Office Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk To Stay Fit

Office And Staying Fit

In today’s society, technology has made our lives much easier. Almost everything we want may be found within a few feet of our homes or places of business. Everything from meals to clothing to a variety of services and products may all be purchased with the click of a button. However, the potential benefits come at a high cost in terms of poor physical activity and health risks. People, particularly corporate workers, are now confined to their seats for 6-8 hours per day 5-6 days each week. Furthermore, many employees travel to work aboard a bus or train that is halted the entire way. Office Exercises are something, employees tend to underestimate.

Long periods of sitting are linked to a variety of health issues and challenges. According to the research, prolonged periods of sitting are linked to an increased risk of mortality. Furthermore, if there is no physical activity, the dangers are multiplied. Office exercises can make you feel refreshed and recharged after prolonged hours of sitting.

Office Exercises And Employee Health

Employee health is one of the most serious concerns for businesses throughout the world. Employee well-being may result in a variety of issues, including decreased production, low output, a poor work environment, and so on.

Due to the busy schedules of professional people, it’s difficult for them to make time to improve their health. In these situations, employers may assist their workers in improving their health by developing a health and wellness program.

Employee health programs are designed to assist employees in adopting healthy behaviors in both their professional and personal lives. As a result of their potential to educate and inspire workers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such initiatives are growing increasingly popular.

Wellness programs can assist organizations in addressing issues such as exercise, nutrition, sleep, and meditation. They enable employers to encourage their employees to participate in healthy behaviors like commuting by bike or eating nutritious meals.

One of the main aims of a well-being program is to increase physical activity and get individuals to exercise on a regular basis. Physical exercise has numerous health advantages, including better heart health, lower blood cholesterol levels, greater strength and endurance, and so on.

42 Office Exercises For Employees

In this post, we’ve put up a list of 42 office exercises that may be completed at the workplace. These office exercises will help you to stay healthy and gain fitness, whether you’re an employer or an employee. There are numerous alternatives to pick from, so you may mix them up every day.

A 5-minute walk before beginning these office exercises is a healthy guideline, as it helps to avoid injury.

Stretching

Stretching before and after exercise helps you to feel better. It makes your body stronger and it can help you not get hurt.

1. Shoulder Stretch

Raise both shoulders by extending and pushing your arms up, raising both shoulders. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.

Repetitions are good. They are good for the body. You can do them for 5 minutes at a time.

2. Tricep Stretch

Stand up straight. Place your hands on your hips and make a fist with them. Slowly stretch both of your arms behind you, only using the muscle in the back of your arm. Hold it for a few seconds, then release it again. Do this three times.

3. Bicep Stretch

Stand up. Stretch your arms to the side. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

Repeat for 3 times.

4. Chest Stretch

Place your hands behind your lower back and clasp them together. Raise your chin and push your chest outward. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Do this 3 times.

5. Seated Knee Stretch

Sit in your chair or lean on the edge of your desk. Put one knee against your body and hold it there for 3-5 seconds.

Do the same with the other knee. Repeat 5 times each.

6. Wrist Stretch

Stand up straight with your hands on the desk. Lean forward with your palms facing down and fingertips facing toward you for 5-10 seconds.

For me, simply reducing the dosage and repeating it 5 times has provided enough relief for now.

7. Back Stretch

Stand on your feet and clasp both hands together. Raise them high in the air and towards the rear of your body. Contract strongly on the back, particularly the lower back. For 5-10 seconds, keep your muscles squeezed tightly.

Repeat for 3 times.

8. Hamstring Stretch

Sit in your chair with your feet on the ground. Extend one leg as far as you can and attempt to reach as far as possible toward the toes. Hold for 5-10 seconds.

Repeat 4 times on each leg.

9. Neck Rolls

Begin by leaning your head forward in your chair. For 15 seconds, move your head gently in a circular clockwise motion. Repeat in the opposite direction.

Repeat 2 times in the sequence.

10. Torso Twists

Sit down in your chair and plant your feet on the floor. Twist your body towards the armrest with one hand on the outside of the armrest and hold for 5-10 seconds.

Using your other hand, put it against your thigh for support. Repeat on the other side.

11. Toe Touchers

Remove the weight of your body by bending forward from the waist. Extend your arms above your head and stand up straight. Bend down slowly and try to touch your toes without bending your knees. Hold for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

Upper Body

These are some upper body office exercises that can be beneficial for employees-

12. Desk Push-Ups

Place your hands at shoulder width on the edge of the desk. Take a few steps back and lower yourself toward the desk. Push back with as much force as you can until your arms are straight.

Keep your core taut throughout the exercise. Repeat 3 sets of 10 repetitions each three times. Make sure the desk is firmly fastened and isn’t moving around.

13. Tricep Dips

This exercise requires the use of a stationary chair or a desk. Move-in front of the chair and place your palms on it with your hands facing forward. Bend your elbows and descend towards the ground until your arms extend back up again.

Keep your back near the chair and your chest up. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions each.

14. Overhead Shoulder Press

This exercise can be done with a weighted book, water bottles filled to the brim, or anything in between. Keep your hands facing forward and hold the weight at shoulder height. Raise it completely overhead and then return it to the start position.

3 sets of 8-10 reps are recommended.

15. Wall Push-Ups

This is a modified desk push-up. Stand several feet back from a wall and place your hands flat on it at around shoulder height, then lean toward it. Bend your torso down to the wall and then straighten your arms.

Do not extend your arms fully. Keep your abs tight and your back arched.

In modern times, our lives are becoming ever so easy because of the advances in technology. Almost everything we want can be attained while sitting at home or the office. From food to clothes to different goods and services, everything is available at the click of a button.

But these conveniences come at the cost of low physical activity and health issues. Nowadays, people, especially corporate employees, are stuck on their chairs for 6-8 hours a day 5-6 days a week. Also, many employees commute to their jobs in a public or private vehicle while sitting the whole way.

Sitting for long periods is associated with many health risks and problems.

16. Tricep Kickbacks

Stand up straight, bending forward at a 45-degree angle. Bend your elbows and extend them behind you until you feel a muscular contraction in your triceps. Keep your elbows close to your body.

You may do this movement with weighted objects. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions each session.

17. Shrugs

Stand straight with your palms facing forward and your hands at your sides. Contract the trapezius and back muscles as you raise both shoulders towards your ears. At the top, hold for one second before returning to where you started.

Perform 3 sets of 10 reps each.

18. Arm Circles

Stand with your arms at a 90-degree angle to your body. Rotate your arms in a circular pattern forward and back. Repeat the motion 10 times before reversing it for another 10 rotations.

Do 30 repeats in each direction.

19. Bicep Curls

You can perform this exercise with almost any hefty object, such as a big book or a full water bottle. Stand with your feet at a shoulder-width distance and your arms fully extended down. With one hand, grasp the object with an elbow slightly bent and palms forward. To lift heavier weights, bend your arm and curl the object up to your shoulder while tightening your bicep. Lower the weight by fully extending your arms. Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions for each arm.

20. Reps

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands at your sides parallel to the ground, with your back slightly hyper-extended. With your knees bent a little and your torso lowered, push your hips back using your legs. To return to the starting position, keep your core taut and raise your body.

Do 3 sets of 10 reps each day.

21. Chair Squats

Sit in your chair with your feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees and slowly lower your body toward the chair until it meets up with your body. Push up to the start position using the weight on your heels, then repeat.

Keep your abs hard to assist maintain the back steadily. 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions are recommended.

22. Lunges

To start, stand with one leg in front of the other. Then, lowering the knee of the rear leg toward the floor without touching it, return to the beginning position.

Remember to keep your abs taut the entire time. Do 3 sets of 12 reps each day

23. Wall Sits

Stop when your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to the floor and return to the starting position. Do 3-4 sets of 12 repetitions each session.

24. Calf Raises

This exercise may be done anywhere. If you need help, stand up and grasp something. Raise your heels off the ground until all of your body weight is on your toes. Gradually lower yourself to the floor and repeat.

4 sets of 10-12 repetitions are recommended.

25. Standing Hamstring Curls

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and raise one leg slightly off the ground. Raise that foot behind you and bring the heel upwards towards the opposite buttock and then lower it back to its starting position.

Place your body weight on the foot of the floor. If you need assistance, grab a desk edge. For each leg, do 3 sets of 10 reps.

26. Side Lunges

Throughout this exercise, balance your toes and keep a slight bend in your knees. Transfer your body weight to one leg by bending the knee until it reaches a 90-degree angle with one leg straight. Repeat the process with the other leg.

Keep your back straight at all times. Do not lean forward. 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions on each leg

Core

These are some beneficial core exercises-

27. Seated Leg Raises

Sit in your chair with your legs in front and together on the floor, knees slightly bent. Raise and lower your legs slowly as you massage your abdominals with your hands on the armrests.

Do 4-5 sets of 12-15 repetitions each.

28. Seated Crunches

Sit in your chair with your feet on the ground. Put your hands behind your head. Slowly lean forward, keeping the stomach muscles tight. Go back to the starting position and repeat.

Do 10 repetitions of this exercise 3 times.

29. Standing Knee Raises

Raise your leg up to your chest and squeeze your abdominal muscles slowly. Hold for one second at the top and then lower it back to the starting position before repeating with the other leg.

Rest for 30 seconds between sets. Do 3 sets of 10 reps for each leg.

30. Desk/Chair Plank

Stand up and place your hands flat on the edge of your desk or chair. Until you are at a forty-five-degree angle to the floor, position your legs behind you. Tighten your abs and hold this posture for 30-60 seconds. 3-4 sets are recommended with 60 seconds in each set as a target.

31. Plank Knee Cross

You may do this movement with a fixed chair or a strong workstation. Place both of your forearms on the chair/desk and assume a plank stance with your feet behind you. Raise one knee to the inside of the opposite arm, keeping your hips low and your core taut.

Repeat on the other leg. Do 3 sets of 8-10 for each leg.

32. Seated Bicycle Pedal

Take slow, steady steps with your feet while keeping your back straight. Put one hand on the armrest for support and balance. Bring your legs towards your chest and assume the position of pedaling a bike. Contract your abdominal muscles as you start pedaling with your feet.

Repeat the process in a constant manner for 30-60 seconds, and complete three sets

Conditioning Exercises

33. Spot Jumps

Stand with your feet slightly less than shoulder-width apart. Jump on both feet until you’re a few inches above the ground.

Contract your abdominals while doing this exercise. Do 3-4 sets for 80-100 times each.

34. Pretend Jump Rope

Stand up and clench your fists as if you’re holding a jump rope. Hop on both feet and twist your wrists at the same time. Increase the speed gradually to incinerate more calories by standing up and clenching your fists as though you’re holding a jump rope.

Make it a habit to do so every three days.

35. Squat Jumps

To begin, make sure there is plenty of space in front of you so that you may leap freely. Stand on your feet and squat halfway down with as much power as you can. Hold your hands in front or behind your head, depending on the situation.

Do this for three sets of ten repetitions each.

36. Jumping Jacks

Stand with your legs close together and bend your knees. Then, move your arms above your head while bending your legs sideways. Return to the beginning position with your legs together and your hands on your sides.

Do three to four sets of ten to twenty repetitions each.

Isometric Exercises

37. Isometric Desk Push-Ups

Begin with the desk push-up’s starting position. When you descend the body, keep it in place for 10-15 seconds before returning to the beginning position.

Do three to four sets of eight to ten repetitions each.

38. Glute Squeezes

Squat down and stand up straight, keeping a 30- to 40-second glute squeeze. Relax and repeat the exercise.

39. Squat Hold

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands behind your head and slowly bend your knees. Then push back on your hips. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground and hold this position for as long as you can. Then go back to the starting position.

Do 10 push-ups 3 times.

40. Static Lunge

Stand in the starting position of the lunge and drop down into a deep lunge with your bent knee out. Repeat on the other leg for 10-15 seconds.

Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions for each leg.

41. Isometric Internal Shoulder Rotation

Move your arm straight out against the wall until it’s parallel to the ground. Place your elbow adjacent to a wall at 90 degrees and slightly flexed. Push your arm into the wall as if you’re rotating it outward while keeping your elbow tightly tucked beside your body. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Repeat with the other arm. Do three sets of eight reps for each arm.

42. Isometric Crunch Hold

Sit in your chair with your feet firmly on the floor and place your hands behind your head. Slowly lower your body towards your knees, contraction of the abdominal muscles, and hold this posture for 10-20 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Do two sets of ten reps each. So, get up and start these office exercises and move toward a healthier and more productive lifestyle.

A Word From Mantra Care

People who know they need to exercise more but don’t have the time or motivation. These office exercises are designed for busy individuals and professionals that want to keep their fitness levels high, while still participating in work-related tasks on a daily basis. They’re also perfect if you’re an employer looking for ways to promote physical activity among your employees. We hope this resource of 42 simple office exercises was helpful. If you think we missed any good ones, let us know. And be sure to share with other coworkers and friends so everyone can get moving together.

Do you want to keep your employees happy, healthy, and productive? Join our employee assistance program and get a healthier workplace.