Deskercise - simple exercises to keep you moving at work!

Worried about the lack of exercise you’re getting by sitting down at work all day? It’s not doing our health a lot of favours, the human body is designed to move! But don’t worry because there are some discreet movements you can perform to stop pesky pins and needles, weak legs, stiff shoulders and backache.

These exercises won’t promise instant Olympic athletic results, but short bouts of stretches and strength exercises can help improve overall fitness levels and heart health.

Here are 5 easy work-friendly exercises:

The Wall Sit

Wall sits are great for building strength and endurance. If you’re visiting someone’s desk for a quick meeting, instead of taking your chair, stand with your back against the wall, bend the knees and slide your back down the wall so that your thighs are parallel to the floor and hold for at least a minute!

A wall sit is great for strengthening the quadriceps and sculpting the thighs, calves and lower abs.

The Pesky Printer (Calf Raises)

We all know how frustrating it can be waiting for the printer to cooperate, but why fret when you could be sculpting your calves! Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and stand up on your toes, pause at the top then come back down, repeat until the printing or scanning is done!

Calf raises improve your muscular strength and will help to define lower legs. This simple exercise improves overall balance. Calf raises are also a recommended rehabilitative exercise for people with Achilles tendon injuries.

Keep Rollin’ (Neck Roll)

Our necks can get stiff and achy while hunched over at a desk typing, reading emails, documents and spreadsheets. Every so often, drop your chin and roll your neck clockwise and again anti-clockwise. Then gently bend your neck over to each side.

Rolling your neck can reduce discomfort caused by daily activities and help improve flexibility and posture.

(The Silent) Ab Squeeze

No one will ever know you’re casually working on your abs with this simple ‘deskercise’ - Take a deep breath and tighten your abdominal muscles, bring them in towards your spine as you slowly exhale. Keep them squeezed for 5-10 seconds.

Ab squeezes won’t give you an instant six-pack, but tightening stomach muscles can help strengthen your core and improve muscle tone.

(I Dunno!) Shoulder Shrug

This shoulder shrug is not one for when you’re in a department meeting! Simply raise both shoulders to your ears, hold for 5 seconds and release, repeat for 15 reps. Simple shoulder shrugs ease the tension in your neck, shoulders and upper back.

Shoulder shrugs target the trapezius muscles which when strengthened, help maintain a proper posture. Working on these muscles may help with other exercises such as lifting and bending.