The Roman chair is a piece of

exercise Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic ...

equipment. It is mainly used for the

lower back The human back, also called the dorsum, is the large posterior area of the human body, rising from the top of the buttocks to the back of the neck. It is the surface of the body opposite from the chest and the abdomen. The vertebral column runs ...

, but can also target the

buttocks The buttocks (singular: buttock) are two rounded portions of the exterior anatomy of most mammals, located on the posterior of the pelvic region. In humans, the buttocks are located between the lower back and the perineum. They are composed ...

hamstring In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury. In quadrupeds, ...

s, and

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the belly, tummy, midriff, tucky or stomach) is the part of the body between the thorax (chest) and pelvis, in humans and in other vertebrates. The abdomen is the front part of the abdominal segment of the torso. ...

. The definition of the equipment, and what 'Roman chair exercise' specifically means, is not clear.

Exercises

Various exercises have been called "Roman chair." The most common or earliest historical meaning of the movement is not clear. Bodyweight can provide significant resistance in all variations, and additional weight can be added to increase difficulty. Mainly two actions are followed while exercising with a "Roman chair"—Inhale and Exhale. Inhale is to bend forward from the hips, lowering the chest towards the floor, while keeping the lower neck straight. Exhale is to straighten the body to return to the start position to complete one repetition.

Spinal extension

One type of exercise done on a Roman chair is a type of lower-back

hyperextension Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relative ...

performed to strengthen the lower back, especially the

erector spinae The erector spinae ( ) or spinal erectors is a set of muscles that straighten and rotate the back. The spinal erectors work together with the glutes (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus) to maintain stable posture standing or sittin ...

. The chair holds a person in place, lying prone, as he or she bends at the waist and then extends the body upward. The exercise is characterized by the two

right angle In geometry and trigonometry, a right angle is an angle of exactly 90 Degree (angle), degrees or radians corresponding to a quarter turn (geometry), turn. If a Line (mathematics)#Ray, ray is placed so that its endpoint is on a line and the ad ...

s formed by the body one at the hips and one at the knees. The person enters into the 'chair', with the pad supporting the front of the upper thighs and locking the lower leg (typically at the ankle or heel), bending forward at the waist. In a forward bend, the upper body will become closer to the ground, enabling muscles of the lower back to straighten the body, while extending upwards. Great care must be used during this exercise to prevent injury to the lower back.

Spinal flexion

The Roman chair is also used to perform exercises for the abdomen. An exerciser lies supine with their hips supported on the rear (weight on the

gluteus maximus The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large part of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. It is the single largest muscle in the human ...

) as they bent backward and lift themselves up with their

rectus abdominis The rectus abdominis muscle, ( la, straight abdominal) also known as the "abdominal muscle" or simply the "abs", is a paired straight muscle. It is a paired muscle, separated by a midline band of connective tissue called the linea alba. It exte ...

while stabilizing the pelvis with the

hip flexor A flexor is a muscle that flexes a joint. In anatomy, flexion (from the Latin verb ''flectere'', to bend) is a joint movement that decreases the angle between the bones that converge at the joint. For example, one’s elbow joint flexes when one ...

s. If the pelvis moves during the exercise then the hip flexors will also be dynamic prime movers. A common exercise utilizing the roman chair for targeting the abdominal muscle is the "Roman chair sit-ups". It is an old-school exercise known to strengthen the abdominal muscles. It can also strengthen some secondary stabilizer muscles in the core.

Knee extension

An exercise more commonly referred to as the

wall sit A wall sit is an exercise done to strengthen the quadriceps muscles.Getting Ready for That Ski Trip
Ni ...

, an isometric movement to build strength in the

quadriceps The quadriceps femoris muscle (, also called the quadriceps extensor, quadriceps or quads) is a large muscle group that includes the four prevailing muscles on the front of the thigh. It is the sole extensor muscle of the knee, forming a large ...

, may also be called the Roman chair.Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma illustrates wall sit
/ref> It involves a person with their back against the wall, pushing into it using the action of knee extension. Even though it is called a "sit", the hips are actually not being held up by sitting on something. Rather, the body is held up via a combination of weight bearing on the feet and friction created with the wall by exerting pressure against it. Another exercise called the "Roman chair squat" requires using the quadriceps dynamically. It similarly mimics a sitting motion without actually sitting down on something, and can be done on an apparatus similar to the aforementioned spinal exercises. This is similar to a " sissy squat".

References

{{reflist Bodyweight exercises Exercise equipment