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Can’t leave your desk? A personal trainer recommends these three chair exercises to build strength during your workday
If you work at a desk, chances are you don’t get to move around much during the day.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until you clock off to get some exercise—you can do a few strength-building moves from the comfort of your chair.
I often suggest these three quick exercises to those of my personal training clients that spend their days at a desk.
Try them during your lunch break, between meetings, or even to break up long periods of sitting.
How to do the workout
The exercises are:
- Chair squat x 10
- Chair tricep dip x 10
- Chair incline plank x 30sec
If your desk chair has wheels, place it against a wall so it’s stable, or find a chair with legs to use.
You can also use your desk for the incline plank. Start by doing one set two or three times during your work day, and work up to doing one set every other hour.
1. Chair squat
Watch On
Reps: 10
- Stand in front of your chair with your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core muscles and keep your spine neutral.
- Sit your hips back and bend your knees to lower, tapping your butt onto the seat.
- Stand back up.
Trainer tips: If this is your first time trying squats, sit all the way down onto the seat before you stand up. Once you build strength in your legs and core, you can try tapping your butt lightly on the seat.
To make the chair squat more challenging, try attempting it one leg at a time.
2. Chair triceps dip
- Sit on the edge of your chair.
- Engage your core and roll your shoulders back.
- Place your hands on the seat either side of your hips, keeping your elbows tight to your body, and slide your hips forward off the chair.
- Bend your elbows to lower your body.
- Extend your arms powerfully to push yourself up.
Trainer tips: Keep your elbows pointing directly behind you throughout the exercise. Don’t allow your shoulders to shrug towards your ears. Bend your knees and bring your feet close to you to make the exercise easier, and extend your legs to make the exercise harder.
3. Chair incline plank
Watch On
- Place your forearms on the seat of your chair.
- Step your feet behind you and lower your hips so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
- Engage your core and keep a neutral spine.
- Hold this position for time.
Trainer tips: Ensure that your shoulders, hips, knees and feet are in a straight line. Don’t allow your hips to rise or lower, and make sure your lower back doesn’t round excessively.
If you’ve never tried a plank before, try it on your desk first—the higher the platform, the easier it will be.
