TV Workout Routine: Exercises You Can Do While Watching Television

Doing a workout routine on a regular basis is a good way to maintain or improve your body but working out can get boring. That is why I like to workout while I watch TV. The problem is that watching TV can interfere with the workout and the workout can interfere with watching TV. If you pick the right exercises you can create a good TV watching workout routine.

Deep slow belly breathing: Focus on your breathing and switch to deep slow belly breathing. It is relaxing and it works your abs muscles.

Stomach flex: Do a stomach crunch by flexing your ab muscles. If you put your hand on your stomach you should be able to feel the difference. To work the abdominal muscles more suck in your stomach in before doing a stomach crunch. Since it can push your stomach out a little make sure you are not wearing tight clothes.

Running: Run on the spot while watching TV. By lifting your knees higher you can do knee highs. If you have ankle weights you can wear them. When running on the spot I often lift my legs extra high for a better workout.

Jumping Rope: Get on your toes, swing a jump rope and jump over it. It is a simple exercise but it takes practice. This is a high impact exercise because you are jumping. However the leg muscles take most of the impact. Try to go at a fast pace. If you don't have a rope then you can do the exercise by doing the movements without the rope.

Shadow boxing: Stand on your toes, put your fists up in front of your chin and start punching like you are boxing. You should also move around the room a little while looking at the TV. While punching put some power into the punch or you are just wasting time. Shadow boxing can provide you with a great workout but you need to do more than just go through the motions.

L-sit: Sit on a floor or a hard chair. Extend your legs so your body and legs are in the L shape. Put your hands along your thighs and push your body up. When doing them on the floor I recommend using something to raise yourself higher off the ground. I place my hands on books. My favorite way to do them is using my computer chair. It has high handles.

Sitting leg raise: While sitting down with your legs straight out raise them slightly off the ground or couch. It works better if it is done on the floor and you lean back with your hands at the sides of your bum. You may want to sit on a towel. While doing the exercise you should notice it working your abs and front thigh muscles. It is one of the best ab exercises.

Horse Stance: Place your feet shoulder width apart. Lower yourself down like you are about to sit on a low chair while keeping your back straight. Your knees should be over your toes. Try to hold the position for 30 seconds or more before standing up.

Balancing on one leg: Stand on one leg and hold a pose while maintaining your balance. You can change the position of your arms, raised leg and upper body to vary the exercise. It is easy enough to just try out some different positions. Another option would be to learn some formal yoga poses. Balancing requires strength and endurance. While holding the pose use deep slow belly breathing.

Dips: You can do this exercise with one chair or two. The two chair version is more difficult and requires a higher surface. Sit down at the edge of your chair. Place your hands on the chair below your shoulders. Move forward slightly and slowly lower your body to the ground. Then raise yourself back up to complete one repetition. Use your leg muscles as little as possible. It is an upper body workout. Move your feet farther away from you to increase the difficulty.

For the two chair version you get between the chairs and place your hands at the top of the chairs. The seat part is too low. You can use the back of a couch instead of of the back of a chair. I do the exercise between two couches. Use your arms to lift yourself up to get into the starting position. Lower yourself down until the upper arms are bent at a 90% angle. Your upper arms go from vertical to horizontal. Then slowly raise yourself up into the starting position to complete one repetition. Keep your knees bent during the exercise so your feet do not touch the floor.

Squats and lunges: With your feet shoulder width apart go through the motions of sitting down on a low chair to squat. Then push yourself back up with your legs or leg. Squats can be done on one leg. Keep your back straight. They are usually done while holding two dumbbells or a barbell. To do a lunge you start in a standing position Take a big step forward and lower the back knee close to the ground. Then use your leg muscles to stand up. Keep the back straight. Lunges can be done with or without weights.

Step ups: Step onto something like a stool or chair. Find something you can step on and off of while looking at the TV. For some variety and to work your muscles differently change the height once in a while. You can step forwards, backwards, left and right. To increase the difficulty do it while wearing something heavy or hold onto some weights.

Calf raises: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart while holding two dumbbells or a barbell. Your arms should be hanging down at your sides. To perform the movement lift your heels off the ground, wait a few seconds and then lowering your heels.

Shoulder Shrug: Hold onto two dumbbells or a barbell with your arms hanging down. Then shrug your shoulders. Raise the shoulders up, hold the position, then lower your shoulders. If you breath deeply and slowly you can time the movements with your breathing.

Dumbbell Curls: Hold onto a dumbbell with your arms hanging down. Then lift the dumbbell up towards your shoulder by bending your elbow. Lower it back down by reversing the movement to complete one rep. You can also use a barbell.

Shoulder Press: Use two dumbbells or a barbell. While standing, rest the weights on your shoulders. Push the weight up above your head, expanding your arms all the way. Lower the weight after a second or two.

Deadlifts: Place a barbell near your feet. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Toes should be under the bar. Lower yourself by bending your knees and leaning over while keeping the back straight. Your thighs should become parallel to the floor. Grab the weight and stand back up. The arms should hang near your side throughout the movement. Pause for a few seconds before going back down. Let the barbell gently touch the floor each time it is lowered. You could substitute two dumbbells in place of a barbell.

Rows: Upright rows, bent-over rows and seated rows focus on bending and moving the position of the elbows. Hold on to two dumbbells or a resistance band during the exercise. To do an upright row stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Let your hands hang at your sides. Lift the elbows up and out so the weights are in front of the upper chest. Hold briefly then get back to the starting position. For the bent-over rows bend over with your knees slightly bent and arms hanging at the side. Lift the elbows up, back and outward. The weights should be moved towards your upper abs.

Seated rows are done while sitting down on the floor or in a chair. Hold the weights out in front with the arms fully extended. Pull the weights towards your chest. Then extend your arms again. For a better workout modify the exercise so it is more like rowing a boat. Lean forward as your arms move forward and lean back as your arms move back. Lead with your arms and follow through with your body. You should be sitting in a chair with knees slightly bent and feet firmly on the ground. Use your legs to help you increase the power of the rows.