There are many people who spend their days locked in the office, in front of a desk and a PC, sitting on a chair for at least 8 hours a day. This refers to a very sedentary lifestyle that does not help one's mental and physical health. However, as personal trainer Alfonso Melis explains, it is possible to take advantage of the hours spent in the office with healthy activities.
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During a working day in the office there are many breaks, often used to smoke a cigarette or have a coffee. Both during the breaks and during the various work activities, it is possible to perform exercises that allow you to strengthen the muscles and tone different areas of the body. There are certain exercises to do which also help prevent back or neck pain. Exercises, explains Alfonso Melis, which can also be done together with other colleagues during breaks, to keep the whole team in training in just 20 minutes a day.
What does office gymnastics consist of?
La office gymnastics It includes simple exercises that allow you to reduce the discomfort caused by bad posture and train the muscles of the whole body.
Exercising during working hours is also good for the mind and that is why many companies have installed suitable areas for physical exercise and for their employees to relax. The gyms of large companies have numerous equipment, however, as stated in the ranking proposed by Rews.it, Just one, like the mini-exercise bike, would be enough to reactivate circulation and immediately feel more toned and healthy.
It is good to remember that a mini office workout program It cannot replace a gym session or an hour of walking, so it is advisable to go to the gym at least 3 times a week or take a walk after work.
In the office you can train your abs, glutes, and pectorals, you can stretch your lower back and therefore reduce pain, you can stretch to relieve stress on your neck, and many other useful exercises.
Here is a mini program curated by Alfonso Melis
You can start a little workout in the office, doing a little neck stretch: just sit on the chair, with your back straight, gently bending your neck to the right and then to the left. The neck must be left in that position for a few seconds before bending it to the other side. You can do the same movement by bending backwards and forwards.
One of the most discreet exercises to do in the office, instead, concerns the abdominals: while sitting, you have to rest your hands on the sides of the chair, with your back straight and your belly in. While inhaling, you have to raise your legs a few centimeters from the ground without contracting other muscles. This exercise can be done for 3 sets in a row, leaving a 10-second break between sets.
A second exercise to do can involve the glutes and can be done at any time, even during a call. Simply contract the glutes while sitting. It is recommended to do 30 contractions for 5 sets.
The third exercise is for the inner thighs: sitting with your back straight, use a tennis ball between your knees and apply pressure on the ball, first slowly and then quickly. At the same time, contract your glutes and thighs, exhaling when you squeeze the ball and keeping your belly in.
Arm and chest exercises
According to Alfonso Melis, sports expert at Rews.it, it would be enough to use small bottles of water to train and tone your arms. Simply raise your arms overhead, bend your elbow back toward your shoulder, and return to the starting position. It is recommended to use half-liter bottles to begin with, keeping your back straight and slowly moving your arms.
This exercise can be performed for 5 sets.
After training the arms, it's time for the pectorals: placing your feet parallel, your back straight and your belly in, just rest your elbows on the table and join your hands, pressing your palms against each other. 3 sets of 50 repetitions can be enough.
A classic calf exercise, instead, must be done standing and helps to deflate the ankles and improve circulation, as well as strengthening the abdominal girdle.
Standing, just bring your belly back and lower your shoulders, trying to lengthen your torso by rising on your toes. This is a very easy exercise to do. Again, 5 sets of 10 seconds for each repetition are enough.
3 Types of Office Stretching
Alfonso Melis specifies that there are three different types of stretching to be carried out when working many hours in the office and are called: static, dynamic and isometric.
Lo static stretching consists of assuming and maintaining a position of muscular elongation for a period of 15 to 45 seconds, allowing all the muscles to relax. It dynamic stretching, instead, consists of carrying out controlled movements that warm up and stretch certain muscles.
Finally, the isometric stretching It does not involve movement but includes yoga practices that allow you to develop greater flexibility in a passive way, working on the muscle tone of the muscles.
Those who work in an office and sit at a desk for many hours can do three different exercises to improve posture, stretch and reduce discomfort in the neck, shoulder area and lower back:
- Viparita Karani on the wall
Simply bring your buttocks close to the wall and extend your legs upwards keeping your toes pointing down and pushing with your heels up. Your arms should remain at your sides and you should hold the position for 2 or 3 minutes, breathing well and widely. If the tension behind the legs is too much, you can bend the knees slightly.
- Supine twist
This position can be done during a lunch break, because you have to lie down in a comfortable position, gather your knees to your chest and let your knees fall to one side, rotating your head gently in the opposite position. You then have to open your arms or stretch them along your sides, without lifting your shoulders. 10 seconds for each side.
- Paschimottanasana
This is a seated forward bend: just bend your knees and bend your torso forward on your thighs. Your back should be relaxed and you should hold the position for about 20 seconds, breathing deeply and in a controlled manner.
Article published on 24 February 2021 - 07:01
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