Chairs are our Friends!

Yes, I’m a dork. For all these seated exercises, all I had was a computer chair (doesn’t work) and a couch (sometimes moderately works). So two points of note today. #1, it’s not my arms that are really sore from the supposed arm work-outs, but my shoulders and chest. Still good areas to work, but my point is, I’m working a lot more than arms (which one should). The other point is how helpful it is to actually have the recommended straight-backed chair without arms. I’ve been standing, which you’d think isn’t a big deal. Engages more muscles, right? Sure. But when my upper arms and shoulders feel like they’re about to give out, I also start to pace around, do side-steps or knee-lifts (thanks Leslie Sansone, I'll never forget you). That would make me breathe harder and get more exhausted. Finally bought an appropriate chair, and the workout seemed so much easier (relatively speaking). Maybe not super easy, but toned down a bit to be tolerable and still able to follow along. Standing would still be good when an extra challenge is needed, but I thnk we’ve established I don’t need any more challenges than necessary right now. Yay for chairs! Still getting my heart rate up, still engaging lots of muscle, but it’s so much easier to breathe and actually recover during those little rest periods I was whining weren’t long enough. Viola! Just add a chair like you’re allowed to in the first place.