Here are a few exercises almost
anyone can fit into his schedule
using any time available and repeating
at least three times during the
day.
Neck
Extension:
Place hands behind your head with
the fingers placed together. Attempt
to push your head backward for six
seconds (counting one-thousand-one,
one thousand two, etc) as you resist
with your hands. Resist with head
forward, then straight, and all
the way back. Stretch your neck
as far as you can in all directions.
Squeeze
the Desk Together:
Sit at your desk, attempt to com-press
it by pulling your arms together,
resisting for six seconds. This
exercise helps to keep the chest
muscles strong and the bust firm.
Use stove, refrigerator, wardrobe
or any other con-venient item of
furniture.
Shoulder
flexion:
Sit at your desk (or table) and
raise your arms forward until the
backs of your hands are touching
the underside of the desk in front
of you. Keep your stomach muscles
tight and your back straight. Attempt
to lift the desk, pushing for six
seconds; then relax. Vary this exercise
by stand-ing in a doorway and trying
to push its two sides apart with
the backs of your hands.
Back
exercise:
Bend over at the waist, holding
your legs with your hands behind
the knees. Pull your stomach muscles
in and attempt to straighten your
back. Resist back extension with
your hands and hold for six seconds.
Try these exercise anytime your
back feels tired but remember to
stretch and loosen up the back before
and after.
Straight
leg raising backward:
Lean over a table. Slowly raise
one leg as high as possible (for
six seconds). Slowly return to the
starting position. Alternate legs.
Vary by raising leg with knee bent.
V
sit-ups:
You can do this one in bed. Raise
both legs and your upper body simultaneously-keeping
your legs straight with arms out
straight for balance. Hold this
V position for six seconds, slowly
returning to the starting position.
Three rep-etitions of this exercise
will help you to relax so you can
get a good night's sleep.
Hip
flexion:
Sit on a sofa with your feet under
the coffee table. Hold the top of
the table for stabilization. Raise
one leg-keeping the knee straight-until
the toes touch the table. Try to
lift the table with the straight
leg for six seconds; relax. Alternate
legs.
Stretching
on the stairs:
Stop as you go up the stairs, hold
onto the rail and place the balls
of your feet on the edge of a stair.
Slowly rise on the toes as high
as possible; stretch. Slowly lower
own beyond the edge of the stair,
stretching the heel cords. These
easy quick exercises in the office
really help to keep you fit and
fine.
Try some squats:
Stand in front of your office chair
with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees as though you're
sitting on the chair, keeping your
weight on your heels. When your
legs are parallel with the seat
of the chair, slowly rise to your
original standing position.
Opt
for plié squats:
Take a wide stance with your toes
pointing outward. Standing upright,
slowly bend your knees in the direction
of your toes until you can no longer
see your toes. Slowly return to
your starting position.
Hold
up the wall with wall sits:
With your back touching the wall,
move your feet away from the wall
so that the wall is supporting the
weight of your back. Bend your knees
so that your legs form a 90-degree
angle. Hold as long as you can.
Pose
like a warrior - with a lunge:
With your arms by your side, take
a giant step forward with your right
leg so your thigh is parallel with
the floor. Pushing off the same
leg, return to your starting position.
Repeat with the left leg. (Traveling
lunges are also an option.)
During
a coffee break, try calf raises:
Holding onto your desk or a file
cabinet for balance, raise your
heels off the floor, then lower.
Peek into your neighbor's cubical
while you do toe raises: Sitting
in your chair or standing, lift
and lower your toes while keeping
your heels on the ground, or walk
around on the heels of your feet.
Burn
those buns with a gluteal squeeze:
While sitting or standing, squeeze
the muscles of your rear end. Hold,
then relax.
Get
on the floor and do some crunches:
Lying on your back with your knees
bent, reach for your knees, hold
for two counts, then return to the
floor.
Stay
on the floor to do some push-ups:
Perform push-ups standing upright
with your hands a little wider than
shoulder-width apart, against a
wall or lying facedown on the ground.
Do
some dips:
With the palms of your hands on
your chair and feet on the floor,
scoot your rear end off the end
of your chair. Bend your elbows,
lowering your body, then straighten
your arms to return to the starting
position.