Hurrah! You’ve finally bought your standing desk, finished your workstation setup, and now all you have to do is figure out which standing desk workouts would be beneficial for you.
If back exercises don’t work to alleviate the unbearable pain in your back, then you’ll need another alternative – perhaps incorporating work and workout together. Now that doesn’t sound like much of a bad idea, isn’t it? According to a study, women aged 50 and above who spend sitting most of the time are more susceptible to developing symptoms of cardiovascular disease, and that goes even with the younger generation due to an unhealthy lifestyle. If you really care for your heart, then a conscious effort, from the way you eat and allotting time for exercise would be of great help.
With more employees having to embrace the work-from-home setup, there is more time to take care of their overall health. Since a sedentary lifestyle has a negative effect on our health, we’ll give you seven simple standing desk workout you can do while working at a standing desk.
1. March in Place
The road to a healthier lifestyle begins in small steps, just like marching in place. This low-impact standing desk workout help burns calories, especially for people who are overweight or with obesity. It helps increase your heart rate up without putting a lot of strain on your joints. According to the American Council on Exercise, marching in place is a great method for obese individuals to get cardio in without the risk of injury that's associated with high-impact activity.
Once you have marched in place down and are ready for an added workout, try incorporating arm movements, up and down overhead, as you march to incorporate full-body movement.
2. Calf Raises
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If there’s one thing runners love doing, it’s running (obviously). However, due to this global pandemic calf raise would also be a great alternative after you use the treadmill or run around your place. Studies also have shown that calf raises are also a recipe for injury prevention. Experts add that standing calf raise, also makes for a good accessory exercise in any strength training regime.
To perform a calf raise, stand up straight, then push through the balls of your feet and raise your heel until you are standing on your toes, then lower slowly back to the start as easy as that.
3. Gluteal Squeeze
Time to squeeze those cheeks! Glute Squeeze is an exercise that strengthens and tones your legs and glutes, will build stability in your core, and help you tone your butt for a firmer backside! You will need to take a step, or low bench to do this exercise. You can also perform this at home using the bottom step of your staircase.
If you learn how to do Glute Squeeze, both legs and glutes will strengthen from this move. The focus will be on the leg in the back that squeezes and lifts. On the other hand, the leg that you stand on will also get stronger as it lifts and holds you up during the movement. This standing exercise will also teach you balance and core stability. Try performing Glute Squeeze a couple of times a week or mix it up with regular lunges, and squats for a well-rounded lower body routine.
4. Desk Push-Ups
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If you have quality standing desks, say the Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk: 2-stage Economical Option EN1, you can perform desk push-up for how many times you want. Because of its heavy-duty frame and double steel tubing that ensures stability even at its highest height, you’re confident that it wouldn’t easily slip and would still have your equipment intact even if you put pressure on the desk.
To do the desk push-up, stand two feet away from the desk, lean forward, and place both hands on the edge of the desk, so body is on an angle. Bend your elbows, lower the chest toward the desk, keeping elbows close to torso. Do 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps. To make it more challenging, hold the seat of your chair to do push-ups. You can even place feet on seat of chair and hands on ground, performing a foot-elevated push-up.
5. Standing Hamstring Stretch
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Another helpful standing desk workout would be the standing hamstring stretch which is proven to help ease pain and tightness in the hamstring caused by sciatica.
To perform this exercise, place your right foot on your standing desk at or below your hip level. Flex your foot so your toes and leg are straight. If your knee tends to hyperextend, keep a slight bend in it. Bend your body forward slightly toward your foot. The further you go, the deeper the stretch. Remember to exercise with care and feel your body if it can take the pressure.
6. Back Exercises
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Ease that back pain with these simple back stretches. Start from a spine stretch to relieve some tension and keep your spine supple. Another way would be sitting near the edge of the chair and placing your feet flat on the floor. Spread your knees apart and bend your neck so that your chin is touching your chest. Slowly bend your spine, lowering your upper body between your legs.
You can also look up to the ceiling, bending your back, and start focusing on the ceiling, and hold for five to eight seconds. Repeat five to eight times.
7. Biking
While working on a standing desk? YES that’s possible with our FlexiSpot V9U desk bike. Now you can bike without leaving your work, how awesome is that?! If you missed the morning commute using your bike, then let this under desk bike be the perfect alternative. It even features a pneumatic adjustment level so you move the seat up or down with gentle press. No knobs to adjust.
Did you know that biking is hailed as a top-notch cardio workout? Doing so, you’ll burn about 400 calories an hour, and adds strength to your lower body, including your legs, hips, and glutes. Study shows that cycling for 30-minutes can improve reaction time, memory, and creative thinking.
This new arrangement, biking while working or incorporating standing desk workouts on your daily routine, may take some time getting used to, but wait until positive things start to happen. Not only you’ll be able to improve your work performance, but you also get to save yourself from the possible hazards of having a sedentary lifestyle. Apply these five simple exercises and your body will thank you later.
