Work out at home: easy exercises to try
Are you keen to add some healthy habits to your routine in 2016? Exercise can help to ease the stresses of work, boost your endorphins and keep you energised.
If you work from home, next time you need a break instead of staring out of the window or getting agitated, why not try a few office-based exercises?
No special equipment is required, just make use of what you have in your home office. Some of these exercises are suitable using a swivel chair while others require a fixed chair without wheels. The curtsy lunge and triceps press, which require a chair for balance, should be carried out with a fixed chair.
Youll definitely get warm but not hot and sweaty, so you should be able to sit back down and carry on working. These basic moves work all the major muscle groups, including the core, while encouraging good posture and flexibility.
Hamstring curl
Great if you spend a lot of time sitting. Sit on a chair and make sure your back is fully supported, rest your feet on a stable surface (such as a desk), exhale as you draw the chair in towards your heels, push back out and repeat.
Sliding split squat
Use your office chair as a support for the back foot. Keep your body as upright as possible as you slide the chair backwards, bending the front leg, exhale as you return to standing. Try to keep your front knee over your ankle, dont let it go too far forward.
Seated rotation
Rest your hands lightly on a desk, exhale as you gently twist to one side, flattening your stomach and squeezing your shoulders back. Lift your head for a gentle neck stretch.
Seated pedal push
This one is tough. Sitting in your chair, keep your body as upright as possible while with alternate legs you extend then flex your foot on each.
Curtsy lunge
Stand tall and straight behind your chair, with your fingers resting lightly on the back. Take your right leg across behind your bent left leg, return to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Triceps press
Find a safe, suitable weight to hold behind your head (such as a ream or two of paper), with your elbows bent back at each side of your head. Then straighten your arms, and repeat.
Wall squat
Squat with your legs at a right angle with your back flat against wall. Try to keep your shoulders back. Adding a weight on your thighs will make this move a little tougher.
Wall press
Stand about half a metre from the wall. Keep your arms wide at shoulder height with your palms against the wall. Bend your elbows, then push away, and repeat.
Tip: if you find it too easy, ask someone to stand behind you with their hand lightly pressing on your back.
Eye yoga
This gives your eyes a break from the screen. Hold a pencil in each hand with your arms outstretched diagonally. Without moving your head, look back and forth between the two pencil tips. Move to the opposite diagonal and repeat.
If you have any current health conditions, are taking medication or have an existing injury you should get your doctors approval before starting any exercise programme.
Source: The Guardian
