Everyone is busy in their 9 – 5 jobs and sometimes our work requires more sitting. To complete our office projects, sometimes we have to sacrifice our health which is horrible to even imagine. Our packed schedule is also responsible for ignoring our health but somehow, we have to find a way to keep our bodies.
So why not take out 5 to 10 minutes of time for our body while we are at our desks? These short-term office exercises are enough to stimulate midday blood flow and help us in staying active throughout the day.
Regular Exercises For Mid Age Adults In Their 50s
You do not require heavy dumbbells or a treadmill, mild exercises will be enough to stretch different parts of your body and get in a good workout session. Below are 15 office exercises that you can perform at your desk with no or minimal equipment.
Office exercises with Your Desk and Chair
- Triceps Dips
Muscle groups worked: Triceps and Chest
How to perform:
- Get yourself a chair with no wheels and is sturdy.
- Keep your palms flat on the chair, with your fingers facing away from you. Now, stretch out your legs and keep your heels on the ground.
- Lower yourself with the support of your arms and shoulders until your upper arms are almost parallel to the ground.
- Pull yourself up and repeat this at least 10 times.
- Desk Pushups
Muscle groups worked: Triceps and Chest
How to perform:
- Lean against your desk by facing towards it. Take the support of your arms while resting on the desk but your arms should be straight and slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Lower your upper body until your chest almost touches the desk, then return to the starting position. Do not bend your knees while performing this exercise.
- Repeat this at least 10 times.
- Squats
Muscle groups worked: quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core
How to perform:
- Stand straight without bending your knees. Keep your chair behind you and also keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Stretch out your hands in front.
- Lower down by bending your knees and keeping your upper body straight. Go down until your buttocks touch your chair.
- Return to the starting position and repeat this 10 times.
- Desk Plank
Muscle groups worked: core and shoulders
How to Perform:
- Lean against your desk with your body in a straight line, your elbows and forearms against your desk, and your hands together.
- Hold this position for at least 30 seconds.
Exercises While Standing
- Lunges
Muscle groups worked: core, quads, and hamstrings
How to perform:
- First, stand straight with your hands on your hips.
- Take out any of your foot forward. Bend your front knee while keeping it in line with your toes.
- Step back to the starting position.
- Do this exercise 10 to 20 times on each side.
- Side Lunges
Muscle groups worked: quads, hamstrings, and adductor
How to perform:
- Stand straight and tall with your shoulders wide apart.
- Take out one of your legs to the side and bend down until your thigh is almost parallel to the ground.
- Get back to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise at least 10 times from each side.
- Wall Sit
Muscle groups worked: quads, core, glutes, and hamstrings
How to perform:
- Stand with your back against the wall and your legs at some distance from the wall.
- Go down until your hips and knees make 90 degrees with the ground.
- Try to hold this position for 30 seconds.
- Jumping Jacks
Muscle groups worked: full body
How to perform:
- Stand with your arms by your sides and your legs touching each other.
- Jump up and stretch your arms sideways, over your head. Land on your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Jump again to regain the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise at least 10 times.
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Exercises While Sitting
- Leg Lifts
Muscle groups worked: core, quads, and hip flexors
How to perform:
- Stretch your back straight while sitting on your chair.
- Lift any of your legs straight until your hamstrings come off the seat.
- Hold this position for at least 20 seconds and repeat on another leg.
- Glute Squeezes
Muscle groups worked: glutes
How to perform:
- Keep your back straight while sitting on the chair.
- Try to contact or squeeze your glutes for 10 to 30 seconds, then relax.
- Repeat this exercise at least 10 times.
- Seated Flutter Kicks
Muscle groups worked: abdominals and obliques
How to perform:
- Extend your legs forward while sitting on the chair.
- Lift any of your foot up for about 6 inches from the ground, and pause for a moment.
- Relax that foot while lifting the other foot up about 6 inches.
- Repeat this exercise at least 10 times.
- Seated Knee-to-Chest
Muscle groups worked: abdominals
How to perform:
- Stretch out your legs while sitting on your chair.
- Hold the bottom of your chair for support and pull your knees in towards your chest.
- Repeat this at least 10 times.
Exercises with Weights
- Seated Shoulder Press
Muscle groups worked: shoulders
How to perform:
- Sit with your back straight on a chair. Hold a dumbbell or heavyweight such as a water bottle that is easy to grip.
- Pull it towards your shoulder making 90 degrees with your elbow.
- Push the object upward until your arm is fully extended.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly bring it back to eye level.
- Repeat this exercise at least 10 times and switch arms.
- Russian Twists
Muscle groups worked: obliques and shoulders
How to perform:
- Sit on the floor by keeping your knees bent and feet slightly off the floor. Either hold a dumbbell or any heavy object in front of you.
- Twist that object to the side by keeping your arms straight.
- Hold still for a moment, then switch to the other arm.
- Repeat this at least 10 times on each side.
- Biceps Curls
Muscle groups worked: biceps
How to perform:
- Stand straight with your arms by your side and carry a heavy object or dumbbell in one hand.
- Bring up the weight by curling up your elbow.
- Hold for a moment then lower to the starting position.
- Repeat this at least 10 times and switch to the other arm.
Perform these office exercises for a healthy and a fit body.