Picking up the phone, typing emails, and walking to the snack machine are far from the ideal workout. Personal trainers at Cape Girardeau's HealthPoint Plaza and Fitness Plus demonstrate ways to get fit without leaving your desk. Try these exercises in sets of 12-15, rotating them in a circuit for a full body workout. There is no limit, however — these exercises can be done as many times as you like.
Laura Morningstar, clinical integration coordinator at HealthPoint Plaza.
1. Arm dips: Sit at the edge of your chair with hands up on armrests. Use arms to lift your body up and down.
2. Chair squats: Hold arms in front of body, either with arms crossed, hands clasped or resting on thighs. Lower yourself onto chair and lift back up.
3. Desk push-ups: Stand a few feet away from desk, lean forward, and rest hands on desk, arms straight. Keeping body straight, do push-ups against desk. For an easier workout, place feet further apart.
4. Split squats: Stand in front of chair and bend one knee to rest foot on chair. Bend into small squats, then switch legs.
Cassie Kipper, fitness specialist and personal trainer at Fitness Plus
1. Calf raises: Stand behind chair, with arms resting on back of chair for balance. Raise to toes.
2. Seated bicycle crunches: Sit at edge of chair, lean back, and place hands behind head. Lift knees up, touching opposite elbow to knee.
3. Squats and leg raises: Stand behind chair, with arms resting on back of chair for balance. With feet apart, bend into squat position, then alternate with leg lifts to the side and back.
4. Arm and shoulder lifts: Sit at edge of chair and hold two full water bottles, cans of soup, or other small weights. Raise arms out to the side, above head, or into bicep curls.
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