Deskercise: One Minute Workouts To Do At The Office
Do you ever have those days when you’re hunched over your desk, hour after hour with barely a break for lunch? Everyday? Yep, me too. And this summer, my beach bod was a bit softer than I would have liked. Plus, new research proves that while you may be clocking in ample time on the treadmill, a sedentary office job is still a major health hazard. So what’s a desk dweller to do?
Luckily, short spurts of activity throughout the day can greatly reverse these ill effects, not to mention give your brain a break from whatever project you may be working on. This inspired me to make the effort to be more active during my work day. Easier said than done until I discovered the reminder setting on my PC. I set an alert for every hour on the hour with a punchy, motivational message to remind me to step away from my desk for a moment. It started with innocent stretch breaks and strolls around the office and when my cubicle neighbor noticed, I had my first recruit. We quickly moved on to more intense activities, like squats at our desk. By the end of the week we had our first set of office dumbbells (thanks Amazon Prime!) and now, four weeks later, a full-on workout routine done in one minute intervals. I won’t be running a 5k anytime soon but I do have some pretty ripped guns to show for it, not to mention a healthier heart.
Below is a sampling of a typical day but we’ll often choose to focus on a certain area for all six workouts, usually after a friend frenemy posts a particularly unflattering picture of our batwings billowing in the wind or our belly rolls in a bikini. I realize that unfortunately, not every office environment may be as tolerant of its employees having a makeshift gym by their desk, but there’s plenty you can do without drawing too much attention to yourself (until people start noticing your buns of steel, that is).
10am: Standing Yoga Moves – No Mat Required
I like to start the day with a good stretch. First a Dangle Pose, bending over with head hanging loose and gripping opposite elbows. A great stretch for the hamstrings and lower back. Next, Standing Pigeon. Cross one ankle over the other thigh, flexing the foot and sitting into a squat. Extend your arms in front of you. Repeat with the other leg. Finally, Standing Backbend. Place your hands on your lower back, fingers pointing to the floor and bend backward.
11am: Saved by the Dumb Bell
At this time I’ll usually reach for my dumb bells but assuming you don’t have access to any at your job, I have an easy alternative. (If you do, lucky you! You may already have some favorite exercises and if not, google ‘free weight exercises for flabby arms.’) For the rest of you deprived paper pushers, all you’ll need is a chair. Sit crisscrossed, genie style and with your hands on the armrest, push upwards to raise your body off the seat. Hold, release and repeat. Or for those of you who lack any upper body strength whatsoever, grab a stapler and do some bicep curls.
12pm: Core values
My colleagues and I are usually in our groove by now and I don’t want to be too much of a distraction. Sit up tall with feet lifted off the ground. Hold the edge of the desk and swivel back and forth working those obliques until it’s not fun anymore. Once you’ve stopped playing around, set yourself up in the hover pose again but this time engage your core and slowly pull yourself back and forth. Do this until you notice your boss watching.
1 – 2pm: Lunch
Even if I’ve brought lunch from home or order in, I’ll be sure to take a walk around the block to get a bit of fresh air and check out what’s going on in the neighborhood. I may or may not be tempted by the ice cream truck.
3pm: Push Up or Shut Up
I’m usually still digesting my cheeseburger salad, so I just do a few push-ups to get my metabolism going and get a nice full body boost. Sometimes, I’ll hold a plank for as long as I can if I’m feeling crazy. These are actually the only moves where I’m willing to get down on to the office floor. Just sayin, they are that effective.
4pm: Jumping Jack Flash
I’m usually entirely involved in a project by now and don’t want to take too much time, so I’ll just do a quick round of jumping jacks. If this is inappropriate at your office, try finding a quiet place to flail your arms unnoticed. I’m not above ducking into the restroom for this!
5pm: The Home Stretch
I like to end the day with one last good stretch. Eagle Pose releases the tension from the day and the balance challenge helps me get grounded after a busy day. Standing on your right foot, cross the left thigh over the right and hook the right foot behind the left calf. (If this is too hard, just cross the thighs). Bend your elbows at shoulder height and place the left elbow in the crease of the right, then intertwine your arms. Repeat on the other side.
And that’s it! A full body workout at the office. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Focus on your problem areas or find discreet exercises that won’t get you fired. The goal here is to move, even if it means just walking to the restroom every sixty minutes.