Easy TV Workout

If you’ve had a long, stressful day, the last thing you want to do is head to the gym. While we obviously think you should since exercise helps reduce stress, we also wouldn’t blame you for wanted to stay home and watch TV. However, just because you’re having some TV time doesn’t mean you can’t exercise. Here are a few ways to get a workout in while watching the tube. 

Do Exercises During Commercial Breaks

You can focus on the show while it’s on, and then use the commercials to do your workout. If you have stairs, running up and down them for a few minutes will give your lower body a workout while raising you heart rate. You can also do a set of basic but effective exercises (see below) right on the living room floor. 

Work Out During the Show

If the characters in your regular show always do certain things, use that as a cue to do a specific exercise. For example, in the show The Office, the character Jim always gives the camera a specific look. If you’re watching it on Netflix, you could do 10 squats every time he looks at the camera.

Sit On an Exercise Ball

If you really can’t bring yourself to do lots of exercises during your show, you can still burn a few calories and build some muscle. Instead of flopping on the couch, watch TV while sitting on an exercise ball. It will help you build strength in your core without too much effort on your part.

Best TV Exercises

The best exercises for when you’re watching TV are ones that don’t distract you too much from the show. If you didn’t care about watching, you would’ve gone to the gym. Below are some of the best exercises for a TV workout.

Lunges

Lunges work your legs, glutes and core in one easy move. Plus, there are lots of kinds of lunges at focus on different parts of your lower body. You can do classic lunges, backwards lunges, sideways lunges, or curtsy lunges.

Squats

Squats are a classic move that works for everyone from the serious athlete to the beginner. The best part is that you face one direction so you can keep your eyes on the screen.

Jumping Jacks (or Jumping Rope)

This is a great way to get your heart rate up. If jumping jacks are going to be too distracting (or if you don’t have the space), try jumping rope. You don’t even need an actually jump rope. Just mimic the motions with your arms.

Sit Ups

The sit up is a tried and true method for working your core. They can easily be done on a yoga mat on the floor.

There are all sorts of workouts you can do while watching your favorite TV shows or movies. Simply search online for a workout to do with a particular show. There are exercises for The Office, Parks and Rec, Law & Order, The Bachelor, Harry Potter and more. Pick whatever you want to watch and follow the exercise routine. Plus, you don’t have to have a ton of equipment to do a great workout at home.