Training at your desk.

[Trek420]

Calling all you gals (and guys) with desk jobs. Are there stretches, stuff you do at your desk? I was just thinking about this because I have the job that puts the "sed" in sedentary :rolleyes: there are lots of stretches I do during the day. I can't do the lunch time ride.

What do you do?

[MartianDestiny]

My workday:

Step 1: Sit there, bored
Step 2: Glance at the overly wordy and boring scientific paper I should be reading
Step 3: Stare at, fawn over, etc the bike I could be riding that is sitting behind me, also bored, instead.
Step 4: Pry self away from bike and back to computer
Step 5: Check TE, RBR, and MtBR

Repeat as necessary.
:o


I have contemplated putting a trainer in the office, but decided the officemates wouldn't quite appreciate it.

[PinkBike]

i dont have a desk job, but i see poeple using thera-band exercise balls as seats at their computer desk. thought that would be a good thing to do if you're stuck there anyway.

[Tuckervill]

If you scroll down at this link, there is a poster for stretches and balance stuff for doing at work. It's called the Workplace Renergizer Poster.

The bald guy in the pictures is the guy I train with.

http://www.andycore.com/store.php

[lph]

I have a desk job, and used to have a quite large office. On the back of the door I had hung up a large poster with lots of easy, quick, good stretching exercises, to remind me to take short breaks and do some stretching.

I didn't do them *once*. :o

I'm a creature of habit so my "solution" is to have training as part of my daily routine. Winter is actually the best time to settle a good routine. I commute by bike, and can really feel the ill effects if I skip more than a day. Usually I climb regularly, 1-3 times a week, and if I don't I can feel my shoulders and back tense up and little aches and pains creep in, even if I'm doing other things like kayaking or biking more. Since my climbing routine isn't quite settled yet I'm thinking of adding just 5 min of regular stretching every day right after my morning commute. I now share a large office space with 4 other people so exercises at my desk are out cos I don't relish my every movement being commented on...

[Trek420]

I now share a large office space with 4 other people so exercises at my desk are out cos I don't relish my every movement being commented on...

My co workers are used to it by now. :rolleyes: About 40 people on the floor give or take + the managers. My desk is kinda off to the side.

On my "cube" I have a list of exercises from my PT, some from Knott, some culled from magazines such as CycleCalifornia, some from here like the 100 push up challenge :D

Ever wonder what your customer service rep is doing while you blather on and on and on to her?

Push ups from the ergonomic desk! Manipulating her broken toe! An entire series of Aikido wrist stretches! ..... nah, just between you, me and anyone monitoring my calls I am paying 150% attention to you :p

[Zen]

Kegel exercises :)

[Trek420]

Now there's something our coworkers can't make fun of us for doing at our desks.

Looks kinda odd on the chart on the cube wall ;) :p :rolleyes:

[redrhodie]

Here you go!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2004011671_desktreadmill14.html

[bmccasland]

I admit to doing shoulder rolls and arm stretches. And if I'm about to doze off, I run the stairs. My office is in 3 story building and one of the staircases is close to my office. Run down, run up, down, up. Back to desk. Log back onto computer. I find it more stimulating than raiding the vending machines that happen to be in an alcove next to the staircase.

And when it isn't gawd-awful hot outside, there's a walking track outside. A group of us will go "strolling". Sometimes at a stroll, sometimes at a brisk pace. But strolling is no fun when you break into a sweat just by walking out the door.

[msincredible]

Find a coworker that smokes a lot, and figure out how often and how long he/she takes breaks.

Then go for a walk for that length of time with that frequency. You should be allowed to have the same type of break schedule as them. ;)

[tctrek]

Here you go!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2004011671_desktreadmill14.html

I LOVE that idea!! My cheapskate company would never invest in anything that's actually good for you.

So far this year they have removed our coffee machines (even though they were ones where you pay per cup!), our cups, sugar, sweet n' low, etc. They also changed the A/C to not come on until it's 78 degrees. We are not allowed to have fans, coffeemakers or any other electrical appliances at our desk. They have bottled water in the machine for $1.25 a bottle!! They also took away any personal printers at our desks and forced us all to use a group printer, which is always jammed.

It's pretty safe to assume that a treadmill at our desk is out of the question.

[Trek420]

Tctrek, do we work for the same company? ;) :p

We used to have: a corporate running club that would reimburse your cost of registering if you do a charity run and wear the company shirt, walking club (ditto), cycling club (ditto), in-house gyms at the larger buildings, smaller gyms (just a few machines, maybe a treadmill) at small to medium sized ones .... the company screams bloody murder about rising health care costs.

All these above and afforementioned perks cost little to nothing (especially the 3 clubs) to encourage fitness and wellness and probably saved countle$$ amounts and even save lives.

But one by one in so-called cost saving measures they are gone. :( Penny wise, pound foolish.

[Biciclista]

ha, Knot has me doing exercises all day too. If I'm on the floor no one is surprised, they are used to it.

[Trek420]

OK, so what does she have you doing on the floor? :rolleyes:

[sgtiger]

Treadmill might not be practical, but there's the peddler that can be hidden underneath the desk:

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/006_10649b?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

[redrhodie]

Treadmill might not be practical, but there's the peddler that can be hidden underneath the desk:

http://s.sears.com/is/image/Sears/006_10649b?hei=248&wid=248&op_sharpen=1&resMode=sharp&op_usm=0.9,0.5,0,0

That's cool!

[sgtiger]

RR -The peddler/cyclers I've seen are all under $50, but none of these have an adjustable resistance. (I wonder if anyone makes one with that feature?) I've heard that it's more like being in a recumbent position and they do have a tendency to slip away. Either placing it against something stationary or a mat with some gripping properties seems to be recommended. I was thinking about getting one so I could get some exercise in while watching TV/folding laundry. I spend a lot of time doing my least favorite chore so I might as well feel like I'm doing something productive.

[kmehrzad]

My workday:

Step 1: Sit there, bored
Step 2: Glance at the overly wordy and boring scientific paper I should be reading
Step 3: Stare at, fawn over, etc the bike I could be riding that is sitting behind me, also bored, instead.
Step 4: Pry self away from bike and back to computer
Step 5: Check TE, RBR, and MtBR

Repeat as necessary.
:o


I have contemplated putting a trainer in the office, but decided the officemates wouldn't quite appreciate it.

I can truly relate ... sounds like we're in a similar work environment that, fortunately, does allow us to park our bikes in the office/cube. Having our bikes in the office, though, can be a distraction - on a nice day it's so tempting not to take off and ride the Washington & Old Dominion Trail that runs right along my company's campus.

[Trek420]

Surprisingly hard to do and effective


... you can do any time!

Hamstring super-slows
The slower you go, the harder you work! Hold a kitchen counter or other large friendly object. Keep your knees even with each other. Take 10 seconds to curl a heel up toward your buns. (bend the knee) Take 10 seconds to lower it back down. Do 10 times. If your leg is ratcheting or jerking, you need to make the exercise easier by doing it faster (take 5 seconds instead) This trick works the hammie's talent for knee flexion. Watch out as your body may try to cheat by bringing the working knee forward of the standing knee! (that increases tension in the hamstring by lengthening it via the hip joint, and so makes the exercise easier)

[Blueberry]

My PT has me doing neck stretches and shoulder blade squeeze things.

She wonders how I can store *that much* stress in those muscles.

I'm threatening to buy a ball for the office (I'm not gonna take the one from home...). And a pilates mat.