Get Fit From Your Office Workouts
by Tia Dewick in Training
Whilst you’re on your break get involved in some office workouts. Here are some readily available body weight exercises:
- Tricep dips – sit down on a stable chair (no wheely chairs!) place your hands both sides of your hips and fully extend your legs with your heels on the floor. Once you’re in a stable position raise your bum off of the chair and push it towards your feet so that you create a bend in the knee and the feet can become flat on the floor. Begin to flex at the elbow so that your bum begins to lower to the ground. Once a right angle occurs at the elbow, begin to raise your bum back to the top until the elbow is almost fully extended (do not lock out your elbows!) and do as many reps as you can!
- Squats – position your feet shoulder width apart and fully extend your back. Begin to flex at the knees so that the body lowers towards the ground. Ensure that you push your weight through your heels and try to avoid your knees exceeding in front of your toes. Once you reach your optimal depth, begin to raise back to the top. Try to keep the movement slow and controlled
- Lunges – Stand with your feet together and legs and back fully extended. Take one stride forwards and flex your back leg until your front leg reaches a right angle. Then come back to the starting position and keep changing the lead leg
- Plank – Lie flat against with your stomach against the floor. Position your hands shoulder level and push the body off the floor. Ensure that from your toes to shoulders the body creates a straight line. To regress this to make it easier, place your forearms flat on the floor to increase the stability and control
- Press ups – in the same position as the plank but keep flexing your elbows to get your nose as close to the floor as possible! To regress this, instead of leaning against the floor, lean against the wall
- Wall sit – position your back against the wall and take a thigh length stride forwards and lower yourself into a ‘seated’ position. The thigh length stride should allow a right angle at the knee joint to be achieved
- Glute bridge – Lie down on a secure, flat surface facing upwards. Bring your knees up with your feet flat against the floor to form a triangle with approximately a 90o angle at the knee joints. At beginner level position feet shoulder width apart to enable balance and stability. Aim to bring the feet and knees together. Place your arms out to the side between 90o and 45o with palms facing down and fingers spread. Once in a comfortable and stable position, raise your hips in the air so that from the shoulders to the knees the body forms a straight line. Hold this position for a couple of seconds before retracting and pulsing back to the top again. On the upward phase don’t push through with your heels ensure all of the movement and power comes from within the hips.
P.s I’d suggest a little warm up prior to starting this routine so use the stairs for a couple of minutes and walk up and down them, and ladies, no heels as we don’t want any sprained ankles!! Put a pair of trainers on.
Let us know how you get on.
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