20 Exercises You Can Do At Work

The human body is not designed to remain seated for long periods or go without exercise but unfortunately for many of us, we are stuck in sedentary jobs. This results in a gamut of negative health effects, even if we manage to exercise each day before or after our jobs.

However, by using quick mini-workouts throughout the day, we can increase blood flow, build muscle, correct posture and even jumpstart later workouts or amplify stimulation from earlier workouts. In turn, these brief bouts may negate or at the very least, decrease many detrimental physical effects from sedentary jobs.

Below are 20 exercises divided in 3 sections: upper body, lower body, cardio/abs. These can be used as needed on a daily basis. For both upper and lower body exercises, attempt to do high reps (15+) or to muscle failure given the weight used will likely be very light. Ab exercises should follow the same rule since these muscles tend to respond best to high repetitions. For most cardio exercises, use moderate/ high intensity bouts of 30 seconds to 1 minute with equal amounts of rest (basic interval training protocol).

In addition, links to outside resources are provided for certain exercises that are not self-explanatory. If any other exercise is not understood, please refer to the exercise directory from either bodybuilding.com or exrx for more information.

Upper Body

• Multiple Angle Push-ups
  • Flat
  • Feet Elevated Using Chair
  • Chest Elevated Using Desk
• Desk Dips
• Water Bottle Curls
• Water Bottle Shoulder Press
• One Arm Book Tricep Extension
• Book Shrugs

Lower Body

• Body Weight Squats
• Stationary Lunges
• Straight Leg Jumps
• Single Leg Calve Raises
• Wall Sits (Legs At 90 Degree Angle)
• Jump Squats

Cardio/Abs

• Shadow Boxing (click here for a list of punching combos )
• Phone Pacing
• High Knee Marching With Alternating Shoulder Press
• Run In Place
• Climb Stairs
• Jumping Jacks
• Jacknife Sit-Up
• Lying Scissor Kicks