The 30-Minute Executive Workout Plan
Sitting for long hours at work makes you tired? If you answered yes, you must improve your muscle strength and flexibility to stay focused and to reduce fatigue. In this blog, we demonstrate a few simple exercises that can be performed at home or at work with the aid of your chair.
While undertaking an exercise program, it is important to follow a program that helps improve all the components of fitness i.e cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility & body composition.
The following 15 min executive chair exercise plan has been specially developed for busy executives who do not get the time to do regular outdoor exercise. These exercises may be preferably done in the morning but if there is no time in the morning, it could be done in the afternoon, evening or night - only please remember that it should not be done for at least 2 hours after having food i.e breakfast, lunch or dinner.
1. SQUATS:
Place a chair behind yourself at a distance where you can squat and sit properly. Keep your feet grounded and while pushing from your heels, stand up and squat down. Repeat for 15 reps and 2 sets for beginners.
Target Muscles: Quadriceps (Front thighs), Glutes (Hip muscles)
2. LUNGES
Holding the chair, lunge one leg back and drop your knees down. Make sure your front knee doesn't cross the toes. Inhale while you go down and exhale while you come up. Repeat for 15 reps and 2 sets for beginners.
Target Muscles: Glutes (Hip muscles), Hamstrings ( Back Thighs), Quadriceps (Front thighs) & Core muscles
3. TRUNK ROTATION
This one is to improve the flexibility and release the stiffness from your back muscles while sitting for long hours at the desk. Sit on the chair and exhaling slowly rotate your trunk towards the left and hold for at least 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side. You have to perform this for at least 2 rounds.
Target Muscles: Core muscles flexibility.
4. SHRUGS
While we are doing long hours of a desk job, many times, we experience stiffness of neck muscles as well as the back of our shoulders. This exercise is to strengthen the neck and shoulder muscles, improve blood circulation around that area and thus reduce stiffness.
Repeat for 15 counts and 2 rounds.
Target Muscles: Trapezius muscles (Neck muscles ), Deltoid (Shoulders)
5. TRICEP DIPS
Place your hands on the edge of the chair. Sit there and place your feet at a distance away from the chair. now lift your drop your hips down while bending your elbows tp 90 degrees. Using the arm strength lift yourself up and lock your elbows to feel the contraction on your triceps.
Alternatively, as you gain strength you may perform the same exercise while extending your legs straight and being on your heels.
Repeat for 15 counts and 2 rounds.
Target Muscles: Triceps (Back of your arms ) & Core muscles
6. PLANK
Place your elbows on the chair and be on your toes. Keep a flat back so as to engage your core muscles. Breathe normally and stay there for as long as you can hold. it could be around 20 seconds to 1 minute.
Target muscles: Core, Quadriceps (front thighs) and shoulder.
7. MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
Place your hands on the chair extend your arms and be on your toes. Engage your core by keeping your back flat and straight. Start tucking your knees in alternatively, while keeping your back flat and shoulders in line with your arms. Repeat 20 counts on each side for 2 rounds.
Target Muscles: Core muscles
8. NECK STRETCHES
Use a towel to get a grip and stretch your neck muscles effectively. Follow the range of motion as shown in the video above. These are quite relaxing stretches that can be performed at least 3-4 times a day. Hold each stretch position for at least 20 seconds. Breathe normally through the stretch and hold.
Target Muscles: Trapezius (Neck muscles) and Upper shoulders.
The entire workout may just take 30 minutes of your time which would be worth it if you are looking for strengthening as well as relaxing those tensed muscles while staying at home and working on the desk for long hours.
Caution :
Please initiate the plan as per your own capability and gradually increase the duration of exercises.
If you have a medical problem , please consult your doctor before beginning the exercise plan.