5 Cardiovascular Exercises That Can Be Done Sitting or Lying Down

Unable to exercise while standing? No problem! We bring some of the effective cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying down, which you are sure to enjoy.

Exercise not only plays an essential role in maintaining healthy muscle tissue, but also helps to keep the rest of the body healthy and disease-free. However, traditional standing exercises cannot always be performed by people, especially when having a condition where they are limited to sitting or lying down. Knowing some of the effective cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying down can help.

Cardiovascular exercises include any activity which increases the heart and respiratory rate. They are commonly performed while standing, for strengthening the heart. But one can also get their heart pumping while sitting, or even lying down. These exercises can be performed from a sitting or lying position, by simply altering them to fit the specific abilities and limitations.

Some of the most effective cardiovascular exercises, while sitting or lying down, are:

Jumping jacks are a cardiovascular exercise which works the extremities, boosts heart rate and helps to burn calorie. This exercise is typically done while standing, but is also a great cardiovascular exercise while sitting. Seated on a chair, it is a regular jumping jack exercise performed while sitting. In the seated jumping jack, the performer needs to sit on a chair with their feet together, knees bent and hands by their sides. From this starting position, the individual needs to spread their legs as wide apart, and lift their arms straight above their head towards the ceiling, just like in a traditional jumping jack. Finally, the arms should be brought back to the sides and the feet back together. The feet should not be dragged, but lifted completely off the ground while moving them apart and together, for increasing the resistance on the leg muscles. 30 repetitions of this exercise should be performed for best results.

Leg lift and twist is one of easiest yet most effective cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying. Two exercises, i.e. leg lift and twist, can be merged into one to effectively pump up the heart rate. For performing this exercise, the individual needs to sit up straight on the edge of a chair, with their arms crossed on their upper chest and their left leg extended directly in front of them. They should start the exercise by tightening their abs, twisting their torso simultaneously to the left, and raising their left leg parallel to the floor. They then need to return to the starting position to complete one rep. 20 reps of this exercise should be done on one side before switching to the other.

For strengthening their core while burning calories, a person can simply do lying leg raises. In this exercise, the performer needs to lie on floor with their face up and hands placed beneath their buttocks. Then they need to raise their head off the floor, while simultaneously bringing the knees as close to the chest as possible, and then return quickly to the starting position to complete one rep. 20 to 30 fast paced reps should be done to keep the heart rate high. This is one of the great cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying down, that also helps boost your metabolism.

Bicycle riding is an excellent aerobic exercise. Fortunately, a person can replicate the pedaling motion while lying on their back too, for strengthening their abs and other associated benefits. For performing bicycle crunches, the individual needs to lie face up on the floor with their hands paced behind their head, like while doing a standard crunch. Then they need to lift their feet off the floor, with their knees bent at right angles and the lower legs parallel to the floor. The exercise should be started by pulling the left knee towards the chest while extending the right leg. At the same time, the head and shoulders should be lifted off the floor, and the torso twisted to allow the right elbow touch the left knee. This pattern, i.e. pumping the legs in a pedaling motion and trying to touch each knee with the opposite elbow, should be continued. 15 to 20 reps of this movement should be done on each side. This is a wonder exercise, hence included in the list of cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying down.

This too is a wonderful cardiovascular exercise while sitting, or lying down. From a seated position, the performer needs to lift their arms out on their side, to create a 90° angle on both sides between their arms and body. They then need to paint circles in the air with their hands while keeping their arms straight. Small circles should be made initially and their size should be increased gradually. The arms should be kept out to the side for as long as possible. From a lying position, the person needs to reach out one arm at a time towards the ceiling and make the same circle-painting motion with their hand. Circles should be made with one arm for 15 to 30 seconds before switching to the other.

So, people who have to stay off their feet for a while can maintain their conditioning with lying or sitting cardio activities. These cardiovascular exercises while sitting or lying down can help a great deal in improving your stamina and weight management as well. These exercises should be done at a moderate level for 5 to 10 minutes to warm up the muscles before going full speed. At the end, some breathing exercises can help to cool down and relax.

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