Five Exercises for Couch Potatoes

Are you a couch potato? Would working out tear you away from your favorite TV shows for too long? Well never fear, here are five exercises you can do inches from your couch while you watch TV! If you need instructions on how to complete these moves, just click on the links provided.

1. Tricep Dips

You can do these right off the edge of a couch or study chair that won't tip with uneven weight. Here's an instructional on how to do them with proper form. Do three sets of ten during commercials, eventually working up to three sets of fifteen over time. To make it more difficult move your feet further out in front of you.

2. Push Ups

Pretty simple and basic, another thing you can do while watching TV or during commercials is the classic push up. Or if you're not there yet, there's also the modified push up. Like the triceps exercise, go ahead and do 3 sets of ten to start and work your way up to fifteen as you get stronger. When that becomes easy, there are many other variations of a push up you can do to challenge yourself.

3. Squats

Great for the quads and gluteal muscles, squats are a simple way to target all of the major muscle groups of the legs. You can do them with your own body weight as resistance and work up to using weights to give you more of a work out. Just be sure to make sure your knee cap never goes beyond your big toe in the squat position to avoid injury. Widening your stance can prevent this. Start with three reps of fifteen and work up to twenty-five.

4. V-Ups

A fast way to work several of your abdominal muscles is in doing "V-Ups". Here's an instructional on how to properly complete one. They are very difficult, so if you can't even complete one, just keep trying. To start try to do three, then work up to ten. Be sure to pay attention to your form and don't use momentum to complete the motion so you prevent injury.

5. Bum Walk

You might want to close the blonds for this one, because it's going to look a little weird, but dancers swear by this technique to firm your gluteals. Sit on the floor with your feet out in front of you and using only your bottom, try to walk across the floor. You might not get anywhere at first, but keep trying. You should aim for two 'steps' on each side, working up to ten. As you get stronger, try to hover your legs in front of you about an inch off the floor.

As always with any fitness program, be sure you check with a doctor to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise. This workout is also not meant to replace a regular cardio/strength fitness routine. But if you're sitting in front of the television anyway, might as well get some benefit!