Simple and Effective Desk Exercises

As far as your body’s concerned, desk work might as well be hard labor. Our shoulders and back can be just as strained in this position as if we were digging trenches or washing windows all day.

Unlike when we’re sleeping, our waking muscles hold tension and contract over time as we sit or stand in one place, often causing locked muscle groups, a compressed spine, and pinched nerves. This can really put a kink in your work day ;-) or in your Denver training program.

There are simple ways we can keep our bodies limber and prevent the aches and pains associated with desk work. Here a few denver gymnastics bodyweight exercises you can do right at your desk.

Seated Shoulder Extension Using Your Chair

Scoot up toward the front of your chair and reach your hands back to grip the back of the chair. Move your hands as close together as possible, bring your shoulders together and lift your chest to feel a nice stretch in your shoulders and chest.

You can add some movement to this drill by bringing your shoulders together and spreading them apart while in this stretch. This relieves the pressure of hunching on the shoulder muscles and brings openness to the chest which tends to get compressed when we’re on the computer in our Denver office jobs.

Wrist Stretches

Back of hand, fingers down

Point your fingers toward the ground and press the top of the hand against the desk. You should feel the top of your hand stretch and maybe even the top of your forearm. You can try opening and closing the fingers in this position to make fists (they won’t be full fists) for a deeper stretch.

Palm of hand, fingers up

Point your fingers up toward the ceiling and press against the desk with your palms, press near the first knuckle ridge for the best stretch. You can alternate pressure on one wrist or the other to get a deeper stretch.

Wrist circles

With arms out in front of you, move your wrists in a circular motion outwards 20 times and then inwards. Keeping the wrists open and mobile throughout the day helps prevent pinched nerves in this compact area of the body.

Seated Piriformis Stretch

Seated in your chair, bring one foot to the top of the opposite knee, resting right around the ankle. Push the lifted knee down to feel the stretch in your glutes, and lean forward for an extra bit of torque. Butt cramps are the worst, so do this one daily to keep your bum happy.

Little to no movement (the speed of computer work) can create soreness and pain in the muscles just as much as a workout can.

These simple, short desk drills will make sure you stay in good shape for your Denver workouts in class at Awaken gymnastics bodyweight training and your job.