The Quick Workout You Can Do At Your Home Office Desk
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If you have a desk job, you know about the inevitable stiffness at the end of the day from long hours of sitting. Even though Americans are working longer hours than ever, the human body was not designed to remain seated for long periods of time. Inactivity can cause tightness in your muscles, which, in turn, can cause pain and discomfort in your shoulders, back, and pelvis.
One of the easiest ways to remedy this situation is by standing up from your desk frequently to stretch and move around. However, we like to take it one step farther and get in a workout on our lunch break. Even if you have limited time while working from home or the office, this quick office workout can allow you to activate your muscles, break a sweat, and come back to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to take on the dreaded afternoon slump.
How is This Office Workout Beginner-Friendly?
Whether you work from a home office setup, or work out of an office, most of us can readily agree that we do not have exercise equipment stashed nearby. This office workout uses only bodyweight movements, and makes use of both your desk and your chair to give you a quality workout with absolutely no equipment. Since this workout uses no weights, it’s the perfect workout option for beginners, with added challenges if you want to increase the difficulty!
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10 Minute Quick Office Workout To Do At Your Desk
Suggested:
5-10 minute warmup, such as walking or active stretching.
Modification:
Since each exercise is performed for one minute, take your time going through each movement. If this is your first time doing a workout like this, rest as needed.
Office Workout Exercise List
Do one set of each exercise for one minute. Make sure to focus on correct form, not speed, until you feel more comfortable with the movements.
Chair Squats
How-to: Stand still in front of your chair, with the back of your legs just barely in front of the edge of your chair. Send your hips back, as you lower down to the chair. Lightly touch your butt to the chair before coming back to standing, making sure to engage the glutes at the top by squeezing the butt.
Form tip: Don’t shorten the reps. Make sure that you fully stand up between each rep.
Pass Through Lunges
How-to: Standing parallel to your desk (or away from, wherever you have enough space in front and behind you), step forward with the right leg. Bend the knee and sink down into the lunge, making sure that the knee is directly over the ankle in the front leg. Press back through the forward foot to come to standing, and then, in one motion, swing it behind you. Bend the back knee, sinking into the reverse lunge. Continue alternating between forward and back lunge on the right side for 1:00. Then, switch to the opposite side for one minute.
Form tip: Avoid leaning forward into the lunge. Your torso should be vertical; your shoulders and hips are connected in one line.
Modification: If you need to adjust your balance between forward and reverse lunges, you can tap the toe in the middle before shifting into the next lunge. Only go as deep into the lunge as you can safely press back out of.
Challenge: If you want added difficulty (and a short cardio burst!), you can substitute the pass through lunges for jumping switch lunges. Each time you press upwards in this explosive plyometric movement, switch the leg that is in the front. Do this for 90 seconds. This is not a movement for beginners.
Incline Pushups
How-to: Stand facing your desk, with your body about arms length away. Lean forward, body in one line (make sure you are not bending at the waist), and place your hands on either side of your body, elbows pointing outward. From this position, engage the core as you lower your chest to touch your desk. On your exhale, press upwards from the pushup, fully extending the arms.
Form tip: Stand far enough away from your desk that you can lean forward without bending from the waist.
Modification: If the desk is too low, or you struggle with these incline pushups, instead perform this exercise against the wall. This will allow you to be more vertical, taking the pressure off of sensitive wrists.
Tricep Desk Pushups
How-to: Start in the same position as the previous exercise. During this exercise, position your hands so that they are touching the side of your body, with the elbows pointed behind you. Slowly lower your chest to touch the desk, and then on your next exhale, press up to extend the arms fully.
Form tip: As in the previous pushup exercise, avoid hinging at the waist and keep your body in one straight, long line.
Modification: Perform this pushup against the wall to remove pressure from your wrists.
Seated In & Outs
How-to: Sit on the edge of your chair, with your hands on either side of your hips, holding on to the edge of the chair. Bring your knees into your chest and extend them outwards to a 45 degree angle, leaning slightly backwards to fully extend your legs. Bring your knees back into the chest and continue to alternate between these two positions for 1:00.
Form tip: Keep the chest tall during this movement. Do not round or slump forward when you bring the knees into the chest.
Modification: If you do not have a stable chair to use for this exercise, it can be done on the floor from a seated position.
Arm Circles
How-to: Stand next to your desk, core engaged, feet underneath the hips. Extend your arms out to the side, palms facing down. Start by making a small, controlled circle in a forward motion. Keep the circle small. At 30 seconds, reverse the direction of the circle to go backwards.
Form tip: To keep the arms fully engaged, make sure to keep them extended and avoid bending through the elbow. The smaller that you make the circle, the quicker that you can do the movement.
Challenge: For added difficulty, you can use office equipment, such as staples or coffee mugs, to give your arms a weighted challenge during this exercise.
Standing Bicycles
How-to: Start standing, with the feet just outside the hips, hands behind the head, elbows wide. Pick up one knee and twist across the body, touching the opposite elbow to opposite knee. Alternate sides, switching between the positions for the full minute.
Form tip: Focus on bringing the elbow up to the knee. Avoid slouching down or rounding the spine to touch. If you cannot reach the knee with your elbow, focus instead on the crossbody twist.
Challenge: Add a chair squat in between each bicycle twist.
Ground to Overhead
How-to: Start standing with feet in a wide stance. Hinge the hips back, bending the knees, and keeping the back straight. Touch the ground in between your feet and then stand up, reaching your hands overhead.
Form tip: To avoid rounding your back as you reach for the ground, keep your gaze in front of you.
Challenge: Add in a cardio burst challenge by adding in a jump at the top of each extension. Touch the ground and as you stand, explosively jump upwards.
Standing March
How-to: Start standing, with feet underneath hips. Start marching, bringing the knee as high as possible. Alternate knees for the remaining 1:00 of this workout.
Form tip: This marching movement is a great way to loosen up stiff glutes and hip flexors before returning to your desk. Keep your chest tall and back straight and avoid slouching through the shoulders.
Challenge: Finish this workout with a round of cardio by turning this standing march into a burst of high knees!