Piloting a desk from 9-5 isn’t easy. Here are a few tips to get a little more fit while you sit.
It can take a toll on you when you’re doing it week after week, especially on your physical body. Hell, apparently sitting is killing us, so here are a few ways to hopefully combat the sit and maybe, just maybe, get a little more fit.
Chair dips:
This is super convenient because you end up back in your seat when done and it’s fairly discrete as no one will be able to see you behind your cubicle walls.
How to: With your legs out in front of you, grab your chair firmly with both hands and dip yourself down and back up. You should feel the burn in your triceps.
Chair sit:
I love this one because it gives your abs some good burn without lying on that nasty office floor.
How to: Sit at the edge of your chair and lean back so that your upper back just touches the chair back. Slowly, contracting your ab muscles draw yourself forward until you’re sitting tall. Nice, right? To up the ante, pick one or both feet off of the floor while you do it.
Desk pushup
Pushups are a classic exercise, and one you can do anywhere, as is proven by this variation.
How to: Place both hands on your desk and take a step back with both feet.
Propose walk and talk meetings.
How to: Instead of having that brainstorming session with your team member in a conference room, see if the two of you can take a few laps around the office together instead.
Swap out your desk chair.
How to: Delight the boss and tell them that you will provide your own desk chair from now on and cut down on the office supply budget, and replace your chair with an exercise ball. These suckers are awesome because they give your core a workout just by you sitting on the ball. You can also lay back and do a few crunches to duck the guy from payroll when he comes trolling through the cubicles looking to chat.
The second variation on this is to stand and do your work. It isn’t too hard to rig up a DIY standing desk. Standing while you work has proven health benefits, has been theorized that it burns more calories than sitting, is better for your back, and as an added bonus, when zombies burst onto your floor you will be the first one to the elevator since you’re already on your feet.
Step while you stand.
How to: Buy a little stepper or make your own with a foam block, a stack of books, a solid cardboard box, anything really that will hold your weight. You can burn a pretty decent number of calories while you collate reports.
Cycle while you sit.
How to: There is this super cool little portable desk cycle that you can put under your desk and discretely pedal while you work. You can burn some serious calories and I bet it will make your calves look amazing.
None of these are going to give you guns like Arnold in 1980, but we think that you will be surprised at the positive impact that such a small change can have on your overall energy level, health, and physique. So enjoy hopefully getting a little more fit and experimenting with combining your workdays with your workouts!