Great Chair Exercises for Men

If you’re short on time and have to work out at home or in a hotel, you can use chairs to recreate the equipment that you’d use at the gym. For example, if you do triceps dips on parallel bars at the gym, you can use the seats of two chairs at home as a substitute. Condition your entire body with chair exercises such as dips, pullups, pushups, squats and step-ups.

  1. Arms

    • Use a chair to perform dips, strengthening your triceps. Begin by sitting on the edge of the seat with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Grab the seat with both hands and scoot your buttocks off the seat, positioning your body as if you’re perched in an invisible chair. Maintaining the natural arch of your back, slowly lower your body to the ground. When your upper arms are parallel to the ground, hold the position for a second and then push back up to starting position. Perform eight to 10 reps. Increase the difficulty of the exercise by propping your feet up on the seat of a second chair. You can also put a heavy book or weight plate on your lap.

    Legs and Glutes

    • By adding a chair to a split squat, you not only strengthen your legs and glutes but also the core muscles required for balance. In the “Men’s Health Home Workout Bible,” Lou Schuler and Michael Mejia explain how to do the Bulgarian split squat. First, place the top of your right foot on the seat of a chair behind you. Position your left foot on the ground about 2 to 3 feet in front of you. Put your hands by your ears, keeping your posture erect. Bend both knees and squat down, lowering your body until your left thigh is parallel to the ground. Slowly rise back to starting position. Perform eight to 10 reps on each leg for one to three sets.

    Total Core

    • According to Jane Hallander’s article “Tae Kwon Do Training of the San Francisco 49ers” in “Black Belt Magazine,” the California-based football team called on martial arts instructor George Chung to help them develop an intense training regimen. One of Chung's exercises is a three-point pushup on chairs, which simultaneously tones your shoulders, chest, arms and abdominals. Begin by placing three chairs in a triangle. Carefully assume pushup position with your feet on one chair and your hands on the other two chairs. By lowering your chest as close to the ground as possible, you’ll also increase the range of motion of your joints, according to “The Tennis Drills Book” by Tina Hoskins. Perform 12 reps for three sets, taking 45-second rest intervals between sets.

    Shoulders and Back

    • To build the muscles in your back and shoulders, you can perform pullups with chairs. Place the backs of two chairs far enough apart so you can lie down between them; the chair backs should face each other. Place a thick and sturdy broomstick or dowel across the chair backs. Slide between the chairs and under the dowel. Lie on your back and grab the dowel with a firm overhand grip. Position your hands shoulder-width apart, bending your arms. Pull your body up toward the dowel. Focus on drawing your shoulder blades together and down. Hold the top position for a second and then return to starting position. Perform three sets of 15 reps each. Always use caution when using makeshift or improvised exercise equipment. Specially designed doorway pullup bars, for example, are inexpensive, adjustable and tested for weight limits.