According to various studies, exercise can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer by up to 50%.
Despite these revelations, only a few people exercise regularly. This is mainly due to tight work schedules, which makes it difficult to create time for the gym.
Fortunately, we have good news for you. Here are different exercises that you can undertake at the comfort of your desk, irrespective of your job type.
Seated Leg Raises
These exercises strengthen your leg and abdominal muscles. All you have to do is sit on your chair in an upright position. Your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle, with your feet on the floor. Slowly raise your right leg till its parallel with the ground. Hold it in that position for ten seconds and repeat the same process with the left leg.
To achieve greater results, you are advised to do fifteen repetitions per leg on a daily basis. As you continue building strength, you can tie a small weight to your leg or increase the duration you hold your leg up.
Foot Drill
While seated at your desk, try tapping your feet on the ground for thirty seconds, three sets a day. Once you get used to the exercise, you can increase the duration, and the number of tappings.
Chair Dips
While seated, place both hands on the arm rest of your seat. Lift your body off the chair, by slowly straightening your arms. Remain in the raised position for ten seconds and do five repetitions. This exercise helps in building strong triceps.
Shoulder Raises
This is the perfect exercise for relieving tension in your neck. All you have to do is raise your shoulders toward your ear, and hold the position for ten seconds. Perform five repetitions per shoulder.
The Hovering Leg Raise
This exercise is a more intense variation of the seated leg raises. You only need to sit at your desk and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle, with both feet on the ground. Thereafter, raise both legs until they are parallel to the ground.
You are then required to lower your legs slowly until they hover an inch or two above the ground. Hold this position for as long as you can, then release. This exercise helps in building the abs and strengthening core muscles.
Walk breaks
Even though this exercise cannot be done at the luxury of your desk, taking a quick break from your workstation can help improve your fitness levels while boosting your cardiovascular health. Essentially, you can simply walk around the office, jog, squat, or stand.
Bottomline
In addition to the long term health benefits, exercise can also boost productivity at the workplace.
As mentioned earlier, these simple desk exercises are just as effective as aerobics and weight lifting, as they aim at stretching muscles and boosting blood circulation.
So what are you waiting for? Get started today!