8 Easy Ways to Exercise in the Office

If you spend the majority of your day in a sedentary position, then you need these exercises to get your blood flowing! Here are 10 ways you can include some exercise into the work day. 1) Squats

If you spend the majority of your day in a sedentary position, then you need these exercises to get your blood flowing! Here are 10 ways you can include some exercise into the work day.

1) Squats

Take a break to do squats! Hinge at the knees, bend at the hips and keep the back straight to complete a perfect squat. Knees should never bend forward past your heels (knees and ankles should remain aligned through squat). In the bathroom or with your office door closed, squats are an easy and clean way to work that gluteus maximus in your work clothes.

2) Seated “Jumping” Jacks

These sound like exactly what they are. Sit tall with knees bent together at the edge of your seat. Feet should be pointed with toes lightly touching the floor. Raise forearms parallel with waist with palms facing outwards. At once, extend arms and legs to straight and open. Return to starting position. Do 10 repetitions throughout the day. Adapted from www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/

3) Skater Switch

Sit at the edge of your chair. Bend right knee with foot flat on the ground. Extend left leg to side with toes pointed. Extend arms straight behind head and lean forward slightly. Reach left hand to right foot. Right arm should remain straight behind head with torso twisting to reach opposite foot. Repeat for 10 alternating repetitions, repeat throughout the day. Adapted from www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/

4) Take A Walk Break

Staying on your feet all day can burn calories too. You will hardly notice the difference if you are seated all day or if you take a break once an hour to do a lap around the office. One lap around a 1,000 square foot office is about 50 calories for 15 minutes of walking. Eight laps of walking around the office each day will burn an additional 400 calories to the workouts you already had in your routine!

5) Lunges

Lunges are another exercise to do in the bathroom or in your office with your door closed. Facing forward, extend one foot in front of the other. Your front leg should be bent at the knee, with the knee maintaining balance above the ankle. Back leg should be extended backwards, knee unbent with pressure on the ball of your foot. Bend back knee towards floor so almost in a kneeling position. Both knees should create 90o angles in this position. Lift knee back to starting position. Repeat 10 times. Repeat on opposite leg. This can be repeated periodically throughout the day. Lunges work your gluteus maximus and upper leg muscles.

6) Warrior Pose

You may know this one from yoga class. This pose  where you are in a lunge position with your core held in tight and your arms raised alongside your ears. Once in this position with left foot forward, hold for 30 seconds and switch sides. This can also be done throughout the day. This will work the muscles of your core in maintaining balance and the same posture for the 30 seconds. If you are ambitious, lower arms to floor and go into downward facing dog before attempting the other side – just like in your yoga class. This will give you a nice stretch between poses.

7) Watch Your Posture

The way you sit can engage your abs—or it can add to your beer belly from your Friday nights. Sit up straight, shoulders back, slightly leaned back while engaging your abs. You can do this while you type at your computer, speak to clients or in a meeting. It is easy, no one will notice and you don’t even have to stop what you are doing or leave your desk!

8) Balance with One Knee in the Air

In a standing position with arms at sides, raise one knee into a 90o angle. Hold for 30 seconds and switch to other side. This works the gluteus medius muscle and improves balance while working the core. This one is very easy and can be done even in the smallest of office spaces.