Sitting all day for work can be taxing on your body. Add in a commute and any post-work Netflix binging, and your body is sitting for upwards of 12 hours a day.
That much sitting can wreak havoc on your health including lower back pain, carpal tunnel, poor posture, and tight hips. Not to mention, excessive sitting can be an elevated risk for health conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
If you’re sitting for long hours it’s especially important that you incorporate desk job workout routines to stay healthy and combat these elevated risks. Here are simple routines you can do to help you recover from your desk job.
Desk Job Workout #1 - Yoga
Being hunched over a desk can cause poor posture and weak muscles. Practicing yoga can help strengthen your muscles and improve your posture during long work hours. Yoga can also help improve your ability to deal with stress and reduce overall stress levels. Exercises like shoulder shrug, wrist release, and chair pose can help with ailments such as shoulder slump, carpal tunnel, and weak muscles.
Desk Job Workout #2 - Strength
Exercises that strengthen your core and work the back part of your body including your glutes, back and hamstrings can help repair the damage done from long periods of sitting. This desk job workout includes simple movements you can do at the gym or in your office.
Do three sets of each:
- Plank for 30 seconds
- Kettlebell deadlifts (15 reps
- Bent over row (15 reps)
- Goblet squats (15 reps)
- Dead bug (10 reps each side)
Desk Job Workout #3 - Cardio
Working full time means you don’t have a lot of time to spend at the gym after work hours. But even short periods of exercise can have major health benefits. Group exercise classes like our Boot Camp and Edge Strong maximize your time at the gym so you a kick butt workout in under an hour.
Other Tips for Working Out With Your Desk Job
There are plenty of other ways to sneak exercise into your workday without sneaking out for hours at a time:
- Trade your sit down desk for a stand up one
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- Set an alarm on your phone every hour and go for a five minute walk
- Do simple exercises throughout your day to avoid neck and wrist strain
Being a working professional doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health. Simple changes and movements can help you achieve health and fitness while working toward your professional goals.
