The scientific evidence is in for what we all knew to be true: sitting too long is a major health hazard. Over the last decade, research has revealed prolonged sitting messes with your metabolism, accelerates obesity, increases lifestyle related disease and can potentially shorten your life span.
That’s why more office workers are choosing to buy a versatile standing desk, which allows for a greater variety of movement throughout the work day. Standing desks provide for better focus and productivity for your important work, as well as the opportunity to stay healthy and fit.
The Happyard Adjustable Electric Standing Desks, after all, can be turned into makeshift gyms with a little bit of forethought. So why would you exercise at a standing desk and what are some pointers to get started?
Try these 10 simple exercises with your Happyard standing desk to give you a speedy total body workout, which covers all major muscle groups in the body. Performing regular intervals of moving or standing while working helps to reduce your risk of disease, improve your mood and productivity, and keeps your body functioning well and feeling fantastic without even having to leave your desk.
1. Walk or Jog on the Spot
Whether you do little steps or speed up and raise your knees more, moving at your desk can be as effective as going for an actual stroll or jog. This exercise keeps your legs and whole body active if you add arm movement, too. It gets your heart pumping, increasing circulation and mental stimulation.
The higher you lift the knees, the stronger the burn!
You may get more productive as a result. Exercising while working really can improve your creativity
2. Calf Raises
One of the simplest standing desk exercises you can do involves raising yourself onto your toes, making sure your heels are up and your body straight.
With your feet hip width apart, slowly lift your heels up off the floor. Balance on your toes for 3 seconds while contracting the calf muscle, then slowly lower. Perform 12-15 reps of this exercise, and up to 3 sets. Want to take it to the next level? Perform the exercise on only one leg at a time.
3. Glute Exercises
The gluts are some of the largest and strongest muscles in the body, so just because they’re ‘behind’ don’t leave them out of mind.
Perform a desk squat by keeping feet about shoulder width apart and slowly bending your knees while pushing the buttocks backwards. The aim is to keep the knees behind the toes, so take a quick glance down to check on this. Perform 12-15 squats, have a rest then repeat up to 3 times.
Other alternative if You don´t want to draw the attention of coworkers:
While standing at the starting position, keep your feet flat and contract your butt muscles and hold them tight for three seconds. Relax and contract again.
Repeat in a series of 12 repetitions throughout the day whenever you feel the need for some exercise.
4. Standing Desk Squats
To engage your legs even more and give your hips a workout, do some squats. The height of a standing desk is handy—hold onto the edges and ease yourself into position.
5. Right on Point
Let’s keep the legs moving with a bend and point exercise. With legs slightly apart, bend the knees a little until you feel the quads tighten up. Lift your right foot off the ground and extend it forward, pointing the toe if you wish. Hold for 3 seconds, then bring the right foot back in without letting it touch the ground, extend again out to the side. Repeat this process extending the foot to the back as well, then bring the foot back in and relax. Repeat the whole exercise on both legs from 3-5 times depending on your leg stamina!
6. Biceps that mean Business
Give your arms a workout on something other than a keyboard with a bicep curl.
For starters, you can do push-ups against it. Just place your feet further back, rest your hands against the desk’s edges shoulder-length apart, and lean forward with your body straight. Use a wall if the desk won’t do.
Another alternative would be:
Holding a water bottle, stapler, or another heavy small item, place your arms by your side, palms forward. Slowly lift the heavy item, bending your arm at the elbow, until your hand is about 5 inches from your shoulder. Slowly lower and repeat 12-15 times on both arms for 3 sets.
7. Hamstring Curls
This is one of the best desk exercises at work to lubricate your knees and loosen up your hamstrings.
Stand up and bring one foot up to your backside. Hold it for at least 5 seconds and then set it back down. Repeat this doing 10-15 reps for each leg.
Thanks to this simple workout, you’ll be able to strengthen your hamstrings. They are more susceptible to different injuries, so you need to be more attentive to them.
8. Core Values
While you’re sitting it’s a good opportunity to work in some abdominal exercises. An Office Chair with wheels is perfect, as it allows you to target the oblique abs with its swivel action. Hold lightly onto the edge of the desk with feet off the floor and swivel from side to side, controlling the movement with your abs. Swivel up to 15 times for a stronger core.
9. Lunges
You might need some extra space to do this one. If you can convince your colleagues to join you, find an open spot and get healthy as a team! Take a short 10-minute break while working:
Stand up and keep your feet parallel but hip-width apart. Now, step to the side, straighten your left leg and bend the right leg. Hold this position for at least five seconds. Return to a standing position. Repeat this doing 15-20 reps for each leg.
Of all the standing desk leg exercises to do at work, this is the most intense. That said, stretching beforehand is crucial as you could pull a muscle if you stretch too deep. This one will definitely help strengthen your muscles and boost your productivity!
10. Shoulder Stretch
You will hardly find an office worker who has never experienced back pain. This easy move will help release tension from your back and loosen up stiff shoulders. Stand up and stretch one arm across your chest. The other arm should be brought under and in front of it. Pull the arms close to your chest and hold for a few seconds. Repeat the instructions with the other arm.
You can do all of the exercises above with and without equipment. They’re easy ways to stay fit at a standing desk and keep your joints and muscles from hurting.