Two Easy Resistance Exercises That Build Basic Functional Strength

Two Easy Resistance Exercises That Build Basic Functional Strength

By Sheri Colberg, Ph.D., FACSM

Practicing these two exercises frequently may assist you in rising from chairs more easily.

Chair push-ups   

Equipment needed: chair with stable arms, (optional) cushion or phone book

Main muscles worked: triceps and deltoids

Directions:

• Using your arms and not your legs, grasp the arms of a chair.
• Slowly push your body as far as you can up off the chair, hold your weight, and equally slowly lower yourself back down.
• Alternatives of this exercise are to lean slightly forward while doing the push-up motion and to push yourself all the way up to a standing position
• Start by sitting on a cushion or phone book if the seat is too low for you.
• You can also stand up and do this exercise against a wall by starting with bent arms and pushing yourself out from the wall (when standing with your toes about a foot out from the wall facing in).

© 2006 and 2007 by Sheri Colberg and Patrick Ochs

Sit-to-stand exercise

Equipment needed: chair, (optional) pillow

Main muscles worked: abdomen, front of thighs (quadriceps), and gluteals

Directions:

• Sit towards the front of a stable chair and fold your arms across your chest, as shown in the first figure below.
• While keeping your back and shoulders straight, lean forward slightly and practice slowly standing up using only your legs (as shown in the second figure)
• Slowly sit back down.
• To assist you initially, place pillows on the chair behind your low back.

© 2006 and 2007 by Sheri Colberg and Patrick Ochs

In two weeks, this column will start to excerpt parts of my newest book being released in November 2008, The Diabetic Athlete’s Handbook, which contains essential exercise-related information and examples for type 1 and type 2 diabetic exercisers. Look for it in stores or find links to places to buy it online on www.shericolberg.com, along with additional information.