For many of us, a day at work means a day sitting static in front of our computer screens, swiftly slumping into poor posture and painful positions that make our lives increasingly uncomfortable.
Here are two fast, fun and easy workouts that you can do at your desk to help stave off the slouching and keep your body and mind in perfect working order!
Workout One: Head and Neck
1. Keeping your eyes on the horizon, retract your head back as far as you can, giving yourself a double chin and feeling for the stretch up the back of your neck. Hold for 30 seconds then release. Repeat twice more.
2. Tip your left ear to your left shoulder, and with your right arm by your side, push down through your flexed right hand towards the ground. You should feel this stretch up the right side of your neck. Hold for 30 seconds then release. Repeat on the other side.
3. Stand up with your feet hip width apart, your knees slightly bent and interlace your hands behind your back (if you can’t interlace your fingers, grab opposite elbows instead). Lift your gaze and your heart to the sky as you draw your shoulder blades together. You should feel this stretch right across the front of your shoulders and chest. Hold for 30 seconds then release. Repeat twice more.
4. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and swing your arms around your torso, letting the momentum turn your whole body (from toes to head). To protect your knees be sure to let your heel lift as you’re turning. Swivel like this for as long as you feel like!
Workout Two: Arms and Legs
1. Stand with your back against a wall and your arms by your sides with your palms facing forward. Keeping your body against the wall, sweep your arms in a circular direction out and up as far as you can towards vertical, then sweep back down again. Repeat twice more.
2. Interlace your fingers and lift your arms above your head, turning your interlaced palms to the ceiling. Lunge the length of your office, being sure to complete an even number of lunges on each leg.
3. Stand on one leg and bend the heel of the other up towards your butt. Grab your foot in your hands, squeeze your shoulder blades together and push forward through your hips. You should feel the stretch in the front of your thighs and across your chest. Hold for 30 seconds then release. Repeat on the other side.
4. Stand on one leg and cross the other leg over above the knee, making a figure 4 shape. Keeping your chest lifted and your eyes on the horizon, sit your hips back and down until you feel a stretch in your butt. Hold for as long as you can, then repeat on the other side.
