5 Easy Exercises to do at Your Desk

Easy exercises may sound like an oxymoron to you.  But sometimes exercising can be simple; all we have to do is make a little effort to work it into our day.  If you are one to use the “no time” excuse when it comes to exercising, we’re calling your bluff!  Exercising can be as easy as sitting at your desk.  Yup, you can get your blood flowing, heart pumping and clear your mind with just a few simple motions.

easy exercises to do at your desk

We’re not meant to sit behind a desk for 12 hours a day and if you’ve ever done it, you probably know why.  Bodies are meant to be in motion.  Sitting still, especially while hovering over a computer screen, can cause back, shoulder or neck pain, headaches and poor circulation.  Plus repetitive work and motions without breaks and movement can actually make us less productive overall.

Sometimes long hours at our desks are unavoidable when we have deadlines to meet and clients to please.  These are the days when a little “deskercise” is in order so we are sharing five easy exercises you can do at your desk. So put that conference call on speaker phone and check out these simple activities:

Calf Raise Leg Lift:  Our legs can become very stiff and even numb when sitting all day so combat the tingles with some leg lifts.  Sitting up tall, use your calf muscles to rise onto the balls of your feet.  Then lift your lower legs from your knees to your feet using your quad and hamstring muscles.  Slowly lower your legs back to the balls of your feet and then return to a flat-footed position.  Repeat for one minute.

Arm Toner:  This one is challenging but you can impress your co-workers with your levitating skills.  Place one hand on each arm of your chair.  Lift yourself up so your bottom is off your chair.  This works your biceps, triceps, shoulders and back for a toned upper body.  Repeat 15-20 times.

Circular Motions:  Simply rotating the joints that are over-used and that carry much of our tension can keep you nimble and prevent numbness.  Roll your wrists and ankles 10 times in each direction and then switch.  Repeat for 5 sets.  At the same time, roll your neck in half circles to alleviate stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

Static Crunch:  This one is easy to do in a meeting without anyone else knowing.  Tighten and release your abdomen as if you were doing a motionless crunch.  Then do the same with your buttocks.  Alternate between the two for 30 reps each.

Reach for the Sky:  Stretching can release a great deal of tension.  Reach up to the sky and hold the stretch for 10 seconds.  Then lower your arms into two 90 degree angles like a “muscle man” pose and hold for 10 seconds.  Repeat 5 times each for a great back, shoulder and chest stretch.

In addition to these exercises, try to take breaks periodically.  Even when you’re in a time crunch, resting your eyes and your mind can be the best solution to many work conundrums.  Be sure to drink plenty of water and eat simple on-the-go energy-boosting foods like trail mix or a banana.

plus size sport braAlso, make sure you are poised for great posture.  That means using a chair that ensures your sitting position is ergonomically supportive for your height and your desk. This will help you achieve good posture so you are not straining while at work.  And wearing a supportive and comfortable full figure bra will help you achieve good posture as well.  When your breasts are lifted and the weight is distributed properly across your back, you’ll be able to sit taller and be more comfortable overall.

We hope these easy exercises help you multi-task at work, while also releasing some tension.  Remember, our best work is done when blood flows freely throughout our bodies.  And that can be done as simply as sitting at your desk.

Happy Deskercising, Leading Ladies!

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