How to Exercise at Your Office

You may not want to turn your office into a mini gym, but there are exercises you can do at or near your desk to boost energy levels, relieve stress and burn calories.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Athletic Shoes
• Desk Chairs
• Exercise Mats
• Water Bottles

1. Try some squats: Stand in front of your office chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees as though you're sitting on the chair, keeping your weight on your heels. When your legs are parallel with the seat of the chair, slowly rise to your original standing position.

2. Opt for plié squats: Take a wide stance with your toes pointing outward. Standing upright, slowly bend your knees in the direction of your toes until you can no longer see your toes. Slowly return to your starting position.

3. Hold up the wall with wall sits: With your back touching the wall, move your feet away from the wall so that the wall is supporting the weight of your back. Bend your knees so that your legs form a 90-degree angle. Hold as long as you can.

4. Pose like a warrior - with a lunge: With your arms by your side, take a giant step forward with your right leg so your thigh is parallel with the floor. Pushing off the same leg, return to your starting position. Repeat with the left leg. (Traveling lunges are also an option.)

5. During a coffee break, try calf raises: Holding onto your desk or a file cabinet for balance, raise your heels off the floor, then lower.

6. Peek into your neighbor's cubical while you do toe raises: Sitting in your chair or standing, lift and lower your toes while keeping your heels on the ground, or walk around on the heels of your feet.

7. Burn those buns with a gluteal squeeze: While sitting or standing, squeeze the muscles of your rear end. Hold, then relax.

8. Get on the floor and do some crunches: Lying on your back with your knees bent, reach for your knees, hold for two counts, then return to the floor.

9. Stay on the floor to do some push-ups: Perform push-ups standing upright with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, against a wall or lying facedown on the ground.

10. Do some dips: With the palms of your hands on your chair and feet on the floor, scoot your rear end off the end of your chair. Bend your elbows, lowering your body, then straighten your arms to return to the starting position.

11. Release tension with shoulder raises: Raise your shoulders up to your ears, hold, then relax.

Tips & Warnings

• Use discretion in the workplace by knowing what's appropriate for your work environment.

• If you're not familiar with strength-training exercises, seek the assistance of a personal trainer or knowledgeable friend to get you started properly.

• Always warm up or begin exercising gradually.

• Perform enough repetitions of each exercise to feel fatigue in the muscles being worked.

• It helps to have comfortable clothes on hand or a workplace that observes a casual dress code.

• Always consult your health care provider before beginning an exercise program.

• If using a chair to perform exercises, be sure to choose one without wheels.