Hello everyone. Today’s article is a guest post from Tanya Harris who writes for MyFood.co.uk
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If you’re a cubicle dweller like many people, then you know all about what it’s like to spend between four to eight hours per day sitting down. The human body wasn’t built to sit down all day… that’s why we were given legs. Unfortunately, working in a chair all day seems like the only option for us. If you consistently get sore legs from being planted on your buttocks for a majority of the day, here are a few valuable exercises to keep your muscles loose and your legs healthy. These work especially well for those who have jobs lasting longer than eight hours, with a majority of time still being spent in a chair. For the sake of this article, we’ll only be focusing on your abs and lower body, while assuming that your upper body is being used for work.
Lower Body Exercises
Use these exercises to get a good mid-day workout for your upper quads, core and hips:
1) Sit up straight and lift your left foot off the floor about 4 inches, keeping you knee bent. Hold this position for 2 seconds. Repeat this 15 more times with your left leg, then do the exact same thing with your right leg.
2) Sitting up straight still, extend the left leg so that it’s out straight and perpendicular to your upper body. Hold it for 2 seconds. Repeat this 15 more times as well, then switch legs. For added muscle work, flex your quad.
3) Place your empty coffee cup between your legs as you sit up in your chair. Slowly squeeze the the cup with your inner thighs, release halfway and repeat 15 more times. This exercise is great for those who absolutely can’t move when they’re at their desk.
4) Sitting up straight again, lift up until your hips are hovering over the chair. This one hurts, but try to hold it for about 3 seconds. Stand all the way up and sit back down. Repeat this 15 more times. If need be, hold your arms out for balance, the idea is that you want to lift with only your hips.
5) With the chair firmly in place, put your left foot just in front of your right one. With your hands, push yourself up into a one legged squat and keep your upper body just above the chair while your other leg remains on the floor. Repeat this 11 more times, then switch which foot is actually doing the squat.
Ab Exercises
Use these exercises to work your entire abdominal area:
1) Tightly flex your abdominal area as much as you can. Hold it for 10 seconds and release. Repeat this for a total of 15 reps. A great exercise for those who are restricted from moving around too much.
2) Holding a water bottle or your coffee cup at chest level (you can also just lock your hands together if you want), keep your lower body straight and turn your upper body as far left as possibly while remaining comfortable. Slowly center your body again and do the same thing to the right. Repeat this exercise 16 times. Remember not to go to far or you could hurt yourself. Additionally, you’ll want your legs bent properly with your feet flat on the floor to further avoid injury.
About the Author:
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