5 pieces of furniture that double as fitness equipment — and how to use them
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}attractive fitness woman, trained female body, lifestyle portrait, caucasian model (iStock)
You don’t have to drive across town to a high-end gym to score a great workout. And, honestly, sometimes, you shouldn’t even try.
“Time is biggest obstacle standing in between most people and their workouts,” Chris Freytag Chris Freytag, C.P.T., founder of Get Healthy U TV, told Fox News. “But working out at home is so quick and easy to do. You can set the oven timer for 15 minutes, crank out a workout, and then get on to other things. Plus, you literally have everything you need for a great workout in your home already.
Not sure where to start? Freytag helped us round up five pieces of furniture that double as exercise equipment — and showed us how to get awesome workout with each.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}COUCH
A sturdy staple, the couch is perfect for any exercises that require supporting a good chunk of your body weight.
Feet-elevated glute bridge
Lie on your back on the floor, perpendicular to the couch and your butt about a foot from its edge. Place your feet on top of the couch. With your knees bent to about 90 degrees, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to raise your body until it forms a straight line from your knees to shoulders. Pause, then lower to start.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Incline and decline push-up
Get in a high-plank position, hands on the couch and directly underneath your shoulders. Bend your elbows to row your chest toward the couch, making sure to keep your body in a straight line from head to heels. Once your chest just barely touches the couch, push through your chest and arms to return to start. You can also perform with your feet raised on the couch and hands planted on the floor.
Double- and single-leg hip thrust
Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Rest your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, and your arms straight out on the edge of the couch. Keeping your face pointed forward, push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift off of the floor until your body forms a straight horizontal line. Pause, then lower to start. Perform with both or just one foot.
Triceps dip
Sit on the floor with your back against the long side the couch. Place your hands behind you on the edge of couch, hands spaced shoulder-width apart. With your legs straight out in front of you, push through your hands to straighten your arms and lift your torso off of the floor, your body forming a straight line. Pause, then lower to start.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Mountain climber
Get in a high-plank position with your hands on the couch, directly under your shoulders, and balls of your feet on the floor. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest, return to start, and then repeat on the opposite side. Perform slowly and under control or, to get your heart rate up, as quickly as possible.
Single-leg squat
Stand with your back about two feet in of the couch. Extend one leg behind you to place your foot near the edge of the couch. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, bend your knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start.
STAIRCASE
It might not technically be a piece of furniture, but if your home has a staircase, you’re about to get some cardio.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Staircase sprint
Run up and down the stairs as quickly as possible, while making sure to maintain control and balance. Try skipping every other step on the way up to increase glute activation.
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Depth jump
Stand on the bottom step of the staircase, feet together and slightly off of the edge of the step so that you are facing the landing. Take a giant step forward and land in a squat position, feet flat on the floor. Progress so that you jump up immediately upon landing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CHAIR
You don’t want a chair flying out from underneath you mid-rep, so save the chair for exercises that require only slight balancing.
Calf raise
Stand tall next to a chair, and place one hand on the back of it for balance. Push through the balls of your feet to raise your heels from the floor as high as possible. Pause, then lower to start.
Lunge
Stand next to a chair, feet hip-width apart, and place one hand on the back of the chair for balance. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up, take a giant step forward with one foot and then bend both knees to lower toward the floor. When the thigh of your front leg is parallel with the floor, pause, then press through your heel to return to start. Step back, rather than forward, for reverse lunges.
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WALL
Timed wall sit
Stand tall with your back against the wall, feet hip-width apart about two feet in front of you. Bend your knees to drop into a squat. Hold for the allotted amount of time, making sure to keep your back flat against the wall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Feet up the wall
Facing away from the wall, get in a high-plank position, the soles of your feet flat against it. Brace your core like you are about to get punched in the gut, and while keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels, slowly walk your hands back toward the wall, and feet up the wall. Stop when you can no longer raise under control, or when you achieve a full handstand. Reverse the movement to return to start.
BED
Leg lift
Lie on your back on the bed so that your legs hang off of the edge. Extend them straight up in the air so that your body forms an L shape. Brace your core and, while keeping your legs straight and together, slowly lower them until they are below the top of the bed, and then squeeze your abs to raise them back to start.