5 Fitness Tips for Work: Getting Fit at the Office

If you find that you spend most of your day in the office you are not the only one. By the time you get out of work you may not feel like getting in a workout. Although that may be okay, you still need to get in your daily physical activity. Did you know that you can get a small workout in while you are at the office? It is not that difficult, it just takes some time, creativity and you have to not be afraid of getting caught looking silly!

If you spend your work time sitting in a chair staring at a computer it is likely that you walk away from your shift with a neck and back ache, as well as eye strain, which is usually accompanied by a head ache. The only way to combat these effects of office work are to get up and stretch out. But why not stretch out and work towards dropping a few pounds while you are at it. Here are five great tips to keeping your body flexible at work.

Exercise 1: The Desk Lean

You can do this move with a desk or with a counter. Just lean with your hands up against the desk, like you would be positioned if you were on the floor getting ready to do a push-up. Now, do push-ups. This is just a form of a standing push-up. It stretches your back and your arms.

Exercise 2: The Chair Stretch

Stand next to a chair and put one leg up on it (it can be on the rungs, the seat, or if you are very flexible you can use the back of the chair). Lean in with your upper body and touch your toes. Repeat this with the other leg, for however many reps feel comfortable to you. Stretches the hamstrings and will help keep your butt from falling asleep from sitting so much!

Exercise 3: The Tippy-Toes

Stand up and lift yourself onto your tippy-toes, then down, then back up. This stretches your calves and gives your feet a good wake up call!

Exercise 4: The Twist

Remember that dance, from a long, long time ago. Do it. It doesn't matter how you twist or how often you twist, just twist. There is no specific form, just do it. Great stretch for your entire back.

Exercise 5: The Chair Stand

Sit down, if you aren't already. Now get up. Now sit down. Repeat. This is pretty much a full body workout, even focusing on your core muscles.

You do not have to work in an office to do these exercises. You can be a warehouse worker, a restaurant worker or even a retail worker. If you work where there are no chairs replace your chair exercises with this one last quickie: Touch Your Toes. That is it.

Get fit, stay flexible and don't feel like you are glued to your chair at work!

Source:

Marcus, B. & L. Forsyth (2009). Motivating people To Be Physically Active. Physical Activity Intervention Series. Human Kinetics. Champaign, Il.