Many of us spend eight hours, five days a week sat at a desk, leaving little time to keep active during the day. We spoke to our resident personal trainer, Ben Binder to find out his tips on office-friendly exercises that you can do throughout the day or during your lunch break. With no specialist equipment needed, making time to fit these moves into your day will help to correct poor posture, reduce cramping and improve your overall fitness.
1) Chair squatsEvery time you stand up to get a drink or walk to the printer, do ten squats. Extending your hands out in front of you for balance, lower your bum to just above your chair before coming back up.
2) Calf raises Whenever you’re walking around the office or going upstairs, roll yourself up onto tiptoes, lifting your heels off of the ground. Regularly contracting and extending your calf muscles will help to strengthen them.
3) Knee pull-insWhilst sitting on your chair, slowly bring your knees right up into your chest, making sure to engage your core. This will target your lower abs and help flatten your stomach.
4) Seated Russian twists Position yourself on the edge of your chair and while seated twist and reach right around either side of your chair. This rotation will get your obliques working and also strengthen the back muscles.
5) Knee raisesLift your knees up whilst sitting on your chair and hold them up in front of you for as long as you can. Make sure to engage your stomach muscles so that it doesn’t strain your legs too much!
6) Tricep desk dipsFacing away from your desk, rest your palms on the edge of the table and bend your arms to slowly lower yourself towards the ground. Straighten out your arms again and you’ll come back up. This will help to tone and strengthen the arms, banishing those dreaded bingo wings!
Check out Ben's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/benbinderfitness1) for fast and easy workouts and keep an eye on our Instagram account @hellofashion_uk for a BTS account of our #HFMBootcamp