The Secret Desk Workouts

Now stuck at the desk?…Have always been at a desk?…Feeling Stiff or just need to move around?…Here are some exercises you can do while sitting at the desk!

The Secret desk workout is a collection of different exercises you can do, at the desk.

Seated Secret Core: Sit tall in your chair with your pelvis slightly tilted forward. Pull your belly button up and in. Remember to brace your core (imagine getting ready for someone to hit your belly). Hold for 10 to 15 seconds, then relax for a breath or two. Repeat five times.

Marching Core: Move forward in your seat so that you’re sitting on the edge of it. Engage your core and lean slightly back while keeping your back straight. If that’s challenging enough, hold there for 10 to 15 seconds. You can make this harder by lifting one foot off the ground at a time as well. Relax and repeat five times.

Hand Behind Back Chest/Shoulder Opener: Sitting at your desk can make you hunch forward slightly, which tightens up your shoulders and chest muscles. To counteract this, sit in your chair and place one hand on the small of your back, palm facing out. Press the back of your hand into your back while attempting to pull your elbow and shoulder backwards. Hold for 10 seconds, repeat 3 times, then replicate on the other side.

Shoulder Blade Pencil Pinches: Think of this as an instant posture improver. Sit up tall, as if you’re balancing a glass of water on your head. Engage your core, then pinch your shoulder blades together (imagine squeezing a pencil between them). Relax and repeat 20 times.

Seated Torso Twist: Sit as tall as possible (pretend there’s a string on the top of your head with a balloon attached, pulling you up). Inhale, and when you exhale, twist to one side. While twisted, take five deep breaths, trying to twist a little deeper with each exhale. Repeat on the other side.

£50 Quad Pulses: Sit up as tall as possible and squeeze your inner thighs together (imagine you have a £50 note between your legs and you don’t want to let it drop). Straighten one leg and pulse it two to three inches up, maintaining the thigh squeeze the entire time. Pulse 20 times, then repeat with the other leg.

The March: Start out the same way as the previous move (sitting tall, squeezing thighs together). Straighten one leg, engage your quad, flex your foot, then return to floor. Repeat on the other side, keeping thighs squeezed together the entire time. Alternate legs, doing 10 times on each side.

Credit to Alice Oglethorpe
https://blog.fitbit.com/desk-exercises/

This can be applied if using a laptop, minus the “eyes at top”, however you can use a laptop desk raiser or even plug in a keyboard, mouse and into a screen to display.

Adjust your work area into something more comfortable and better for your posture

Its important recognise and make these adjustments to your posture throughout the day, to keep a healthier and happier back. This will lead to better focus. Take a walk around or look out a window when you have been staring at the screen for too long.

Ultimately, while we are all busy keeping the world going, we need to make sure we keep going!