5 Easy Sofa Exercises to Help You Slim Down Fast

Celeb trainer Holly Davidson shows how to use your couch to speed toning and trim inches in record time. Holly’s book, Active: Workouts that Work for You ($16.69, Amazon), is filled with easy at-home workouts to help you slim for the holidays.

(Photo Credit: FirstForWomen.com)

Lift a saggy tush: Sofa bridges

“This is a very effective butt-toning exercise,” cheers Davidson of how elevating your feet tones the glutes and hamstrings faster than keeping them on the ground. The payoff: a round, perky backside.

TO DO: Lie on your back and place your feet hip-distance apart on the edge of the sofa. Squeeze your butt to push your hips up off the floor; hold for a moment, then lower back down. Do 10 reps.

(Photo Credit: FirstForWomen.com)

Nix arm jiggle: Sofa reaches

It’s a cinch to sculpt wow-worthy shoulders without any weights or equipment, says Davidson. Reaching for the couch cushions from a plank position engages the deltoids to tone the shoulders and back. The result: a slim, enviable upper half. What’s more, holding the plank will tighten the midsection to trim inches from the waist.

TO DO: Start in a plank position with your feet spread wide and your head an arm’s length away from the sofa. Lift your left hand to tap the sofa cushion, then lower it back down. Repeat with your right hand. That’s 1 rep; do 5.

(Photo Credit: FirstForWomen.com)

Slim wide hips: Sofa squats

“You can use the sofa like you would a bench at the gym, but in the comfort of your own home,” explains Davidson. “It’s so convenient. And squats are one of the best exercises you can do.” Indeed, squatting utilizes the glutes, hamstrings and quads to slim the lower half. Plus, squatting to the couch means you get a break at the bottom of the move! But you’ll also achieve a larger range of motion, recruiting more muscle fibers than you would without the sofa.

TO DO: Stand up straight in front of the sofa with feet shoulder-width apart (and a loop band around your thighs, if desired). Squat down until you are sitting on the sofa, then stand back up. Do 10 reps.

(Photo Credit: FirstForWomen.com)

Banish chub rub: Sofa lunges

“Lunges are great for toning your quads,” says Davidson, and utilizing the sofa will help you sculpt long, lean legs in no time. Balancing in the lunge also engages the abs to flatten a belly.

TO DO: Stand in front of the sofa. Place one foot on the cushion behind you. Bend your knees until they form 90° angles, then return to start. Do 10 reps, then switch sides.

(Photo Credit: FirstForWomen.com)

Melt a menopot: Sofa squat thrusts

This exercise activates the hard-to-reach lower abs to quickly tuck in a belly bulge, says Davidson. And with your hands on the cushions, the move feels easier than if they were on the floor.

TO DO: Start in a plank position on the edge of the sofa. Jump both feet in toward the sofa, then jump back to start (or step your feet in and out). That’s 1 rep; do 20.

This story originally appeared in our print magazine.

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