When you think of cardio exercise, you probably think of brisk walking, fast dancing or other moves that leave you huffing and puffing as you put your legs to work.
But did you realize that you can also get a great cardio workout by using only your arms?
Many people who suffer from physical issues and/or pain in the lower half of their bodies — back, legs, hips, knees or ankles — can find their ability to do traditional aerobic exercises limited or even impossible.
Any rhythmic arm movements increase your heart rate
But any rhythmic arm movements that similarly increase your heart rate and breathing can allow you to get that same cardio workout!
The Resistance Chair exercise system is a wonderful tool for cardio workouts using just your arms.
The resistance cables in the pulleys attached to the chair move easily, allowing you to smoothly transition from one arm exercise to another at a pace that increases your breathing and heart rate to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
The system comes with three different levels of resistance, so you can tailor your workout for maximum effect.
Adjust levels of resistance to tailor a workout
That means you can adjust the cables so they will not be so light that you can move your arms without feeling short of breath, and not so heavy that your arm muscles will fatigue before the minimum 10-minute bouts of exercise recommended for cardiovascular endurance.
Sure, there are other ways to get a similar workout. But using weights or resistance bands freely — unlike those that are attached to the Resistance Chair system — can put serious strain on your wrists, and make you more prone to back injury if you pick up a weight from the floor incorrectly.
That’s not a concern with the Resistance Chair system since the cables are already in position, and don’t require any bending to pick them up.
As well, when you use separate resistance bands, you can find them awkward and clumsy, and it’s tough to know how best to anchor and position them as you move from one arm exercise to another.
With the cables already attached to the Resistance Chair, all guess work is eliminated.
The Resistance Chair system comes with a wall chart and a workout DVD that outline the many ways you can use it for strength training.
Want to see a great arms-only cardio workout in action?
Check out the short video below, featuring Gwen Rose, a physiotherapist and vice-president of Xlent Care Products, demonstrating how to use the pulleys and cables attached to the Resistance Chair.
