Welcome to Straight Up-Chiro Chat.

We’re over halfway through Winter. The blustery, chilly month of August has just begun. One way to keep warm and keep in shape is to work out, exercise, shake away, or run off the winter blues. Is your life a sedentary one? One where you are trapped behind a desk all day, and you haven’t quite managed to fit an hour at the gym in every day? We have a solution!

Today, we’re going to introduce you to exercises you can do at work behind your desk. Once you begin, you’ll feel more energised, more positive, and who knows, it may just inspire you to do more!

Ever heard yourself say this?  “I binged watched Star Wars all weekend.” “Why does it take so long for this project to save?” “I’ve put the fridge on the other side of the kitchen, that way I at least get some exercise!” “I am SO bored!”

How about this?  “I don’t have time to go to the gym.”

One of those sets of statements is a lie. Be honest. You know it’s the one about not having enough time to go to the gym, don’t you? If you can spend four hours a day watching television, you definitely have time to go to the gym. 

The stats are frightening. If you watch, on average, 4 hours of television a night, when you add all those 4 hours together over the average life, it equates to 11 years. 11 YEARS!

Is that want you want on your tombstone?

‘Here lies Joe Blogs. He spent 11 years watching television! 
Do you know how long it takes to build the body you want? In one year you could have a whole new body. And a whole new life!  And yet, if you work out for one hour every day you will start to see results in 1 month. 

Being trapped at your desk for long hours is bad for your body, your heart, and your brain. Exercise releases those lovely feel-good endorphins. Why wait until you hit the gym for them? Today we’re looking at 15 exercises you can do at work. You can even do some of them at your desk.

Think Again!
If you don’t work from home and your office layout makes it impossible to do some of the exercises we’re going to suggest, or you’re too embarrassed, start with these suggestions.

• On your bike, Mike. If it’s practical, rather walk or cycle to work instead of taking the car. 
• Sit up. Make sure your desk and chair is ergonomically right for you. Think about replacing your office chair with an exercise ball.
• Stand up. Consider adding a standing desk so that you can swap between standing and sitting during the day.
• Stretch yourself. Keep some exercise equipment at work so you can exercise during your lunch break. A couple of small weights, an exercise mat for stretches, a TheraBand for resistance training, that kind of thing.
• Take breaks. Instead of gossiping around the water cooler, go for a short walk. Perhaps ask one of your work buddies to go with you, to hold you accountable. If there are days they can’t join you, make sure you walk anyway. 
• Take the stairs. Use the stairs instead of the lift. Build up your fitness by taking one extra flight a month.
• Walk and talk. If you use your cellphone, don’t lean back in your chair, instead, stand up, and if possible walk while on the phone.

Don’t just sit there, do something and get active!

8 Exercises for you to do seated at your desk

It’s not always possible to do wall squats at work, but you can exercise sitting in your chair at your desk. You can do these exercises at any time of the day. For all of them make sure you are sitting upright in your chair, with a good posture.

• Oblique twists.  (Muscles worked: Obliques)  If your chair swivels – Hold on to the edge of your desk. Don’t let go while you swivel as far as you can go to the right and then to the left. BE SURE TO USE YOUR CORE AND NOT MOMENTUM.  Do 10 repeats. If your chair doesn’t swivel – instead of holding on to your desk, bend your arms up in front of you and, move from your core, turn your body to the right and left.

• Seated Bicycles.  (Muscles worked: Obliques & Abdominals)  Put your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head. Then, lift one knee, twisting your opposite elbow toward it. Do 10 repeats and then swap sides.

• Leg Lifts.  (Muscle worked: core, quads, and hip flexors)  Straighten one leg and lift it until your hamstring comes off the seat. Hold for at least 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side.

• Seated Knee to Chest.  (Muscles worked: Abdominals)  Hold the seat of your chair for support. Straighten both legs in front of you, parallel to the floor. Pull your knees in toward your chest. Repeat 10 times. This is an excellent core exercise. You may need to start with 2 repeats and build up to 10.

• Glut Squeezers.  (Muscles worked: Glutes)  Contract (squeeze) your glutes as hard as you can for 10 to 30 seconds, then relax. Do 10 repeats. This is also an exercise you can do while standing in line, washing the dishes, or brushing your teeth.

• Seated Leg Extensions.  (Muscles worked: Quads)  With your feet flat on the floor, lift one leg so that it’s parallel with the floor and straight out in front of you. Focus on contracting (squeezing) the muscle on the front of your upper thigh. Hold your leg there for a second before lowering your foot to the ground again. Do 10 repeats on each side.

• Seated Windshield Wipers.  (Muscles worked: Obliques & Abdominals)  Grip the seat for balance and extend your legs straight out in front of you and off the floor. Keeping your legs together, swing them (with control) as far as to the right as possible. Then swing them to the left. Do 20 repeats.
• Seated Flutter Kicks.  (Muscles worked: Obliques & Abdominals)  With your legs extended out in front of you, lift one foot up about 15cms off the floor and hold it there for a moment.  As you return that foot to the floor, lift the other foot. Do 10 repeats.

Not sure if you’re doing the exercises correctly? A chiropractor can take you through each one, show you how to action it correctly, give you advice on intensity, repetitions, how to pace yourself, and even suggest new exercises, or alternate ones if the ones suggested here aren’t right for you.  If you need an exercise specialist such as a physiotherapist or biokineticist, your chiropractor will refer you to the correct person for more specialised exercises to address your concern.

Call us today and book your appointment or to book online!

Yours in health,
Dr. Monica and Helen