Exercise at your desk

Desk Pushups:

• Place your hands on the edge of the table/desk, slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Extend your legs so that your back, head and legs are in a straight line.
• As you lower your body to the desk, bring your elbows towards the back at a 45 degree angle. Many times people have the habit of bend the elbows straight out to the sides; this is improper form and causes the shoulders to creep up towards the ears.
• To increase the intensity of this exercise, perform a mountain climber with your push-up: Perform a push-up and then bring one knee into your chest, place it back to the plank position, bring the opposite leg into the chest and extend it back, perform another push-up and repeat 8-12x.

Chair Dips:

• Sit on the edge of the chair. Place your hands on the edge of the chair with your knuckles facing forward and bring your glutes off the chair to suspend your body.
• Lower your body by bringing your elbows to 90 degrees and keeping your elbows facing directly backwards. Do not allow the arms to bow out to the sides.
• To increase the intensity, add a leg kick or leg lift to this exercise: Perform a dip and then lift one leg up and kick towards your face while balancing on the opposite leg. Perform another dip and then bring the opposite foot off the floor and kick. Repeat this sequence with or without the kick 8-12x.

Tricep extensions, overhead press, chest press with book:

To perform triceps extensions, shoulder presses, and chest presses, use a heavy book. You will perform these exercises in a “triple-set” fashion. Therefore you will perform all three without resting.

Triceps extension:

• Bring the book directly overhead, with one hand on each side of the book.
• Lower the book behind your head, bending at the elbows and keeping the elbows facing forward. Do not allow the elbows to bow to the sides.
• Extend the book back overhead.
• Perform 12-16 reps. Move immediately to overhead press.

Overhead press:

• Bring the book to chin level.
• Press the book overhead, then bring the book back to chin level.
• Repeat for 12-16 reps. Move right into the chest press.

Chest press:

• Bring the book to chest level.
• Push the book away from you, keeping the book parallel with the floor.
• Perform 12-16 reps.

Chair toe taps:

• Stand directly in front of the chair.
• Bring one leg up and tap the top of the chair. Place foot down and bring the opposite foot up to tap the chair. Perform this as quickly as you can.
• To increase the intensity, stay on the balls of your toes and switch feet quickly using your arms to help you move faster through the movement.
• Perform 12-20 reps with each leg.