8 exercises you can do at work
March 27, 2015
According to a recent BBC article Office workers are risking their health due to being too sedentary.
Here were look at 8 simple exercises you can do whilst at work…. Go on, give it a go – and even better, get your colleagues involved too!
I’m sure we don’t need to remind you, but please don’t use a chair with wheels for these exercises!
1) Chair dips
Acquire the position as pictured below by squatting out in front of your chair and holding onto the chair using the back of your hands. Bend your arms and legs a short distance into a lower dip and straighten to return. Repeat 10 times.
Yes, this one may make you look a little silly but it’s worth it to tone the arms.
2) Walking
There’s nothing better than a good walk. Grab your trainers and head out for 5-10 minutes on your lunch break. You’ll work up an appetite and get the heart and muscles working.
Make it harder – hold a pair of light weights and/or speed up the pace.
3) Lunges
A great exercise to work the thighs, calves and buttocks. Stand up straight with a couple of metre’s space in front of you. Take a large step into the space and bend your back knee into a lunge.
Make it harder – hold a pair of light weights in each hand as shown above.
4) Chair twist
This is a great exercise for those of you that sit at a desk all day. Shuffle forward on your chair. Keep a good posture and rotate your upper body side-to-side. Hold each stretch for a few seconds and repeat 10 times each way.
5) Press-ups
Find a quiet corner where no-one is watching and give your body an all over work out with a quick set of press-ups. Hold the position below, keep your body straight and tight and bend your elbows to dip down to the floor. Repeat 10 times.
Make it easier – bend your knees and let them rest onto the mat, maintain the same body position and go again. Easier still, try press-ups up against the wall.
6) Chair squats
Stand up from your chair. With your arms stretched out in front of you go to sit down but stop before sitting down. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds and repeat 5 times.
7) Wrist stretches
This is a good one to do if you work with a keyboard and mouse all day. Hold the arm to be stretched straight out in front of you. Use the other hand to stretch the wrist down and up. Hold each stretch for a few seconds and repeat with the other hand.
8) Calf raises
You can do these on a step (see picture) to add more resistance or just deliver a few reps whilst waiting for the kettle to boil in the coffee room.
Stand with your arms at your side, feet shoulder width apart. Push up onto your toes and hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 10 times
Make it harder – add in a step, try one legged or add light weights in your hands.
We hope you have fun doing these exercises and we look forward to seeing your pictures via #workoutatwork on twitter, facebook and instagram!