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8 Muscle-Building Desk Exercises

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5. Desk pushups

If you’re trying to be discreet with your exercises, desk pushups aren’t the way to do it – but they are a great way to tone your abs. If you’re feeling confident, try this:

Place your hands shoulder-width apart on your desk and point your fingers forward. Walk your legs back 3-4 feet while keeping your knees locked and feet together. Lean your hips toward the floor and keep your back as straight as you can. Bend your elbows and lower yourself toward the desk, hold, and repeat 10 times.

6. Wall sits

Tone your hips, legs, and glutes with this simple exercise. Lean your back against the cubicle or office wall and lower yourself to a “seated” position so it seems you’re sitting in a chair, but supporting yourself with your legs. Hold for 20 seconds, or if you want an extra challenge, extend one leg straight out. If this is challenging for you, try taking your mind off of it by thinking about a work task or business idea.

7. Standing leg stretch

Kneel behind your chair with your legs hip-width apart and your hands on the back of the chair. Lift one leg behind you as far as you can, hold for 10 seconds, and rest. Repeat with the other leg. Do 10 total stretches on each leg.

8. Take the stairs

This isn’t a desk exercise, but it’s one that you can easily fit into your work day, if your office is not on the main floor.

Next time you have the choice between the elevator and the stairs, choose the stairs. If there’s an escalator in your office, choose the stairs. If you work on one of the top floors of your office, try it just once a day to start off – you can always increase later.

These eight exercises will help tone your entire body – and will help making sitting at a desk all day just a little more fun.

Gwen Stewart is a marketing guru for clients of Outbounding.com. She works far too many hours but has made a personal goal of eliminating Sunday from her work week. Her vision for the Fall includes one hour of yoga four times each week, homemade soup, saving for retirement, and time off work. She also believes that rhinoplasty.

Happy Woman at Her Desk photo via Shutterstock

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