After a long day at work, arriving at your house and lounging on the couch in front of the television seems like the most appetizing thing on the planet. You kick your shoes off, relax, and the rest of your night is spent in this same spot, save for the dinner, bathroom, and snack breaks when you peel yourself from the cushiony throne. Then that little voice creeps into your mind and makes you feel guilty for not exercising. Do you ignore that voice and allow yourself to get stuck in the cycle of being a cough potato after work every day?
Every person does not have the luxury or time to go to the gym after work or after dinner. Gym memberships can be pricey, and if gyms are out of the way, people are less likely to motivate themselves to get in their workouts. As many of you know, you don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to exercise. A variety of exercises can be done at home, and you can even do them while watching your favorite show, or during the commercial breaks.
Now, there are few things to consider when you make the decision to exercise while watching TV. If it is a show you care about and it is on a streaming service, you can toss your workout right out the window because you’ll be more likely to end up on the couch binging the show. Before you know it, a couple hours will have passed and you’ll be sitting there wondering why you have workout clothes on. Our advice is to exercise during a show with commercial breaks, so you can burn calories and blast fat away during commercials.
How To Exercise While Watching TV
The average hour-long TV show contains about 15 minutes and 38 seconds of ad time, according to recent Nielsen data. Let’s propose that a lot of people watch three hours of television per night. By engaging in various exercises during the commercials, people will be able to exercise for over 45 minutes. Make sure you have a clear area and the necessary tools (e.g. exercise bands, light free-weights, kettlebells, a yoga mat) to complete your workout.
Lunges
While lunges may not be your best friend, they have been around for quite some time and help to shape your glutes and legs. Lunges aren’t just about working your legs; rather, it is integral to keep your chest up and core engaged. During one commercial break, about two minutes, you should be able to do about 20 lunges per leg. If you want to make it more difficult, hold onto some free-weights.
Squats
Sticking with lower body exercises, squats work to engage your quadriceps and gluteus muscles. You don’t need a barbell with heavy plates on either side for squats to be effective. In a two-minute commercial break, you should be able to do about two sets of 20 squats. When you squat down, sink your weight into your heels and engage your glutes to steadily rise back up. Widen your stance and hold a kettlebell between your legs for added weight.
Jumping Jacks
Incorporating calisthenics into the workout is a great way to burn more calories and increase your heart rate. The unassuming jumping jack is an oldie but a goodie. In fact, one minute of jumping jacks can burn eight calories. Get to jumping during that commercial break!
Burpees
As much as people want to avoid them, burpees are one of the best at-home workouts to engage your major muscle groups. In a two-minute commercial break, you should do burpees for 45 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and then finish strong for the remaining 45 seconds. Do as many as you can do during your allotted time.
Chair/Bench Dips
Make sure you get your hands on a sturdy chair or bench, one that will not slide or tip when you put your weight on one side. This is a great exercise to engage your triceps and pectoral muscles. Place the chair in front of the TV and begin by sitting on the edge of the chair with your hands on the edge of the chair, just outside your hips. With your feet flat on the floor, slide off the edge and begin. Complete two reps of 10-15 dips in each commercial break.
Planks
Planks seem simple, but they actually work many muscle groups when you do them properly. A proper plank should have your body in an upward push-up position, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders. A more difficult modification would be to rest your weight on your forearms. During a commercial break, hold a plank for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this once more.
Crunches
Let’s keep toning those abdominal muscles by continuing with crunches. Lay flat on your back and complete two sets of 10-20 reps, depending on your level of fitness. Remember that you should not be pulling your head up with your hands. Engage your core and use those muscles to lift your head off the ground.
Glute Raises
Yes, this is another simple exercise, but it also yields great results, especially for your glutes and core. This exercise can benefit those with lower back pain, and holding the “up” position can help to strengthen the glute muscles while elongating the lower spine. Do two sets of 10 reps during one commercial break.
