdy chair without arms and two light weights. Weights are optional or if you choose to use, a water bottle or a tin of food would work well.

A timer can also be useful. Sue recommends performing each exercise for 50 seconds to 1 minute with a short rest in between. If you’re feeling energetic, you may want to repeat the exercises – 2 or 3 rounds would be an excellent work out!

Don’t forget to check out our huge range of online resources through the Health and Wellbeing Home. You can try weekly challenges, join a live class or watch a series back like this one.

Check out the seated exercises below or watch the whole series here.

Warm up

Sit tall on your chair, shuffle hips forward and slide feet back so that toes are level with knees. Keep chest up and shoulders back and down.

Warm up #1

Lift right knee off floor and as you do extend left arm up over head. Repeat alternate sides.

Warm up #2

Lift arms to chest height and join hands. Rotate side to side working core.

Warm up #3

Bend forward at waist to 45 degrees. Swing both arms back and raise in front as you sit back up.

Warm up #4

Bend forward at waist to 45 degrees. Hold position as you swing arms through up and overhead.

The workout

Fast Feet

Lift feet up and down as fast as you can pumping arms by your sides.

Single Arm Row

Bend forward at waist to 45 degrees. Place one arm behind your back. Hold a weight in the other hand and let it hang by your side. Pull elbow back close to side of body in rowing movement keeping back flat. Repeat other side.

Leg Extension

Lean back in seat and support body with hands on side of chair. Then lift legs to parallel with floor either in turn or both together.

Elbows to Knees

Place hands behind head. Lift left knee off floor and take right elbow to meet it then repeat other side.

Upright Row

Hold light weights or no weights – they are optional. Bend forward as you let arms extend then lift weights in front to shoulder height as you sit back up.

Wood chop

Hold one light weight between two hands or just clasp hands together. Extend arms over head to right hand side. Then take arms down across body to left bending forward as you go. Then repeat other side.

Back Extension

Hands behind head and keeping core tight bend forwards at the waist and back up.

Hammer Curl to Overhead Press

Single arm or both together. Hold light weights by sides or none at all palms facing in. Curl forearm and then extend arm overhead back down and repeat.

Hip Abductor

Sit tall with hands on side of chair for support. Lift knees and feet off floor and move legs out and in.

Cool down and stretch

Cool down #1

Arms out to side, shoulder height. Elbows bent to 90 degrees. Push arms back to stretch chest holding for 10-15 seconds.

Cool down #2

Shoulder rolls forward and back.

Cool down #3

Tuck chin into chest and slowly slide hands down legs towards floor. Uncurl slowly back to sitting. Repeat 2-3 times.

Cool down #4

Stretch out each leg in turn and press gently on knee with both hands.

Cool down #5

Extend each arm in turn at shoulder height turn palm face up and stretch hand back at wrist with other hand. Shake out arms.

Posted in Inclusive SportOnline hub