Monday Motivation: Deskxercises in the office
Here are some discrete exercises you can do sitting on a chair.
Adequate exercise is often difficult to achieve, particularly if you’re employed in a sedentary office job. While simple changes, such as taking the stairs or parking farther away from the office do help to some extent, you can improve your fitness at work by exercising at your desk.
Ankle and calf stretches
Hold one foot off the floor with your leg straight. Flex your ankle pointing your toes up. Extend your ankle pointing your toes down. Do ten times and repeat with other leg. Next, draw a circle with your toes, moving one foot clockwise and then counter-clockwise. Change feet.
Seated Leg Raises
Extend your leg straight out in front of you. Squeeze thigh and lift leg up and down in a slow, controlled manner for 15-20 repetitions, then lift leg up and complete 15-20 quick pulses of very small movement and follow that with a 15-20 second hold at the top.
Heel Raises
Sit tall, lift your heels off of the floor as high as you can until you are on the balls of your feet. Do this movement slowly and complete one set of 20 to 30 repetitions with both legs.
Glute Clenches
Glute clenches will help improve the tone and shape of your butt even while you sit at your desk. Simply squeeze your glutes as tight as you can. Hold the squeeze for two seconds, relax then repeat the squeeze. Complete these 20 short clenches – and then clench and hold for 30 seconds.
Stomach Vacuum
Sit in your chair with your back straight. Hollow your stomach by pulling your belly button toward your spine as far as possible. Maintain this position for five to 10 seconds, breathing normally throughout the exercise. Repeat 10 to 15 times.
Knee Lifts
Knee lifts target the abdominal muscles as well as the hip flexors. Sit in your chair with your stomach muscles stabilized and back straight. Maintaining this position, lift your right knee 10cm. Concentrate on using your abdomen for the movement. Slowly lower your leg and repeat with your left knee. Continue to alternate legs moving in a slow controlled fashion until you have completed 10 to 20 lifts with each leg.
Leg Flexion
Leg flexion allows you to discretely work your hamstring muscles on the back of your thigh. Sit in your chair with your knees bent to 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor. Press your right foot into the floor while contracting your hamstrings as if you were drawing your heel toward your butt, except your foot maintains its position on the floor. Hold the contraction for 30 seconds then repeat the exercise with your left leg.
Arm Press
This exercise targets the triceps muscles on the back of the upper arm. Rest your forearms on your desk so that your arms are bent to 90 degrees. Sit tall and stabilize your abdomen. Maintain this position and press your forearms into the top of your desk as if you were straightening your elbows. Hold this position for 30 seconds then relax. Next, place your arms beneath your desk with your palms up. Press your arms into the desk to contract your biceps and hold for 30 seconds before relaxing.
Source: Livestrong.com
