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Most people who work in an office stay in their seats for long hours and have little to no exercise routine at all. Busy schedules, exhaustion, too many deadlines, and the like are just some of the factors that contribute to a sedentary lifestyle that numerous desk job workers have. It isn’t ideal at all, especially when multiple studies have shown that sitting for long periods is a great contributor to a lot of health issues.
With countless tasks at work and needing to juggle with other aspects of life, most people find it difficult to hit the gym and get a full exercise done. While you may not be able to physically get to the gym, you can still shred off your sedentary lifestyle for a more active one by exercising in the office. There are scores of desk exercises that you can slip in between your workday, and all of them are designed to get your blood flowing, increase your energy level, and ultimately get you on the track to better health.
As there are a host of options that you could do, you might be wondering, which exercise is the must-have in your workout routine? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to find out which one exercise that you should have in your office exercise routine.
How Can I Exercise In My Office?
Exercising in the office is actually easier than you think. You don’t have to haul in a full gym set at your workstation just to get a workout done. Most of the time, all you need is yourself, your desk, and your chair. There are also compact and portable exercise tools available which you can keep in your desk drawers if you wish to have a more challenging desk workout.
Desk exercises can be done anytime: before work, after work, or even in between work. If you have some minutes to spare in your lunch break, you can easily do a couple of bicep curls, squats, bench dips, and other workouts. Among all the exercises that you can do, the most ideal one is stretching. When you sit for hours at your desk, your muscles tend to get stiff and pressure can build up in your joints. This can lead to strains and aches in numerous places. One of the best ways, if not the best, to reduce all that soreness is to stretch.
Simple and Effective Exercise You Can Do At Your Desk
A full-body stretch can wake up those stiff muscles and increase blood circulation in your body. Stretching can also increase your energy, clear your head, relieve you of stress, leading to greater productivity and better well-being in the office. Since you’re sitting most of the time, your back and your leg muscles are the ones most affected and incur the most aches.
Doing a back and leg stretch can help loosen those tight hips and encourage movement in your lower body. To do this, simply lean forward at the waist, either while sitting or in a standing position. Slowly lower your chest towards your thighs, folding your upper half as much as you can. Next, straighten your legs so that you can stretch your hamstrings.
Another stretch that you can do to wake up your lower body is to do thigh stretches. Sit on the edge of your chair or stand, and grab your left ankle. Then, gently put it upward towards your buttocks. Switch sides after.
If your shoulders or arms are starting to feel stiff from all the screen staring and typing, you can stretch them out. Pull one arm across your chest and hook your other arm around it. This can pull the tension out of your upper back and rear shoulders. If you want to loosen up more muscles, you can slip in an assisted push-up by placing your hands on your desk, and pushing yourself away from it while in a leaning position.
Bottom Line
Stretching a few minutes a couple of times a day can help relieve you of job-related stresses. It’s a good idea to stretch before you settle down at your workstation, allowing you to loosen your muscles and keep your circulation flowing. Moreover, it’s also important that you take a break by doing stretches. Taking a moment to stretch and move your muscles can increase your level of activity, making you feel refreshed, energized, and healthier overall.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is it OK to workout after office?
A lot of individuals workout in the morning, before office hours. However, there are also people that workout after office hours. Afternoon to evening exercises can mean that your body is more physically prepared. Additionally, working out after the office can allow for longer sessions as you’re not chasing the minutes to finish things to get to work on time. You can have longer rest periods and a lengthier time to de-stress in an after-work exercise.
One con is that it has the potential to disrupt your sleep as exercises can increase cortisol levels. This can vary from person to person though. Overall, it depends on the individual. It’s up to you to know when you and your body are most capable of working out. The most important thing to keep in mind is whatever time you can workout is the best time to workout.
What is the correct workout schedule?
Your workout schedule should accumulate a weekly total of two to three hours of moderate aerobic activity, or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity. Still, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for a workout schedule as it depends on the individual and how much time you can devote to working out.
Does working out 10 minutes a day work?
Studies have shown that 10 minutes of workout a day do work and can help improve your overall health. Your 10-minute workouts should be ones that can benefit your general health and fitness. You should also keep in mind that 10-minute workouts are not ideal for achieving more specific goals such as losing belly fat or building arms. A short workout is better than having no workout at all.
