Exercise gives you energy, but what if you are sitting down all day at work or at home and you need a workout that can be done while sitting? These exercises that you can do while sitting down are perfect for anyone working from a desk or spending most of the day in a chair.

Years ago, my husband had to have back surgery (caused from years of Highschool & College football followed by a fall down an icy set of stairs) and it was around that time that we realized how little he was going to be able to do after the surgery since he would be sitting at his work desk most of the day. Before Mickey started working from home, he spent many hours a day at his desk. He spent countless hours working on the computer, making phone calls, sitting down while on conference calls, etc…

Some days he spent more than 10 hours a day at his work desk, which resulted in very little time moving around. This is not healthy for anyone, but especially a person recovering from back surgery.

While it is important to exercise, sometimes it’s hard to get the exercise that you need during the day. The problem is that if you are sedentary for too long, you will begin to have aches and pains like my husband began having. My husband’s back surgery recovery plan included seated workouts to help his mobility return, and it was essential in controlling the pain.

Often times, back pain is caused by an abdominal injury, hamstring injury, general leg injury, or a pulled muscle, so if you can fit in a workout or even squeeze in some exercise at work – you’ll be ahead of the game.

He had to find a solution and he did: simple exercises to do without even standing up (while he was putting in a full day of work)

Today, I am sharing some ways that you can exercise from your chair.

Unfortunately, his body didn’t appreciate this (backaches, etc… which come with being sedentary). I’m sure his heart health was lacking as well, begging for a little physical activity. When I was in his office one day, just visiting, I started talking to his co-workers. It turned out that everyone had the same complaints.

I hope these ideas help: Exercises You Can Do while Sitting Down in the Office

Here are seven exercises you can do while sitting down in the office that doesn’t even require that you get out of your seat.

Calf muscle toning

Give your calf muscles a work out by raising your legs up on the very tips of your toes while remaining seated. Your calf muscles should start to burn after a few seconds.
⇒ Hold for ten seconds, return to the starting position, and then repeat eight times.

Clenches

The beauty of this exercise is that you aren’t getting up and no one knows that you are secretly fitting in a workout.
⇒ For buns of steel, clench your buttocks and hold for ten seconds. Do five sets of eight reps

Ankle Rotations

This exercise can strengthen the flexibility of your ankles and make you less likely to suffer from sprains.
⇒ Rotate your ankles in both directions for five seconds. Do five sets of eight reps in each direction.

Arm stretches

Just because you’re seated at your desk doesn’t mean your arms can’t do just about anything they want. Many arm exercises can be performed while seated at your desk. Stretch the muscles in your right arm by reaching as far to the left as you can with your right arm while supporting it in the crook of your left elbow and then hold it there. Remember to keep your arms straight to get the best stretch that you can.
⇒ Feel the stretch for five seconds. Do eight reps before switching over to your left arm.

Rotating at the waist

Strengthen your core by rotating at the waist while remaining seated. Get into the proper position by sitting with your legs shoulder width apart and your knees bent over the edge of your chair.

It is almost like a wall sit position, but you are in your chair.

Rotate as far to the left as you can and hold for five seconds, then repeat on the right. Grab the backrest of your chair with your hands for extra support.
⇒ Complete five sets of five seconds on each side.

Crunches

Move to the edge of your chair with your feet on the ground. Lean back on the backrest. Then lift your straightened legs a few inches above the ground and raise your back a few inches off the backrest. Feel the burn in your abdominal muscles and hold for ten seconds.

If this is difficult, bend your left knee a bit or bend your right knee a bit.
⇒ Eight reps of ten seconds each can strengthen your core considerably when done regularly.

Leg Lifts

Starting with both feet flat on the floor, do leg lifts, starting first with the right leg and then the left. Lift your left leg until it touches the underside of your desk. Return to the starting position and repeat with your right leg.
⇒ Do ten sets of eight reps to strengthen your thigh muscles and your core.

Being busy is never an excuse to not stay fit. While you should always try to make time for proper cardio and weight training, never forget that there are many other ways you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine by doing this at work or even workout at home. Be sure to always stay hydrated by keeping a water bottle with you at your desk. Eat healthy foods – like my favorite one: 4-ingredient Banana NICE cream!

Doing a couple of simple exercises while sitting down in the office each day can, when done regularly, help to improve your flexibility, muscle tone and strength.

WORKOUTS TO DO AT A STANDING DESK:

If you have a standing desk like the AnthroDesk ErgoSpring Wide Standing Desk Converter, you can move from sitting to standing in a few seconds with the gas spring assisted lift. Standing desks do wonders for your posture and can help with back pain.

Glute Squeeze

While standing straight, behind your desk, squeeze your glutes and hold for 45 seconds. Release, relax, and then repeat. Do at least 10 of these.

Calf Raises

Standing straight, raise your heels until you are on your toes. Hold for several seconds, lower your heels back down, and repeat. Do this 30 times in a row, or more if possible. I often suggest trying to do this for a minute straight, then taking a break and doing it for another minute.

Standing Squats

Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips and your toes pointing forward. Looking straight ahead, put your weight on your heels and the balls of your feet. Push your bottom back and your feet forward-facing. Squat down, keeping your knees in line with your feet. Hold for a few seconds and stand back up. Repeat 10-12 times.

MY FAVORITE GET-FIT TOOLS:

WEIGHT-LOSS PLAN. If you are ready to really get serious & lose weight… My husband lost 30 pounds in under 8 weeks using this plan. (Here he was at 6 weeks & 25 pounds lost… the before & after)
YoNananas is one of my favorite things- it will change the way you snack. If you love ice cream or sorbet, this is for you.
You put fruit in (you freeze the fruit first) and it comes out like ice cream! My favorite combo is mango, pineapple, and one banana. I might do a youtube video on it.

3). The Ninja – you can turn anything into a smoothie or juice. It’s a huge hit in our family.

4. Put this under your desk & workout while you work. 😉

5). FITBIT- This one is wireless, so it is easier for me to keep up with. 😉 Track steps, distance, floors climbed and sleep quality and more, and stay connected with Caller ID and time of day (displayed on the FITBIT).

Learn how to lose fat, gain muscle and feel your best here.

Anthrodesk Standing Desk
You can order a standing desk converter from Anthrodesk. It will work with your existing desk & you can assemble it in under ten minutes. It’s simple to use – I can raise it with one hand, easily.