Move Over Jazzercise, It's Time to Deskercise!
Published: Jun 15, 2015
A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine warned of the dangers of sitting of prolonged periods of time. The researchers found that people who sit for eight or nine hours a day increased their risk for cardiovascular disease by 14 percent, cancer by 13 percent and diabetes by 91 percent.
As terrifying as those statistics are, many office workers find it difficult to leave their desks during the day. As such, below find seven simple ‘deskercises’ can be done throughout the work day and don’t require you to leave your cubicle or bring weights to work. While these few simple tricks won’t give you a bikini body or drastically improve cardiovascular health, strength or endurance, they can make office workers more comfortable and increase blood flow.
- Head and Shoulders – Start by standing tall. Relax you shoulders and let your head roll forward, chin to chest. Slowly rotate your head in a circle without straining your neck. Repeat 5 times. Relax. Then rotate in the opposite direct and repeat 5 times. Try not to raise your shoulders.
- Rock and Roll – Start by standing tall. Lift your shoulders as high as you can. Bring them forward. Push them down. Pull your shoulders back, and then return to the stating position. Repeat in the opposite direction. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
- Be a Cherry Picker – Start by standing tall. Stretch your arms up, one at a time, as high as you can, as if reaching to pick fruit out of a tree. Repeat 10 times, alternating sides.
- Reach Out and Touch Faith – Start by standing tall. Reach out each hand individually. Touch the tip of your thumb to the tip of each finger in turn, making the circle as round as you can. Straighten your fingers in between each finger.
- Baby Got Back – Start by sitting or standing tall. Tighten and squeeze your buttocks, hold 5 to 10 seconds and release. Repeat 6 to 8 times. Really concentrate on the “squeeze” for maximum results.
- You’re a Prima Ballerina – Stand with your feet comfortably apart with your toes turned slightly outward. Hold the back of a chair if you need support. Keep your back straight and slowly bend your knees over your toes. Do not extend your knees beyond your toes to avoid stress on the knees. Straighten by pushing up through your feet.
- Going Ham –Start in a standing position. Extend one leg out in front about 10 inches, lifting your toes and digging your heel into the ground. Bend the back leg slightly and put both hands on the thigh of your back leg. Feel the stretch in the back of your front leg. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Now push the toes of the front leg down to the floor and hold for another 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Tips adapted from Choice Chiropractic and Wellness Center
FOLLOW VAULT ON TWITTER @VAULTLAW, INSTAGRAM @VaultCareers and FACEBOOK
Read More: