Bring the gym to your office space with this workout
Stephanie Shephard
Contributor
When you lead an on-the-go life, attempting to cram in 30 minutes of physical activity can be a trying task.
Even when you’re bound to an office chair, it’s important to exercise to combat the health hazards associated with office work, like carpal tunnel syndrome or back pain. Here are a couple quick exercise routines you can do in your office that will keep your stress levels down and your muscle tone in check. Each of these exercises target the core areas of your body like the abdomen, hips, and back, and are recommended by researchers studying motion and obesity.
Wrists
Starting with your right arm, extend your arm in front of you, and with your palm facing away from you, use your left hand to
pull your fingers towards you. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat with the left arm.
Forearms
Press your hands together in
front of your chest as if you’re praying. Bend your wrists to the left and right, repeating this motion ten times.
Hips
Sitting tall with your back straight, lift your left foot off the floor a few inches. Hold for two seconds, and then lower your leg. Repeat 16 times, working both feet.
Legs
Sitting tall, extend the left leg until it reaches the same level as your hip, squeezing the quadriceps located at the front of your thigh. Hold this pose for two seconds, lower your leg, and repeat 16 times, working both legs.
Triceps
Sitting tall with your abs in, hold a full water bottle in your left hand directly in front of you with your arm stretched out. Lift the water bottle behind your shoulder, pause for three seconds, and continue lifting it above your head. When your arm is next to your ear, bend your elbow, taking the water bottle behind you and contracting your triceps. Straighten your arm and lower it down. Repeat 12 times on each arm.
Biceps
With your abs in and your spine straight, hold the water bottle in your right hand, and curl the bottle towards your shoulder
for 16 repetitions. Repeat on the other side.
Chair Squats
Lift up your body from the chair until your hips are just hovering over the chair. Extend your arms in front of you. Hold this pose for two to three seconds, and repeat 16 times.
Chair Dips
Make sure your chair is stable, and place your hands firmly on the seat, next to your hips. Lower yourself off the chair making
sure your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. With your glutes a few inches off the ground, push yourself back up until your glutes are parallel to the seat of the chair. Continue for 16 repetitions.
Ab Side Bends
Grasp your water bottle with both hands and extend your arms upward directly over your head. Bend as far left as possible while contracting your abs. Move to your centre and repeat on your right side. Complete 10 repetitions.
Ab Twists
Hold the water bottle directly in front of your chest, keeping your knees and hips forward. Gently twist to the left, as far as you comfortably can, while feeling your abs contract. Twist back to your centre and move to your left for a total of 10 repetitions. Do not force these movements, or you may injure your back.
