Everyone knows that sitting in one place for prolonged periods of time leads to numerous health problems, including heart disease and obesity. Despite this evidence, we cannot avoid working at our desks as there is no other way to go about it.
Fitness experts have found ways to make working at a desk job better and less risk to your health. There are certain exercise routines that can be easily performed by taking a 10 minute break frequently within a workday.
Let us take a look at some of the easier and more efficient exercises that can be done at your desk or cubicle.
- Paper push-ups
This is performed as a conventional push-up, with the difference being that your hands are resting on the desk instead of the ground. Ensure that your feet are at a distance to allow you to lower your body to a 45˚ angle.
This simple exercise works to strengthen your arms and shoulders.
- Chair squats
This exercise requires you to stand about 6 inches in front of your chair. Lower your body down into the chair, as you would normally sit. As soon as you touch the chair get up immediately. Hold your arms out in front throughout the routine as you repeat it.
This helps to de-stress and tone up your gluteas maximus (butt muscles) at the same time.
- Shoulder squeeze
This exercise routine requires squeezing your shoulders together at the back for around 10 seconds and releasing them slowly. Repeat this exercise for about 2 to 3 minutes.
This helps to loosen up the cramped and sore upper back muscles and improves the hunch in the posture from working at a desk for prolonged period of time.
- Book press
This requires holding the heaviest book you can pick up. Catch the book with both hands and lift it above your head. The exercise requires you to slowly lower the book behind your ears, as you would lower a dumbbell for a triceps exercise in the gym.
Repeating this exercise helps to strengthen the triceps and allows you to have more pushing power.
- Desk dips
This exercise needs you to stand facing away from the desk. Place your hands on the table at a width equal to your shoulders and your legs extended out in front of you. Put your weight on the arms and lower your body slowly. When your shoulders reach the level of your elbows, raise your body slowly. Perform 5 to 8 repetitions in each set.
This helps to tone the upper body and stretch the cramped muscles in the back.
- Wall squats
Stand at a distance of around 10 to 12 inches with your back to a wall. Begin the exercise by slowly lowering your body as you would for sitting in a chair. As soon as your back touches the wall, raise your body without pushing with your hands.
This is an excellent way to tone up and improve your quads (thigh muscles) and release stress and tension from them.
- Chair calf raise
Stand behind a chair and hold its back. Put your feet close together. Next, raise your body using your feet and toes. Repeat this exercise at least 8 to 10 times in each set.
This exercise helps to increase the strength in your calves and tones them efficiently. Increasing the retention of nitrogen in the body in a safe way. Read More
- Leg raise
This exercise is done while sitting in your chair. Raise one of your legs and hold it straight out for at least 10 seconds. Lower the leg slowly, and just as it touches the ground raise it up again. Repeat this exercise for at least 5 minutes, alternating between one leg and then the other.
This is an effective way to not only increase strength in the legs but is also responsible for helping to tone your abdominal muscles (abs).
Perform these simple yet highly effective exercises at your work and ensure that you are effectively preventing numerous medical disorders that affect the body from working on a desk for a long time.