I understand that not all of us have enough time to go to the gym due to our busy schedule. You are probably tied to your office desk and spending most of your time working whilst reading this article.
Working 8 to 9 hours a day can be stressful so having a nice break to calm down helps to reattain our energy. Don’t stop reading, though. Maybe this is the perfect time for you to sweat or make some exercise moves without leaving your desk at all.
It turns out that there are strengthening exercises you can perform at your desk that helps improve your well-being. Are you ready to get fit at work with these beneficial desk exercises? Then keep on reading and thank us later!
Our Sedentary Lifestyles
As claimed by the World Health Organization, 3.2 million estimated deaths can be attributed to the inadequacy of physical activity. The one that’s responsible for increasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, loss of muscle and bone strength is our sedentary lifestyles.
We usually spend 9.5 hours of our time sitting throughout the day, comparing that to the hours of sleep that we spend on an average, 7.5 hours. With that, we’re doing a lot of sitting, and that’s a no-no.
There are so many ways you can sneak more workout activity into your busy day—exercise hacks. The good thing is, this kind of exercise can be done at your desks such as stretches and some chair exercises.
These exercises are the perfect addition to your regular workout routine. But before heading to these beneficial desk and chair exercises, be mindful that making sure we’re sitting properly is important.
If you want to get rid of that back pain and stiff necks, here’s what you can do:
- Make sure that your desk chair is in the ideal height. This help in reducing neck and back strain.
- Ensure that your feet can be flat on the floor whilst your knees and hips are at 90 degrees angle.
- Keep your lower back pressed against your desk chair to maintain a good posture.
- Make sure that 1/3 of your monitor is above eye level.
Beneficial Desk Exercises
Here are our top five beneficial desk exercises courtesy of DoYouYoga.
1. Leg Planks
You can now strengthen your legs whilst sitting at your desk without looking like you’re getting a workout at all! How are you going to do this?
You can simply sit to the edge of your office chair whilst your knees are bent over and your feet touching the floor. Then gently extend out your right leg in front until it’s straight and parallel with the floor.
Hold it for 10 seconds, then release it and repeat it with your other leg. Do this exercise five times on each leg daily.
2. Shoulder Raise
This kind of exercise, shoulder raise, is one of the best ways to soothe the tension in your neck. How can you do this exercise whilst sitting? Simply raise up your shoulders toward your ear then hold it for 10 seconds and relax your mind and body.
Just do one shoulder at a time then alternate. Do this five times each daily.
3. Back Twist
If there’s an exercise to relieve the tension in your neck, then it’s time to soothe the tension in your back. To start off this desk exercise, merely sit in your desk chair then you place your right arm behind your right hip.
Then twist it slowly to the right side and hold it for about 10 seconds. Repeat on the other side, and try to do this exercise three times on each side.
4. Chair Dip
Whilst you’re sitting, simply place your hands on the armest of your desk chair. Then the next step is to move your bottom to the front of your seat.
Make sure to straighten your arms slowly and lift your body next off the chair. Hold it for 10 seconds then go back to the beginning position.
Repeat four more times.
5. Foot Drill
Does foot drill sound familiar to you? Just imagine you’re in a field with some football players.
Do you remember how they tap their feet in place during their training? Well, you don’t have to go to an actual field just to do this one—you can do the same thing at your office desk!
Sounds amazing, huh? Take advantage of the time you’re sitting and try tapping your feet for 30 seconds or longer if you can at a time.
There you have it! We hope these five beneficial desk exercises will help you to strengthen, stretch and relaxes your body in no time.
Make sure to share this with your office buddies. Good luck on your fitness journey with Vivotion!