20 Easy Ways To Sneak A Workout In At The Office

(Photo: Courtesy of Chris Clinton / Getty Images)

Foregoing gym visits for long hours at the office can have very real consequences. “People who sit more have higher cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides,” says Tom Holland, MS, CSCS, exercise physiologist and author of Beat the Gym.

Related: 30 Workouts That Take 10 Minutes or Less

“They’re at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and numerous other health issues.” But adding small exercise breaks into your otherwise sedentary day can go a long way towards keeping you fit. Sneak any of these 20 simple moves into your nine-to-five to start.

Related: The Only 8 Moves You Need to Be Fit 

Briefcase Upper Body Circuit

(Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images) 

“Load your bag or briefcase up with a few heavy items,” says Adam Rosante, certified trainer and founder of The People’s Bootcamp. “Knock out as many reps as possible of the following moves: bicep curls, overhead presses, tricep extensions, frontal and lateral raises and rows.”

Toe Tapping and Fidgeting

(Photo: Courtesy of Reza Estakhrian / GettyImages)

Ever notice that restless people tend to be thinner than those who have no problem sitting still for long stretches of time? One Mayo Clinic study suggests why: All that extra toe tapping and twisting adds up tosubstantially more calories burned throughout the day. If you’re the wiggle in your chair type, don’t fight the urge to move around in your seat or rock back and forth in your chair — you can burn an extra 350 calories a day, according to the study.

Related: The 15-Minute Workout You Can Do Anywhere 

Chair Bridges

(Photo: Courtesy of Ashley Corbin-Teich  / Getty Images)

This move works your glutes, so it’s the perfect antidote to sitting on your butt from nine to five. Lie on your back with your heels on the chair, knees bent, arms at your sides. Using your glutes and without pushing up with your arms, lift your butt off the ground until your body forms a straight line. Hold, then return to start. Do three sets of 25, suggests personal trainer Amie Hoff, founder of Hoff Fitness in New York City.

Accordions on a Chair

(Photo: Courtesy of Mickey Cashew / Getty Images)

Work on your six pack on company time with this modified core move: Sit on the edge of your chair, back straight and tall, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, hands gripping the edge of the chair. Using your abs to control your movement, lean back, straighten your legs, the slowly return to the start position, making sure you don’t use your hands to pull you back to start, says Hoff. Aim for three sets of 20.

Related: The 10 Moves to Get a Rock Solid Core 

Standing as Much as Possible

(Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Barwick / Getty Images)

“Any chance you get, like to take a phone call or if a coworker wants to talk, stand while doing it,” says Gonzalez-Lomas. Compared to sitting, standing is actually kind of a workout, increasing your heart rate by 10 beats per minute and burning an extra 50 calories per hour, even if you stand in place, according to researchers from Chester University in the U.K.

Side Plank Raises

(Photo: Courtesy of Uniquely India / Getty Images) 

This works in an office setting because it’s a quiet move and doesn’t take up a lot of space, just the width of your body. Lie on your side propped up on your elbow, which should be directly under your shoulder. Stack your feet so they form a straight line with your body. Lift your hips off the ground, top hand on your hip for support. Hold for a count of three, and then lower back down. Do three sets of 10 reps per side.

Chair Pushups

(Photo: Courtesy of John Lund / Marc Romanelli / Getty Images)

Besides burning calories, decline push-ups with your feet on your chair work your core and chest muscles: get in the regular pushup position, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, but prop your feet on your chair, weight on your toes. Bend your elbows at 90-degree angles and lower your chest to the ground, keeping your back flat, abs tight, making sure your hips don’t drop. “This move is advanced, and you shouldn’t do it if you have lower back issues,” says Hoff. Aim for two sets of 10 reps.

Related: 10 Ways to Do a Pushup

Invisible Chair Squats

(Photo: Courtesy of Corey Jenkins / Getty Images)

There are lots of squat variations, but this one is so basic, you can do it fast enough to work up a sweat: Stand in front of your chair and keep your hands on your hips. Squat down as far as you can go without actually sitting, says Hoff, then slowly return to standing. Too easy? Challenge yourself by trying doing it on one leg.

Related: How to Do a Perfect Squat

Sitting or Standing Jumping Jacks

(Photo: Courtesy of Chris Schmidt / Getty Images) 

Ideally, you want to do the full-body version of this old-school exercise, busting out of your chair for at least a minute every hour. “Jumping jacks work every muscle in your body and are great cardio for calorie burning, and they get blood flowing, which is invigorating,” says Gonzalez-Lomas. But if you can’t leave your chair, try sitting jumping jacks: opening and closing your arms overhead but with your butt planted on the chair. 

Office Chair Leg Extensions

(Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images)

Leg extensions are recommended anytime you’re stuck in a sitting position for a while, like during a car ride or on a plane, says Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, M.D., assistant professor of Orthopeadic Surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. They’re a great move for desk jockeys too, especially since you can do them discreetly at your own desk or even under a table in a conference room. Sit on the edge of your chair, back straight, arms at your sides. Extend one leg out, flexing your foot, and raise the leg until it’s at a 90-degree angle with your torso. Hold, and then lower. Aim for three sets of 10-20 reps on each leg.

Related: See 10 More Easy Ways to Sneak a Workout in at the Office

By Sheila Monaghan