Exercises at work

Exercises at work

Many people including myself suffer from the chronic struggle of having an office job and sitting at a desk all day. You spend 9-5 sitting at a desk allowing your body to get stiff and not getting the opportunity to get exercise. But if you can be creative, there are plenty of ways to stay active in your cubicle. Here are some suggestions.

·       Desk Pushups

Desk pushups are one of my personal favorite. First make sure your desk is sturdy enough for you to actually put your weight on it. They can be a good workout for your arms especially when you're sitting at a desk with them laying on it the entire time you're typing. Try doing 15 pushups 3 times for a quick exercise along with the next few suggestions.

·       Chair Dips

If you’re looking to get your biceps pumping during the day chair dips can really be beneficial. Of course make sure your chair is sturdy and doesn’t move too much otherwise you could fall and that could lead to injury. While at work, try doing 15 chair dips 3 times to help sculpt your arm to become tone.

·       Taking the Stairs

I wasn’t going to leave cardio out of this. Every day the elevator seems so convenient. Taking the stairs not only burns calories, but it also raises your heart rate maximizing your cardio efforts while climbing the stairs. Also it affects your mind.  Your body releases chemical endorphins, a type of neurotransmitter, making you feel happy and calm. Over time, your ability to focus and concentrate will improve, and you will feel less stressed out. Your self-esteem and self-confidence will improve as you successfully meet your fitness goals, become more toned and muscular, and are less distracted by physical fatigue. To help with your cardio at work, try taking the stairs whenever you are changing floors instead of the elevator.  

·       Sitting on a Medicine Ball

Your regular office chair can be uncomfortable throughout the day. Slouching and sitting uncomfortably all day can cause issues to your back and also decrease core strength. If you’re looking to increase your strength try using a medicine ball to sit in throughout the day instead of a regular chair. You don’t have to sit on the ball all day but try maybe an 30 minutes to an hour of your day. If you can do more, then more power to you. While also on the medicine ball you have the opportunity to get stretching in as well, so if you are able to try that as well.