4 Discreet Desk Exercises to Get the Blood Pumping at Work

Having a desk job can really take its toll on your body. Sitting down all day can be a nightmare for the muscles, causing tightness and pain. Equally, if you are a city worker, maybe you have a long commute in the morning and at night, and you are just too tired to hit the gym or to workout at home. So when do you get time to exercise those tight muscles and make sure that the blood gets flowing around your body to help the organs work effectively? Well, why not get a little exercise in while you are working. There are a few simple exercises you can do at your desk that will help stimulate blood flow, letting your body know you have not forgotten about it. What’s great about doing this is it increases blood flow to your brain which will help with concentration and cognitive functioning. So if you really want to get your juices flowing so you can be next brainbox ‘ideas man’ at work, try these simple moves.

1. The Chair Lift

This is a great exercise for building arm strength as well as activating the core muscles, working toward that six-pack. Place your hands or forearms flat along the armrests of your chair. Put your feet squarely on the floor. Now lift your body off the chair slowly and in a controlled manner, lifting your feet up. Hold yourself there for 10 seconds and slowly lower yourself down. Repeat this 5-10 times each day.

2. Reverse Seated Sit-up

This is another great workout for the abdominals. Sit on the front of your chair and place your hands on the arm rests. Bring you knees together in front of you. Now slowly lift your knees as close to your chest as you can, and then lower them back down, stretching your legs as far out in front of you as you can. Make sure to do this in a very slow and controlled manner as the workout is in the process!

3. The Chair Press

This is for toning the shoulders, upper back and arms. This is also a really good one for going unnoticed by an outsider. First, sit squarely on your chair. Make sure your feet are planted squarely on the floor. Reach underneath your chair, gripping the edges of your chair. Now pull upwards as hard as you can as you try and push your butt into the seat. This creates a tension that tones the muscles. Hold for 20 seconds, release, and then repeat.

4. The Sit-Down Sit-up Squat

Obviously, one of the main aims of desk workouts is to make it as unnoticeable as possible. This exercise just looks to an outsider like you are sitting down, so if your boss walks past, you can casually just sit down like nothing is going on! First, stand in front of your chair with you chair behind your buttocks. Bring your ankles and knees together. Put your hands out in front of you can slowly bend your knees as if going to sit on the chair. As you get near to the chair, hover for 10 seconds before standing back up. This is great workout for the glutes and the thighs. Don’t let the marketing fool you. You don’t ned a gym to get a workout, but you do need a workout to get the body and brain functioning efficiently. The world is your gym, including your desk, so if you want a flat belly this season or at least a little toning, try these at-work exercises for a discreet boost!