CPM Fitness Gives “Deskercise” Tips on KeloLand Living
Many of us spent our weekdays sitting at a desk chair, and it’s important that we find ways to move our bodies throughout the day.
CPM owner and coach Annie Mello recently shared several “deskercise” tips on Sioux Falls’ KeloLand Living show. Watch the entire segment below to find ways to incorporate fitness into your daily work life.
Work Day Movement Tips with Annie
Throughout the day, your hips, back, and shoulder take a lot of brunt from sitting. In fact, Annie says that sitting is considered the “new smoking.”
“It can create a lot of trauma through the low back and hips. Doing these simple exercises throughout your day can make such a difference,” Annie says.
For every 30 minutes of sitting, you should do three minutes of stretching.
“Very, very doable,” Annie says!
Below are some of Annie’s favorite deskercise movements to try at the office.
Hamstring Stretch
While sitting in your chair, cross your right leg over the left, which stretches your hips and back. Then, lean over. This stretches your hamstrings, which often don’t get enough attention. Perform this for 90 seconds on each side.
Neck Stretch
Many people often feel the effects of desk life in their neck from staring down at their keyboards. To create a nice stretch in your neck, place one hand over the top of your head gently pull your head toward your shoulder. Focus your breathing by inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, which can help relieve stress. Repeat the stretch in the other direction.
Shoulder and Low Back
Do you spend a lot of time hunched over at your desk? Annie has two stretches to help!
For this stretch, stand up and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend your arms out and place them on your desk. Your body should be at a 90-degree angle and your back should remain flat. Breathe through this stretch and try to sink down deeper each time.
For the other stretch, twist in your direction while sitting in your chair. Look over your shoulder and hold this for 30 seconds.
Wrist Stretches
Watch our for carpal tunnel! While sitting, rotate your forearms and place your wrists on your knees so your palms are down and fingers are pointed toward you. Gently apply pressure to create a comfortable stretch. Then, flip your hands so your palms are facing up, and stretch the wrists again.
There are many muscles, bones, and tendons in the hands and fingers, and we don’t work them often enough, which can create tightness or arthritis.
Set Reminders and Try New Things
Annie says that performing these simple stretches throughout the workday can really make a huge difference. This regular movement can get your blood flowing and Annie suggests putting a couple of daily reminders in your phone to stretch for three minutes.
But, that’s not all! Here are some other things to try at work:
- Walking meetings — take a meeting outside by chatting while on a short walk
- Instead of sending an email to a coworker, get up and go to their desk (if it’s appropriate)
Finally, you can download a PDF of these deskercises to keep nearby while at the office. Happy deskercising!
