Wouldn’t it be nice if we could improve our bodies and avoid injuries by doing nothing more than simply sitting in an office chair working on our computers? Although this may seem like a fantasy, a new report indicates that there actually may be a few ways in which you can get a little bit of exercise when you’re sitting at work. Give these a try so that you can get some respite from the hours upon hours of inactivity that could threaten to be damaging to your health.
Some forms of stretching are actually possible even while you’re ostensibly typing out a memo (or, let’s be honest, checking Facebook or sharing articles from a comedy website). While your upper body is occupied, your lower body is free to engage in fitness actions, provided that you have the room to do so.
Try this on for size: rather than simply keeping your feet in place on the ground for the entirety of your workday, raise the up in the air and try to get them on a level plain with your hips. Optimally, you’ll be able to get your legs at the same plane as the ground. Keep your legs out straight so that you feel the stretch for a good ten or 15 seconds and then bring them back down to the ground. Do this a few times throughout the day and your legs will have gotten a mini-workout while you kept at your job.
Another thing you can do is simulate going up on your tiptoes even while you’re sitting. Once you’ve reached your tiptoes, go forward a little bit more so that you bend those toes. You should feel the stretch within your calf muscles, and after once again holding for ten to 15 seconds, roll back the other way to bring your feet back down flat against the ground.
You can also pay some attention to your abdominal muscles while you’re at work. You don’t have to do crunches right there at your desk, something that may certainly draw attention from your coworkers, but you might be able to sit up straight while tightening your stomach. If you do this a few times throughout the day, your muscles will benefit.
There are more pieces of advice at the link above, but we’d like to add that it’s also important to get up and out of your seat at intervals throughout the day. If you get a couple of 15 minute breaks, take a walk or even a light jog around the office. If you have room, conduct an even more in-depth stretching regimen. Or, switch your driving commute to a bicycling commute, which allows you to get fitness on your way to and from work.
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