5 Easy At-Desk Exercises to Try

At-desk exercises are a great way to workout when your work requires hours of sitting. While being chained to a desk for eight hours a day makes it difficult to maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle, there are discreet ways to exercise at the workstation and keep your body in good shape.

We are aware that work can be stressful at times, so being able to take a break, unwind, and then return to the task at hand is helpful. Studies have pointed out that a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity and other underlying conditions.

Best At-Desk Exercises to Do While You are Working

Many at-desk exercises are created for people who have a 9-to-5 job and just don't have the time for a typical fitness regimen. It's all too simple to get caught up in work and sit for hours on end without paying attention to your body's needs.

You may find some of the easiest at-desk exercises below, which will help you stay in shape and relax your mind when you need it most:

1) Desk Push-Ups

Just like traditional push-ups, desk push-ups target the triceps and chest. You can use your own desk as the exercise at desk equipment.

It may just take a few minutes of exercise to avoid stiffness, bad posture, and back pain from prolonged sitting. (Image via Pexels/ Antoni Shkraba)

Here’s how to perform desk push-ups:

Lean on your desk while facing it, with your arms straight and your hands slightly broader than your shoulders.
You should stoop until your chest almost touches your desk.
Then, rise back to the original position.
Perform 10-15 reps.

2) Chest Opener

Many a time, sitting for 8-9 hours may result in stiff shoulders and chest muscles. Being glued to your workstation also results in poor posture.

The chest opener comes as an effective at-desk exercise to your rescue. It helps in opening your chest muscles as well as improving posture.

Here’s how to perform the chest opener exercise:

Sit erect on your desk with your hands clasped behind your head.
Your feet should be hip-width apart.
Put your hands back on top of your head, lift your spine, and stare up at the ceiling.
To extend the back of the neck, close the elbows and then gently round the upper.
Repeat the whole process 5-8 times.

3) Chair Triceps Dips

Your triceps and chest muscles will get stronger from this upper-body exercise, which also activates your core. Use your chair as the desk exercise equipment for this one. If you're just starting out with this at-desk exercise, you can ease the strain on your arms by bending your knees as you dip down and pull up.

Desk exercises help in relieving body stiffness. (Image via Pexels/ Andrea Piacquadio)

Here’s how to do triceps dips:

Hands should be placed on either side of your hips while you sit on the tip of a robust office chair.
Spreading both legs straight in front of you, grasp the edge of the seat.
Your arms will support your body weight as you nudge your bottom out of the chair and move a little forward.
Until your elbows bend at an angle between 45 and 90 degrees, squat down until your chest touches the floor.
By controlling your movement with your arms, push back up to the beginning position.
Finish 10 to 15 repetitions.

4) Ankle Circles

Ankle circles are also one of the best at-desk exercises. This exercise improves circulation in your feet and ankle mobility.

Here’s how to do ankle circles:

Sit straight and place your feet on the floor hip-width apart
Extend your right leg, pointing your toes upwards.
Draw tiny, clockwise circles for 30 seconds.
For 30 seconds, pause and make small, anticlockwise circles.
Repeat with your left leg.

5) Seated or Standing Y’s

This at-desk exercise strengthens the postural muscles in the shoulders and upper back.

Prolonged sitting and sedentary lifestyle may cause obesity and other issues. (Image via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

Here’s how to perform seated or standing Y’s:

With a neutral spine and proper posture, sit up straight in your chair.
Spread your fingers out, and with your thumbs pointed up toward the ceiling.
Maintaining a slight bend at the elbow, raise the arms in the shape of a 'Y'.
Lower your hands and repeat it 10 times.

Conclusion

The aforementioned at-desk exercises may only take a few minutes here and there to avoid stiffness, poor posture, and back pain from prolonged sitting. Exercise is crucial to warding against the negative consequences of a 9-to-5 job. With a little ingenuity, you may make the most of the brief intervals between due dates and start working out while you work.

In addition to these health advantages, exercising increases your productivity at work by enabling you to take regular breaks and clear your thoughts.