Easy Exercises For Home And Office
Strengthen Arms, Ankles; Walking Tips, And Using A Pedometer
Oct 25, 2009
One of the simplest, cheapest and easiest exercise includes walking. Walking is one of the most popular forms of exercise. It’s easy and most anyone can benefit from simply getting more steps into their day.
Not only can people find simple ways to slip in a walk during work, but it’s easy to fit in a little fitness while you’re at work. It’s also simple to find ways to fit extra walking into your personal life.
Adding steps to your day can be as simple and easy as walking the dog, or taking your children to the park by walking rather than jumping into the car.
If you are able to find the time to fit in fitness you can improve health and enjoyment of life. Physical activity happens only because people make opportunities for exercise and movement to occur.
Walking at Work
Here are some tips for finding ways to walk during work:
- Start your day 15 minutes early, but park your car a half mile away from the office and enjoy the walk to and from work. Plus, a little walk makes for a good cardio workout at the beginning of the day and will get you charged for the day ahead.
- Walk to a colleague's work area instead of calling on the telephone or sending an email.
- Use your short breaks to take walk.
- Walk during the lunch hour. Choose a restaurant within walking distance, or bring a sack lunch from home to make time for walking. If you use your lunch break for errands, try walking to the bank, post office, or other places instead of driving.
- Rather than sitting around a table, conduct a business meeting with coworkers while walking.
- Use a pedometer -- a small, battery-operated device that counts your steps as you go about your day – to measure the steps you take during the day. Set goals, and if you accomplish them, increase the goal by another 50 or 100 feet during the day. Pedometers serve as a good reminder to increase your activity.
Using the Stairs for Exercise
Climbing stairs is another easy and economical way to increase your health, fitness and body conditioning.
If you have stairs at work, use them instead of the elevator. And find other reasons to take the stairs. You burn twice the calories on stairs than you do on a flat surface.
Tips for walking stairs:
- Walk up and down for five minutes.
- Walk up stairs two steps at a time.
- Use the landing railing for doing deep knee bends.
By modifying your day, you can find a number of ways to work in a mini workout. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, or have them easily accessible, in order to keep your walking options open, advises Crawford.
Stretching and other flexibility activities help you to move easily, and keep your muscles relaxed and your joints mobile.
Find ways to incorporate stretching into your daily work routine. Try it while:
- Talking on the phone.
- Standing at the copy machine.
- Catching up on your filing.
- Waiting for the microwave to heat your lunch.
Arm Exercises
Stand up. Put your left arm behind your back. Grab your left wrist with your right hand. Drop your head to the right side. Stretch and breath. Repeat with other arm.
Chest Exercises
Sit near the edge of your chair. While inhaling:
- Press your shoulders down.
- Stretch chest up and forward.
- Tilt head back slightly
- Let knees fall out to either side.
- Exhale and slowly relax to a neutral position.
Feet and Ankle Exercises
Sit back in your chair. Stretch your legs straight in front of you and lift feet off the floor. Point toes toward wall, then flex foot, pressing heels toward the wall. Rotate ankles and feet, clockwise several times, then counter-clockwise.
Reference:
“Exercise at Work,” The Benefits Bulletin, Oregon Health Authority, November 2009.
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