Four Easy Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk
By: Daven Borders, Community Health Leader
Have you ever gone more than a few hours without standing up from your desk? Many modern-day jobs are sedentary, causing people to be less physically active throughout the day. During eight-hour workdays, people may find themselves sitting and looking at a screen without any physical activity. This can put a lot of stress on their neck and back, resulting in poor posture and inflexibility Added to all the sitting they do; they also must look at a screen for near on 8 hours a day. This puts a lot of stress on their back and neck, resulting in poor posture and inflexibility.
Are you tired of having a strained neck and back? Here are four easy exercises you can do at your desk:
#1: Triceps dips
This exercise is simple and will strengthen your triceps. All you need is a stationary chair. Sit at the front of the chair with both your hands facing forward. Put your palms on the chair, bend your elbows and bend down a few inches. Make sure your back stays close to the chair as much as possible. Then, straighten out your arms and rise. You can do 15-20 dips during a day.
#2: Arm circles
This is a great exercise to keep your joints moving. Stand up straight with your shoulders back. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms to your sides and create a long wingspan. Then, move your arms in small circles, switching directions in between. Do this exercise 15 times in each direction and repeat until you feel your arms and shoulders relaxing.
#3: Chair squats
This exercise will help you build your glutes and strengthen your thigh muscles. Too often, these muscles can start to loosen because of sedentary lifestyle. Work on this by standing up from your chair, making sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. Squat down, ensuring that your knees align with your toes and don’t extend beyond them. Then stand back up and repeat. Do 15-20 reps of this exercise once a day.
#4: Bicycle crunches
We know what you’re thinking, and no, we’re not asking you to lie down on the floor and crunch. All you need for this exercise is a chair that allows you to move. Sit down in the chair and keep your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands behind your head, lifting one knee towards the elbow opposite to it. Make sure you twist your body around and down towards your knee. Then, return to your original seated position and repeat for the other side. Repeat this exercise 15 times for each side, and you’re good to go.
Resources:
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-at-your-desk#3
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/29-exercises-you-can-do-at-or-near-your-desk.html
