If the thought of bouncing around a gym or workout center in spandex makes you cringe, take heart. Experts in aerobic exercise say that you can reap the benefits of an aerobic workout without getting up off your butt.

Chair aerobics are designed to give those with mobility problems a good cardio workout without putting strain on the joints and bones. A chair aerobics session may include kicks, punches and stretches, and often includes the use of workout bands and weights to increase strength and resistance training as the workouts get more intense.

Sitting down to exercise may sound silly – but the workouts are real and so are the benefits for your cardiovascular system – and the rest of your body. There are chair workouts designed for just about everyone – including inconspicuous workouts for those in offices who don’t want to attract a lot of attention. Generally, a chair aerobics workout starts with ten minutes of stretching and warming up, then moves into an aerobics phase that may include punching the air and doing scissor kicks in your chair before moving into a series of weight lifting and finally into a cool down phase.

Mary Ann Wilson, whose television fitness show “Sit and Be Fit” airs on PBS stations across the country, says, “Our purpose is to keep people functionally fit as long as possible.” To help do this, Wilson leads 30 and 60 minute aerobics workout programs aimed at those who may be mobility impaired. She focuses her workouts on movements that support and strengthen muscles needed for everyday functional movements, including posture control, stretches for flexibility and light weight lifting to build and maintain strength in muscles and joints.

Wilson has been producing her show since 1987, and she attributes its popularity to the fact that chair aerobics is easy, convenient and inexpensive. There’s no expensive equipment needed – soup cans or filled cups work just fine as weights. Couch potatoes don’t need to leave home, and seniors don’t have to worry about losing their balance and falling.

For an easy workout, you can try some simple stretches and punches. Sitting in a comfortable, stable chair, pump your arms in the air overhead five times each, then five times together. Next, punch across your body, alternating arms to the count of twenty. Get your lower body into the action with some toe-tapping and heel lifts, then add in two to three minutes of seated ‘jogging’ – just lift your feet and cycle in your chair. Altogether, the workout takes about ten minutes. Do it two to three times a day and you’ll be hitting the recommended 30 minutes of activity without ever getting off your bottom.

Chair aerobics appeals to those who have limited mobility, or who have been told that weight bearing and high impact aerobics are out of the question because of arthritis or other joint problems. Motions as simple as neck rolls can be good for your heart, say one fitness instructor. For those who want a tougher workout, there’s an office chair workout that includes pushing and pulling yourself away from the desk and doing leg lifts while seated in your chair.

What are the benefits? Better heart function, lower blood pressure, increased circulation and heightened alertness, say the experts. Exercise doesn’t have to mean going out and jogging or working out at the gym. The whole idea is to get your body moving and your heart pumping – and chair aerobics does that as well as anything else. It’s the perfect solution if you can’t leave your desk or if you work at home and can’t get to the gym. It’s also an excellent solution for older Americans who may not be as mobile as they once were, but who can benefit from regular exercise.

Teresa Reyman, who teaches a class in chair aerobics at a Maryland senior center, offers these tips for seniors who exercise.

Pay attention to posture, whether you’re sitting or standing. Proper posture helps prevent osteoporosis by keeping muscles and joints strong enough to support the bones.

Exercise with a group. It’s more fun, so you’re more likely to stick with it, and the social benefits are important for senior citizens.

Make exercise a lifestyle change. Find an activity that you like and stick with it. It’s the best thing you can do to improve your health and your quality of life.

Time is in short supply for almost everyone these days but it’s still important to include physical activity throughout your busy day. Most people believe that to get a good workout, you must exercise for thirty minutes or more without stopping or else you don’t get anything out of it. Wrong! Research proves that short, intense segments of activity spread throughout the day are just as effective as one long workout, so there are no more excuses about not having enough time. Everyone can spare at least five minutes somewhere and there are brief workouts that challenge your whole body in that amount of time. To get you started, here are some fantastic workouts that really only take five minutes!

Workout 1: Fast and Furious Cardio & Conditioning Work

Have hand weights nearby and ready to use.

0:00 – 0:30: Warm up by briskly walking in place.

0:31 – 1:00: Increase the pace to a power-walk speed.

1:01 – 1:30: Keep walking and add a simple overhead reach by raising your arms straight up with every two steps.

1:31 – 2:00: Change the arm movement to reaching in front and then pulling back. Continue walking.

2:01 – 2:45: Pick up the hand weights and perform as many bicep curls as possible while you continue your walk.

2:46 – 3:30: Change the movement to pushing the weight directly overhead and then lowering as you keep the pace.

3:31 – 4:00: Put the weights down and slow down to your original pace.

4:01 – 4:30: Perform as many squats as you can by sitting back and keeping your heels pressed into the ground.

4:31 – 5:00: Walk slowly as your breathing and heart rate return to normal.

This workout increases your heart rate quickly and conditions the cardiovascular system with the high speed of walking in place. Using weights for arm work while you walk maintains the aerobic work while you build muscle at the same time. By gradually slowing down, you allow your body to return to a normal state slowly but still fit in muscle toning by doing squats. The steadily decreased demand on the body allows the body to stabilize comfortably. By combining aerobic conditioning with muscle toning, you get twice the benefits in one brief workout – what could be better?

Workout 2: Steady Muscle Work

0:01 – 0:30: Warm up by walking gently and moving your arms at the same time.

0:31 – 1:00: Begin working the lower body muscles by doing as many squats as you can for thirty seconds. Make sure your body is properly aligned with your knees forming a right angle with your thighs and your back staying centered over your buttocks. Keep your heels pressed into the floor for support as you slowly lower and raise the body.

1:01 – 1:30: Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. With hands on hips, lower your body into a pliè and then raise for as many repetitions as possible in thirty seconds. At the end of the time, lower your body one more time and hold.

1:31 – 1:45: Stay in your lowered pliè position and move up and down very gently, no more than an inch or so. This helps isolate the inner thighs and tone them up.

1:46 – 2:15: Stand with your weight on your left leg, point your right foot behind you, and lift your right leg as many times as possible in thirty seconds. This helps tone the muscle at the back of the leg.

2:16 – 2:45: Switch legs, stand with your weight on your right leg, and lift your left leg behind you as many times as possible in thirty seconds.

2:46 – 3:15: Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width apart and then bend from the waist until you are slightly more than at right angles with your lower body. Stretch your arms in front of you and then raise each arm back. Repeat for thirty seconds. Be sure to hold your abdominal muscles in tightly. This tones the arms and upper back as well as the abs.

3:16 – 3:45: Stand up straight and place hands at shoulders. Begin reaching arms up and bringing back down to shoulder height. Repeat for thirty seconds.

3:46 – 4:15: Drop to the floor on hands and knees, and then ‘walk’ your hands forward several inches. Begin performing modified push-ups and do as many repetitions as possible.

4:16 – 4:30: Lay on your back, knees bent, with arms behind head and fingertips just touching the back of the head. Use your abdominal muscles to pull your upper body towards your knees but not too far. Lower down slowly for maximum muscle building.

4:31 – 5:00: Still lying on your back on the floor, stretch legs out and raise arms above the head, inhale deeply and stretch. Let your breath out slowly and let your body relax.

This workout focuses on building muscle and strength all over. The variety of exercises works dozens of muscles all over the body for an overall toning effect. Switch between the two workouts for maximum results in your weight and muscle tone.

Many people think about building muscles as abandoning life outside the gym and devoting hours in the gym like a monk in a monastery. Perhaps the only way to chisel the body into a hot muscular physique is by toiling hour by hour over the rusty iron day in, day out and year in, year out.

This need not be so. Although hard work is truly required, extreme fitness demands one to be a slave of the iron weights. Full-body work outs can make one progress and it easily fits in one's schedule. This is very convenient if one is looking forward to achieving extreme fitness but finds it hard to hold on to a single work out routine.

Genuine full-body work outs done by athletes with an aim in mind makes for maximum muscle contraction using heavy weights, makes room for full recovery so one can actually grow and continue to train hard plus it also prevents burnout which is inevitable due to excess training.

So if one is ready for extreme fitness, here is all there is to know about full body work out:

Full-body work out is a time saver. The biggest plus about having the whole body trained all at once is probably having to go to the gym less frequently; perhaps around two to three times for every seven days would be enough.

Another advantage of working out the entire body all at once is that one need not spend two or more hours of strenuous exercise in the gym for every session; one only spends one hour in the gym for every session. So that's just three to four hours per week in the gym right? With full-body work outs, it is all about the quality of exercise one does for session and not the quantity, nor even the amount of time you allot per session.

Full-body work out boosts the cardiovascular system for extreme fitness. One must allot two to four sets for every body part into the one hour session. Jam packed with exercising, each one hour session then gets the heart and the rest of the cardiovasular system pumping and up to speed in a flash.

Now feeling pumped up, next find out what rules does one have to follow when engaging in full-body work outs:

Training commences only once every two to three days. This is so easy isn't it? What is great about this is that there is time spared during rest days so that one can indulge in a few cardio exercise sessions instead of depending on cardio execises one normally does at the end of each work out session which after all, are not at all very effective.

Heavy lifting is strongly advised. Contrary to popular belief, especially among athletes. It is not true that it is good to get trapped on training lightly than one actually could so as to conserve energy for the other body parts that will come later in the routine. What is true is that one cannot achieve optimal progress if one is not training heavy, no matter which program that person is doing.

One exercise only per muscle group. This is very easy to follow and is also important. Doing basic exercises which are also intense means you do not have to do another different exercise for that body part.

Keep work out short. Resistance training affects the natural homones of the body connected to muscle building. Intense exercising boosts the testosterone levels and long work outs increase those of catabolic cortisol. Sixty minutes of work out allows you to get the best of both worlds.

Now with this convenient and powerful work out regimen, one can now truly experience extreme fitness.

Reflexology has been used for many centuries. The method of reflexology, also called “zone therapy”, dates back to ancient Egypt, India and China.  Evidence of reflexology has even been found in tombs in Egypt. The method of reflexology works by stimulating and applying pressure to certain parts of the hands, or to the feet. Oil, lotion and creams are not used with reflexology. The pressure causes increased circulation and promotes an overall healthier body. The form of reflexology most commonly used today dates back 125 years old to Europe and Russia.

Because hands, feet and ears are very sensitive, pressure on these areas are believed to benefit whole body health. It is estimated that this method can be effective in treating over 93% of sixty-three disorders. Those undergoing reflexology sessions often report increased physical and emotional improvements and feel better with their self-esteem and confidence.

Many benefits of reflexology have been reported. This method can reduce stress from work or home and provide an overall feeling of relaxation. This form of massage also serves to reduce and sometimes eliminate pain in the neck, shoulders and lower back. Reflexology also improves circulation in the body. Another benefit of reflexology is that those receiving regular sessions report an overall sense of well-being, better health and a feeling of reduced stress levels.

In addition, reflexology therapy has been reported to reduce the pain or discomfort caused by a wide variety of medical symptoms. Sessions can help back pain, minor headaches and migraines, menstrual cramps, injuries from sprained muscles, sleep disorders and arthritis some patients report that this therapy also helps infertility. Reflexology can also safely and effectively be used on almost anyone including infants and children, pregnant women, the ill and the elderly.

This technique is a natural way to help both stimulate and relax the body at the same time. Many who experience reflexology report an immediate relief of stress or pain caused by medical conditions.

Learning the techniques of reflexology can be quite simple and easy. Many people can learn the technique and practice it at home or in the office. On-site classes and classes online are offered in many areas to teach the basics of reflexology. Also, books and videos can offer advice on learning the basics of this technique. Many specialty stores offer socks and gloves that can be purchased with the reflexology maps for the hands and feet.

During a traditional reflexology course, students will usually learn the basics of reflexology techniques as well as hand and ear basics. Students also might learn the anatomy of the lower legs including the bones and muscles. Massage techniques and alignment exercises are often taught as well.

While no one is quite sure how reflexology works, there are some theories. One is the “nerve” theory. This theory maintains that there is a connection between the body maps used in reflexology on the feet, hands and ears to the rest of the body. When a certain pressure point is massaged, it will affect the part of the body connected. This is the most widely believed theory on how reflexology works.

Another theory is that reflexology is based on the “meridian” theory. This states that there are at least fourteen energy lines called meridians going up and down in the body. These energy lines have hundreds of pressure points and some of them are in the hands and feet. When pressure is applies to those areas, it creates a sense of well-being.

Another theory on how this technique works is the “vertical” and “horizontal” zone theories. These state that the body is divided in to either ten wide vertical strips or four horizontal strips. Every part of the body falls into one of the strips. Pressure applied to these areas helps that certain body zone.

Professional reflexology sessions can last between forty minutes to an hour. The session usually takes place in a chair with the feet raised. The reflexologies will use their hands and thumbs to help stimulate trouble areas in the body. Typically, after a session, the patient will feel comfortable and relaxed. Sometimes aromatherapy and breathing techniques are used to deepen the affects of reflexology. Breathing techniques used in conjunction with reflexology stimulates a deeper relaxation and better circulation.

Staying fit can be quite a chore. Making the time and mustering energy to go to a gym or even to use home exercise equipment can be challenging, and what do we have to show for the time we spend (besides the knowledge that we’re staying healthy)? That’s why you may find that, rather than exercising for the sake of exercise, you prefer to work in your yard. It’s a fun and fulfilling way to keep active and keep your house and yard looking its best.

Many seniors will hire neighborhood youngsters to perform their yard work for them. Others prefer to get outside and do it their self. Doing your own yard work not only allows you to get a light, enjoyable workout, but you can also make sure the yard looks exactly the way you would like it to look. In addition, you derive a great deal of personal pride and satisfaction from doing the work yourself.

Nothing compares with the simple pleasure of working out of doors. Whether surrounded by the warmth of the summer sun, the changing leaves of fall, the crisp air of winter or the blossoming flowers of spring, working outdoors connects us with nature and provides us with a deep and abiding feeling of well-being.

No matter what the season, there’s work to be done in the yard. With the coming of spring, it’s time for a trip to the lawn and garden section of the local store. There you can pick up grass seed, fertilizer, soil and mulch and seeds for your garden. If your arthritis is acting up, you may enlist the aid of a neighbor or member of your church for help in moving the heavier bags.

It’s a joy to listen to the birds return while you walk slowly behind your fertilizer spreader while clearing the ground and turning over the soil in your garden beds (You can also add compost collected the year before). Later, when the threat of a late-season frost has ended, it’s time to plant the seeds. Purchase a gardening stool to sit on as you work in a particular area. This helps keep the ache out of your knees and back.

During the long summer months, you can mow your lawn (Try a self-prepared mower to avoid too much strain), and water and weed your garden. Besides getting out of the house, and providing you with much needed exercise, it’s rewarding to watch your lovely flowers and vegetables grow out of the earth and to their full size.

Fall is a time of harvesting vegetables, raking leaves, and cleaning up the yard in anticipation of winter. You will find it also helps to apply a high potassium fertilizer just before the winter sets in. You can also reseed thin or bare areas.

During the winter months, keep the sidewalk clear of snow with frequent sweeping. Accept help from the neighbors when the snow gets too deep or the sidewalk is icy—it’s always important to avoid overexertion. Friends in the south have the pleasure of maintaining flower gardens year round, planting cool weather seeds for the winter months. Such are the joys of living in southern states!

In order to keep the workload light, try and make a point of getting outdoors each day. Your daily walk around the yard will always turns up some task that needs doing, from picking up fallen sticks and branches, to pulling out weeds. This daily inspection means that you get out every day, and don’t allow the work to pile up!

For those of us who need a helping hand in the yard, the United Way supports a number of local volunteer agencies that will send a strong back to your aid. In this way, we seniors need not shy away from yard work in general for fear of the one or two tasks we may not be able to accomplish on our own. Ask about these programs at your neighborhood senior center, or call the United Way.

By diligently performing daily maintenance, yard work presents a great exercise for seniors. Not only does it provide an opportunity to keep muscles and joints flexible, but it also gives the exercise a sense of purpose. An attractive lawn, lovely flowerbeds and delicious vegetables are the rewards for this type of exercise. I highly recommend yard work as exercise for my senior friends.