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Fitness

Chair Meet Pillow Meet Towel Meet Workout

Exercise variations to do at-home using household items because simplicity and resourcefulness are better than excuses.

Idalis Velazquez

Written by Idalis Velazquez Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

Sometimes you’re stuck at home. Maybe you work from home. Maybe you have pre-school children. Maybe you have pre-school children and work from home. Or, maybe you just don’t want to go out because it’s raining, it’s snowing, or you’re kind of feeling lazy. Whatever the reason may be, it’s good to know that you don’t need to go anywhere, have any special equipment, or need to conjure up a workout experience using magic. You can just do these exercise variations using a chair, pillow and kitchen towel. It couldn’t be any easier.

Lower Body, Arms and Core Work

The first exercise we can try is the Bear Position Towel Reach + Shoulder Tap working the shoulders, core, and quadriceps. Try 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side.

The Overhead Alternating Single Leg Squats obviously target the legs and glutes but we also hit the core, getting some shoulder mobility and stability in there, too. Try this one for 3 sets of 20 reps (10 on each side).

A nice one for the obliques, as well as shoulders and core, is this Side Plank + Knee In. Go for 3 sets with 30-60 second holds on each side.

In addition to the legs and glutes, we work the inner and outer thighs going for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side with this Lateral Lunge + Reverse Lunge.

The following Bridge + Hamstring Towel Slide gets us some hamstring and lower back coverage, work on 3 sets of 15 reps.

Next up is the Bulgarian Split Squats + Pulses. Good for the legs and gives you a good sense of balance. Try the usual 3 sets, 10 reps is fine but see if you can build up to 15.

Last, but not least is the Spiderman Push-Up Slide. It’s a fun, continuous controlled motion exercise, and it gives us some additional focus on the chest, triceps, and arms while engaging the abs and obliques. Should feel good doing 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

You can’t say these are difficult exercises to fit into your at-home time. And if you don’t have a towel, chair or pillow to spare then you might be really committed to not working out. The rest is up to you.

Check out this list of simple workouts and fun exercises to do when stuck at home.

Idalis Velazquez

About Idalis Velazquez

From an early age, Idalis was very passionate about physical fitness. Through her experiences in sports, she developed the skills to help her become a leader in the field today. But her passion for fitness and wellness crystalized after becoming a mother and experiencing a series of setbacks and health complications that made her turn her comeback into her calling. It was during this period where she became passionate about educating others and helping them regain their health and getting their best body in a sustainable way.Her passion and dedication for fitness and wellness combined with her expertise in strength, functional and kettlebell training, fuel Velazquez to influence and motivate thousands of people on a daily basis through her IV Fitness platform by promoting smart training, a healthy body image, and teaching positive and sustainable lifestyle changes.

Idalis specializes in fast, efficient and effective workouts that help busy women get the results they want with the time they have. She is the creator of the at home workout DVD program ALL IN 18 DVD; filmed in both English & Spanish. In addition to teaching private clients and group classes, she is a bilingual Fitness Influencer and trusted Fitness and Wellness content creator for Women’s Health Magazine, Men’s Health, GQ Magazine, Nordictrack, and an iFit International trainer.

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