You won’t exactly be “punished” for missing an aerobics class or
forgoing your weekly weight training, but that doesn’t mean you should
totally stop exercising if you’re on a full schedule.
There are very
simple exercises you can do at the office for those times when you
simply can’t squeeze in your gym schedule.
There are simple routines you could perform even while you’re
working, say, in front of a computer monitor. At several times in the
day, you can help your body relax by taking deep breaths
through your nose and holding them for a couple of seconds before
exhaling through your mouth.
Head turns are also easy to perform and help prevent stiff necks.
Relax your shoulders and slowly turn your head to one side; then
center, looking straight ahead; and then to the other side.
Hold each
position for about 3 seconds before moving on to the next. Repeat this
for about 10 times.
Give your shoulders a similar workout by rolling both at the same time,
repeating the motion 20 times.
Prior to performing exercises, even those which are as simple as the
ones you’ll find below, you need to do some stretching exercises
to loosen your tired muscles and unwieldy joints.
Do warmups for about 4 minutes and cool down for more or less the same
duration.
Exercise 1 – The
Front Lunge
|
Get up from your desk and stand with the feet apart, approximately at
your hips’ width. As you contract your abs, make a large step forward
with your right leg.
Lower your
body to the floor by bending your knee, and hold this
position for 2 seconds. Use power in pushing off with your front leg to
return to the starting position. Switch legs and repeat this for 20-30
times.
This simple
exercises helps tone the quads, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and calves.
|
|
Exercise
2 – Front Squat Shoulder Press
Start by standing with your feet apart at hip width.
Contract your abs and cross your arms over your chest. As you
inhale, lower your body to your heels into a squat. Make sure that your
knees are aligned with your ankles.
Hold this position for 2 seconds, and then slowly revert to the
starting position as you exhale. Raise your arms as you stand, but do
not lock them. Refrain from arching your back. Repeat this exercise 20
times.
These squats help tone the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, shoulders, and
quads.
Exercise
3 – Abdominal Curls
As you sit on the edge of your chair (make sure it’s stable), extend
your arms in front.
While keeping your back straight, slowly contract your abdominal
muscles and lower your torso towards the back of your chair without
letting your back touch the seat. Hold this position for 2 seconds and
repeat 10 times.
A variation of this exercise is done by crossing your arms over your
chest and curling your shoulder downwards towards your hips, pulling
your abs in. Hold your position for 20 seconds and repeat 10 times.
When doing these exercises, make sure you remove high-heeled shoes
and constricting jackets. You can also make use of paraphernalia, such
as a body toning bar, for the first two office workouts.
