This blog post was inspired by my friend Leah who requested a blog post about short workout routines that can easily be done at your desk!
When I worked at a desk for 8+ hours a day, I often felt restless and did my best to get up and move every so often, even if the movement was only a short walk to the water fountain and back. Every little bit of movement counts and below you will find three short 10-minute workout routines you can do at your desk (with your office door closed if there are people around – unfortunately the workouts aren’t really practical for cubicles). You can also do them in your living room when you get home from work if you don’t have the time or energy to make it out to the gym.
None of the exercises below require equipment, but you can grab some dumbbells to add an element of strength training if you have them on hand. And if you have time to complete a 10-minute workout before work, one during lunchtime and a final 10-minute workout once you get home, you will have logged 30 minutes of activity without stepping foot in the gym. Woop!
Please note that every exercise you see below is hyperlinked, so you can click the links to see video demonstrations of exercises that may not be familiar to you.
10 Minute Total Body Workout
Complete each of the following exercises for one minute:
- Alternating Lunges
- Plank
- Push Ups
- Jumping Jacks
- Pulsing Squats
- Bicycle Crunches
- Dips
- High Knees
- Supermans
- Plank Jacks
10 Minute Cardio Blast
Complete each of the following exercises for one minute and complete the entire routine two times:
10 Minute Ab Workout
Complete the following exercises for a 10 minute core workout:
- 60 sec. Reverse Crunches
- 30 sec. Side Plank (Left)
- 60 sec. Bicycle Crunches
- 30 sec. Side Plank (Right)
- 60 sec. Heel Touches
- 30 sec. Plank
- 60 sec. Reach Through Crunches
- 30 sec. Reverse Plank
- 60 sec. Starfish Crunches
- 30 sec. V-Ups
- 60 sec. Windmills
- 30 sec. Plank Knee To Elbow
- 60 sec. Russian Twists
More Work-Related Blog Posts:
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I love this post! When I had an office job I went crazy and would never do it again – but these are great fast workout ideas!
Kim
http://trendkeeper.me
http://youtube.com/thetrendkeeper
Thank you!
I always love the idea of working out at my desk, but I can’t imagine laying down on the dirty floor at work, in my nice clothes and doing heel touches. And unless you have a private office, many of these are just plain impractical. I definitely plan to use these lists for when I’m home and bumming around reading or watching TV. Do 10 minutes after each chapter or show.
You make a very good point! At my old job, the dress was very casual, but at my first job out of college, I wore nicer clothes so some of these exercises would not have been practical in that environment. Hopefully you can enjoy these workouts outside of the office!
lololol also I am already just picturing the stares!!! and I agree, not too sure about how often this floor is REALLY cleaned…… hmm… I get enough looks as a young lady in a mostly older male office area as it is without holding side plank….. the best I can manage is maybe a few squats acting like I’m just standing up to get something 😉
Great ideas! If only I worked in an actual office, not a gigantic, cubicle-less room with a bunch of desks plunked down in the middle…haha. I definitely try to get up and move when I can during the day, though. Sitting still for 8 hours would be miserable, not to mention really unhealthy!
For those who don’t have a private office – what I do sometimes is set a reminder alert to go off every hour to get up and walk around. Also – when I drink more water, it makes me get up even more to go to the bathroom. In the bathroom, I go into the large handicapped stall and do a few wall push-ups, some squats, and maybe jumping jacks depending on my dress and if no one else is around 🙂
I used to dot he same thing when I worked in an office! My sister and I would joke and say we were doing “bathroom yoga.” Now that I work from home I still set an alarm to walk around, stretch and even run in place.
Wait, this is brilliant. Bathroom yoga it is!
That was one of the hardest parts about working in an office. I always felt so lethargic I just wanted to get up and move! Great post.
This is a fun post and some great suggestions! I will say though. I’m a consultant and I’m not sure how my client would feel if I were to do these things in their office.
Haha yeah probably best to avoid that 🙂
Love these! Thank you for providing me with some sanity!!!
These are awesome! I get so antsy in school since we’re sitting for a majority of the day…and then I have to come home and do homework. What I like to do is set my phone alarm to ring ever 15-20 minutes so that I can get up and do 20 air squats, 20 pushups, 20 sit-ups, and 10 burpees! If I do that five times throughout the day, it adds up to 100 of the first three exercises and 50 burpees! It feels great to get in that extra movement.
This is fantastic!
Great post! I must say that working in an office after all these years has taken such a toll on my body! I never thought sitting would do so much damage for me! I think getting up and walking is the best thing for me to do. It also helps to get some fresh air and escape from my work environment for a few minutes. 🙂
Such a great post! I am loving this and would totally use this when I had a desk job!
Thanks Elizabeth!
Great post! As a teacher, I’m usually up moving around during the day, but still love to get in a good sweat sesh when I get home. These exercises done back to back would definitely make for a good little workout! Thanks for sharing!
Love this idea this is great! I work in an office and try and get up and walk around at least once an hour, but even still I feel like it is not enough. Some days my back tells me it hasn’t been enough too!
Great ideas! I work in corporate fitness and prescribe these kinds of workouts everyday! It’s always handy to have a few extra so thanks for sharing! I always suggest using the chair for standing bent over rows and tricep dips. Push ups can be done on the edge of the desk for our friends who are inbetween the wall and the floor versions! I always suggest chair yoga too! Super fun and a great way to relax during the work day!
Wish I had a door to my office!
These are great even for those of us that don’t have office jobs. I work mostly at home and could fit these routines in when I don’t have a ton of time in between other things. Thanks! (Also, I had an office job only once and went a little crazy–props to those who can handle it!)
I wish I could get away with doing these at work! Instead I try to make sure I get up every hour and get some extra steps in my day.
Great ideas. I have a private office with a door. We have 5 floors where i try to walk every so often. I also usually walk to other offices to communicate instead of calling.
What great ideas! I work from home and do most of my work on the computer. I keep my yoga mat rolled out nearby for spontaneous crunches/push-ups/stretches/whatever I’m feeling that day! Keeps my butt from getting glued to the chair 🙂
These look awesome! Ill definitely try some as a study break today!
Thanks! I guess you would need a real office instead of a cube, but it would still be good for this stay-at-home mom.
I have an office with a door but it also has plenty of windows. Not sure how realistic this is for me given I wear dress clothes. Maybe I can use them for commercial break exercises at night. I don’t think I can break out in this at work.
Love this… Definitely bookmarking it!