Not all exercise is done at the gym and sometimes we are just tied to our desk with piles of what feels like mountains of work. But we have goals to meet, right?!? (Is anyone working on their taxes yet?!)
So let’s get a few exercises done at the comfort of our desks.
- Tricep Dips: Scoot to the front of a stationary (non-wheeled) chair or the edge of your desk, with both hands facing forward. Step forward until your butt clears the chair and your knees are at right angles. Bend your elbows straight back and lower yourself straight down several inches, then straighten your arms without locking your elbows. Complete 20 dips.
- Seated Leg Lifts: Grasp the sides of a stationary chair with your knees together in front of you, resting on your toes. Straighten one leg completely to form a right angle with your upper body, and point the toe. Keep your abs tight as you lift the leg an inch, then lower an inch, completing 15 to 20 lifts. Switch sides.
- Seated Ab Twists: Sit up straight and away from the back of the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Position your hands behind your head and lift one knee toward the opposite elbow, twisting your body down toward it, then return to the seated straight-back position. Finish 15 twists, then repeat on the other side.
- Standing V: Form a V with your feet with your heels together, toes a few inches apart, grasping the edge of a desk or table lightly for support. Rise a few inches onto your toes, keeping your heels together. Lower your body down as far as you can while keeping your back straight (avoid leaning forward), then lift up only until your hips reach knee level. Repeat 15 to 20 reps of lowering down and halfway up, then return all the way to standing.
- Wide Second: Hold the edge of a desk or table lightly with one hand and step your feet apart into a wide ballet “second position.” Lower down as if sliding your back against a wall (don’t lean forward) until you reach knee level, then pulse down one inch and back up one inch 30 to 60 times.
- Standing Rear Pulses: Stand holding the edge of a desk or table for support, feet together and facing forward. Bend one leg behind you, flexing the foot. Raise your heel up a few inches, then release slightly and press your foot directly back behind you. Continue to alternate between lifting your heel up, then pressing it back (one of each equals one set) 20 to 30 times, keeping your bent knee behind the standing leg the entire time. Switch sides.
- Wall Sits: Slide your back down a wall until your hips are at the same level as your knees and your knees are together at 90-degree angles. Maintain the position for 30 to 60 seconds, then release.
- Wall Sits With Heel Jogs: Slide back down into your wall sit position, and maintain it as you lift one heel, then the other. Alternate for 30 seconds, then release.
- Wall Push-Ups: Stand away from a wall and lean toward it, placing your hands flat and wider than your shoulders. Lower yourself down toward the wall, keeping your abs tight to maintain a straight line from your head to your toes, then push back up until your arms are straight (but not locked). Complete 20 push-ups.
- Incline Lunge With Foot Tap: Stand holding the edge of a desk or table for support, and step one leg back into a lunge. With your weight on your front leg, tap the back leg in next to the front foot, then back out into a lunge 10 to 15 times. Repeat on the other side.
Making physiological changes can change your emotional state and even your mental stamina. Get up. Do one. Come back and finish your project, babe. You’ve got this!
Lori J. Tisdale 