Who says you need to invest in a fancy gym membership or lace up your running shoes every day to get the exercise your body needs?
It’s often recommended to get at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. But perhaps now is the time to change your mindset about exercise and stop trying to squeeze exercise into a mere half hour when you have another 23 1/2 hours to spend each and every day!
Unfortunately, keeping your body in motion all throughout the day isn’t practical for many of us because of work, health issues, or lifestyle. But here are some easy exercises that you can do at your desk, in the car, or sitting at home in your favorite chair.
Sitting Exercises for Office Workers
Office work leaves many people feeling tensed up and stressed out with all those conference calls, team meetings, and long hours. Ergonomic desks, chairs, and computer configurations are a great start, and these are some office-friendly exercises to try to break up your work day.
Chair Dips
Sit on the edge of your desk chair with your palms on the edge and fingers hanging off the front. Bend your knees and shift your body weight towards the floor, holding your body weight suspended for at least five counts. Try doing three sets of 10 to work your triceps and shoulders.
Leg Extensions
Doing leg extensions are a great way to work lazy legs that have been still all day. Start by sitting on the edge of your chair and extend one leg out straight, flexing your foot. Switch legs and extend each one as high as you can but being careful not to round your back. Hold each leg for at least three counts and try doing three sets of 10 when you get good at these.
Sitting Exercises for Travelers
Even if you’ve caught a break from work and are taking some well-deserved vacation time, chances are that you’ll still be sitting for a significant amount of time. Whether it’s in the car on a road trip or on a long flight, there are some great sitting exercises for travelers.
Neck Stretches
Over time, we build up a tremendous amount of tension in our necks and neck stretches are great for relieving that tightness. While in the car, flex your head backward and forward and side to side. Look to the left and right in slow and controlled motions. Avoid rolling your head around your neck because this could harm the joints in your neck, especially if you have a lot of tension here.
Oblique Twists
So much of your strength comes from your core, yet it’s often one of the most neglected muscle groups. While sitting down, take one bent elbow to your opposite knee while fully twisting at your torso. Then return to a normal sitting position and switch sides. Aim to get your elbow and knee to touch and try to get up to three sets of 10 reps over time.
Sitting Exercises for the Elderly
Let’s say you’ve already put in those grueling hours at work and seen the world to your heart’s content. By the time we reach the retirement years, much of the damage has already been done, and exercise in older age has its own set of challenges.
Grip Squeeze
Keep your fingers nimble with just one simple prop. Purchase a hand grip from a local sporting goods store to experiment with different tensions. Grip the tool with each hand and alternate, while keeping track of your repetitions. Or to simplify matters, you can just grip a squishy stress ball throughout the day.
Arm Circles
Posture tends to worsen with age, and arm circles can help improve your posture while also strengthening your shoulders. Extend your arms out to both sides and press your shoulder blades together behind you. Then move your arms in a circular motion forward for 20 counts and then backwards for 20 counts. As you gain strength, build up to repeating this sequence two or three times.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can lead to serious joint issues that only tend to get worse with age. One of the best natural ways to support healthy joint functioning is to get your daily dose of omega-3s. But if you aren’t getting enough fish in your diet, there are other ways to reap the same benefits.
Seagate offers several varieties of 100% pure and chemical/preservative-free supplements that support joint health. We recommend taking Shark Cartilage, or Omega-3+ Shark Liver Oil to supplement the exercises that you’re doing while sitting down, standing up, and on the move.