One of my favorite things to do while I am watching TV is to do some toning exercises. Sometimes on a really packed and tiring day I only have a half hour to get in some exercise. While cardio would be my first option to spend that time, sometimes I am too exhausted. Instead of just sitting in front of the TV, I’ve come up with a small workout routine that focuses on toning.
Before beginning a floor workout, it is a good idea to warm-up. I enjoy doing jumping jacks or jogging in place for five minutes.
For stomach exercises I do three different types of crunches and sit-ups. I usually do 10-15 of the classic sit-up. Following that I do 20-25 quick crunches. Lastly I do a crunch where you lay flat on your back with your legs pointing to the ceiling. I lay my arm by my sides and then slowly lift my hips off the floor. If this doesn’t tire you out, try increasing the repetitions by repeating all the sit-up variations.
Another exercise to try is lifting some free weights. Lighting weights around two to eight pounds are great for toning your arms. I like to do bicep curls, one arm at a time. Or I lay down on my back with a weight in each hand with arms with my upper arms resting on the floor. I push towards the ceiling, extending my arms to be straight. This is similar to a bench press. A third toning exercise I do is while sitting on the floor, I take a heavier weight and hold it with both hands behind my head. I lower my arms slowly towards my shoulders and then back up a few inches. I go up and down several times until my arms can’t take it anymore.
For my cool-down I like to stretch out my arms and legs. Sometimes I add in some yoga poses. To get idea for these, try checking out a yoga or stretching DVD from your library. Once you learn some stretches and yoga moves, you will be set to complete your floor exercises.
What floor and toning exercises do you do when watching TV?
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