How to Exercise at the Office

Most of us feel that we should be exercising more. But especially if we work in an office, it’s not always easy to get away from our desk and get a workout in.

The WSJ recently profiled septuagenarian restaurateur Shelly Fireman, who makes time for double workout sessions most days. He underscores how important fitness is for him: “I make time for it because I want to stay alive. And to stay alive I need to take away some of the stress in my life.”

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Mr. Fireman has the ability to work out twice a day because he’s outfitted all three of his homes—in Manhattan, Bedford, N.Y. and Italy—with identical gyms, so he never has an excuse to fall out of his routine. He also keeps kettlebells and an elliptical machine in his office.

He tells the paper that every workout is different, but they usually start with 20 minutes of walking or jogging on the treadmill or pedaling on a stationary bike. Next he spends 10 minutes doing three or four exercises that target one or two specific muscle groups, such as squats, lunges and leg presses for legs. The workout ends with 200 push-ups; some days he does them while wearing a backpack with weighted ankle straps inside for an added challenge.

At the office, he usually hops on his elliptical to clear his mind and melt away work stress. He often adds a few strength exercises to the end of the cardio workout. For example, if he did legs in the morning, he might use the kettlebells to do some triceps extensions and shoulder presses at the office.

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Mr. Fireman’s vigor for exercise and desire to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle is inspiring. However, not everyone has the wherewithal to be able to build two gyms; nor the flexibility to work out twice a day. So if you’re looking for ways to get in some office workouts, here’s an article that provides 33 “deskercises” that you can do at work. Our favorites include:

Cardio:
• The Stair Master – Take the stairs! Accelerate on the straight-aways and take two at a time every other flight for a real leg burn.

• The Slog, Then Jog – Instead of slogging away for hours nonstop, take a mini break for a stationary jog. Pop up from your chair (admire the butt imprint left behind!) and jog in place. Willing to huff and puff a little more? Pick up those knees! Continue for one minute, return to spreadsheets, and repeat.

Legs and butt:
• The Wall (Street) Sit – Standing with your back against the wall, bend the knees and slide your back down the wall until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Sit and hold for 30-60 seconds. For some extra burn, try crossing the right ankle over the left knee, hold for 15 seconds, then switch.

• The Office Genie – Raise your legs into a criss-cross applesauce position while seated in a chair. With your hands on the armrests, push upwards to raise the body off the seat and remain floating for 10-20 seconds. After granting a few wishes, release back down to the chair, rest for a minute, and repeat. Craving more magic? Try this balancing act while in a chair that spins.

Shoulders and arms:
• The Cubicle Dip – Using a sturdy desk or a non-rolling chair, sit at the very edge and place hands on either side of the body while gripping the chair’s edge. With the feet planted on the floor a step or two away from the desk or chair, straighten up the arms to lift up the body. Next, bend the arms to reach a 90-degree angle so that your body dips down, hold, and re-straighten while keeping the body raised above the chair. Complete 8-10 reps.

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Chest, back and neck:
• The Pencil Pinch – Show off your traps by rolling back the shoulders until the shoulder blades are pinched together. Pretend you’re holding a pencil between the scapulas (or try it for real!). Hold for 5-10 seconds, release, and repeat for 12-15 reps.

• The Pinstripe Push-Up – Standing one to two feet from a sturdy wall (not a cubicle divider!), lean forward until palms are flush against the wall, with arms straight and parallel to the ground. Next, bend the elbows to bring the body towards the wall, hold for two seconds, then push back to the starting position. Complete 12-15 reps.

• The Nape Shaper – For the first isometric neck strengthening trick, put your head in your hands as if exasperated by the workday (you may already be in this position), and press your palms into your forehead as if trying to push the head backward. Resist the motion by engaging the neck muscles. Next, clasp the hands behind the back of the head and try to push the head backward, resisting the motion with your hands. Hold each deskercise for 5 seconds. Slowly release, rest, and repeat 5 times each.

Core:
• The “Crunch Time” Crunch – While most jobs don’t condone in-office boozing, you can get the other six-pack with some seated isometric crunches. With both elbows on the thighs, try to curl the chest in towards the legs while resisting the movement with the arms. Hold for 10 seconds, release, and repeat times 10.

Curated Articles from The Wall Street Journal and Greatist