Exercising while sitting: simple exercises to tone your leg muscles

While exercising is essential to stay healthy, the only way to benefit from exercise is not by exclusively engaging in strenuous and intensive training sessions. In fact, when you are at a certain age, or for any other reason it has become difficult to perform aerobic movements, it is still possible to keep one's body active and healthy using light and measured exercises.

For example, those with reduced mobility, such as elderly people or those who are recovering from some illness (or those who have simply lived a very sedentary life), can exercise gently and tone their leg muscles using small gymnastic routines and exercises such as those shown below, which are done whilst seated:

Ankles

Video tutorial via JMC Videos/YouTube

To promote circulation in the legs and loosen up the ankle joint, you can do this exercise:

• Start by sitting with your back straight and your feet resting on the ground with the soles of your feet flat on the ground.
• Raise your heels by pushing down on the toes (like when pushing the accelerator pedal)
• Do the opposite movement by lifting the toes and putting your heels on the floor
• Alternate these movements ten times.

Extending the legs

Video tutorial via RebalanceMD - Complete Musculoskeletal Care/YouTube

• Start by sitting with your back straight and your arms at your sides.
• Extend and straighten one of your legs in front of you, preferably with the foot pointing directly upward.
• Keep the leg in that position, applying force to the quadriceps, for three seconds.
• Bring this leg back down, and do the same with the other leg.
• Repeat the exercise 15 times on each side.

Clamshell

Video tutorial via Penn State Health/YouTube

This is an exercise that specifically exercises the adductor muscles. It can also be done with the help of a resistance band.

• Sit with your back straight. If you are using the elastic resistance band, put it over both legs, keeping it above your knees. If you are not using the band, place each hand on the outside of the knees.
• Start with your legs and knees together, then begin to spread open only your knees, and without moving your feet. If you have the band, this will provide resistance against the movement, pushing you to work harder with your leg muscles. Failing using the band, you will have to imitate the resistance by simultaneously pressing on the knees from the outside with your hands, as if you want to counter the movement.
• Keep with your legs apart for 3 seconds while applying the pressure.
• Bring your knees back together, and then repeat the exercise 12 times.

Squeeze a cushion between the legs

Video tutorial via National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) /YouTube

You can use a pillow or even a rolled up towel for this exercise.

• Sit with your back straight and your hands at your sides. Relax your upper body (without bending your back).
• Keeping the pillow between the knees, press the knees together as if to touch them together, squeezing the pillow.
• Breathing regularly, spread your legs a little, but never drop the pillow
• Repeat the exercise 12 times.

Marching

Video tutorial via Eldergym Fitness for Seniors/YouTube

• Sit with your back straight and your arms extended at your sides or even resting on your thighs.
• Imitate the movement of marching: first lift one leg, bring the knee as high as possible and then put it back down.
• Do the same with the other leg.
• Continue for 30 seconds non-stop, or do a total of 20 lifts (10 per leg).

You could combine this exercise with light weight lifting with the arms.

These are very simple exercises, but very useful for maintaining or recovering mobility in one's lower limbs.