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Four Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk
It’s the sad trend that we Americans sit at desks and/or commute all
day and aren’t up performing physical activity. The human body
wasn’t designed to just sit around, which is partially why obesity and
other health concerns related to physical activity have become such a
problem. The good news is, being tied to a desk all day doesn’t
mean you can’t stay healthy. Here are 4 great exercises you can do
to keep active without leaving the comfort of your cubicle during the
day.
Quick Cardio
In order to keep your heart healthy, you have to elevate your heart rate
often. It’s best to get your heart rate up and keep it up for a
minimum of 20 to 30 minutes. But every little bit counts.
When you have 5 minutes free during the day, it’s enough to get the
blood pumping and burn some calories. Here’s a great way to get
your blood moving without having to leave your chair. First, pump
your arms up and down above your head for 30 seconds. Next, then tap
your feet rapidly back and forth like you’re trying to run in place.
Now alternate these back and forth for about 5 minutes. If you can
bring an exercise ball in to work, then it's all the better. While
you do these moves you can bounce on the ball.
Arm Stretches
Stretching your arms and wrists is a great idea if you sit at a desk all
day and type. It can help relieve stress from the repeated actions.
Here are some wrist and arm stretches that can be done quickly and
easily. First extend your arm in front of you, with your wrist
bent back so your palm is facing out. Use the other arm to pull
back your hand; you should be able to feel your whole arm stretching
out. After repeating this exercise with both arms, press your
palms firmly together in front of you. Be sure to keep your elbows
bent and lifted. Bend your wrists back and forth, pushing with
your hands.
Leg lifts
Constantly staying in the same position all day, whether sitting or
standing can be damaging to your legs. This exercise will help
increase leg circulation and improve the health of your legs.
While sitting in your chair, simply extend one leg until it is straight.
Hold, then return it back to the floor. Continue this exercise for
a few minutes, alternating legs. Lift one leg a few inches off the
floor while keeping your knees bent. Again, you should hold and release,
then repeat for a few minutes with both legs. If you bring your
knee up high enough you will also get an ab workout from it.
Back stretches
Sitting or standing on your legs all day can not only damage your legs,
it can be murder on your back. Desk workers commonly have chronic
back problems. The best way to relieve back pain at work actually
takes no extra time out of your day, it just requires a bit of
concentration. Make sure you use proper posture throughout the
day. Sitting straight up in your chair all day without slouching
can cause long term relief of pain. If you need temporary relief
of back pain, simply arch your back by pulling your stomach forward and
bending your shoulders back. Another great way to stretch your
back is to keep your lower body facing forward in your chair while
turning your upper body.
While these exercises aren’t going to give you a killer body, they will
help you feel better and make you healthier. This will also
improve your productivity during the afternoon. Make sure and get
out of your chair and walk around frequently through out the day.
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