Easy exercise for the Corporate Life!

In today’s society, more and more jobs require people to be sitting for most of the time. However, did you know that those who sit for prolonged periods are 54% more likely to die from a heart attack? Being sedentary for so much of the day can lead to many other complications as well with your weight and posture. If you fit into this category, why not break your day up with some mini exercise sessions, which can be done right where you are! You can do any combination of these, or all together in a row!

For your legs:
Wall Squat Hold: Wall sits are great for building strength and endurance. Standing with your back against the wall, bend the knees and slide your back down the wall until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Sit and hold for 30-60 seconds.
Squats: Start standing with feet shoulder width apart, bend the knees until your thighs are almost parallel to the ground, as if sitting in a chair. This can even be done by sitting in a char and standing up if you are unsure of your balance.
Calf raises: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, press up onto the tippy toes, pause at the top, and then lower back down.

For your arms:
Wall/Furniture Pushups: Lean on a sturdy piece of furniture and slowly push your body off of it in a sort of standing push up. OR face a wall, standing a little farther than arm’s length away, feet shoulder-width apart. Lean your body forward and put your palms flat against the wall at shoulder height and shoulder-width apart.
Overhead presses: Hold weights at your sides at shoulder height with palms facing forward. Slowly breathe out as you raise both arms up over your head keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower and repeat.

For your core:
Single Leg Balancing: Stand on one leg and balance, remember to tense your abdominal muscles as you balance. Hold for 10-15 seconds on each leg.
Leg Raise Holds: While at your chair, lift both feet off the ground, and backs of your legs off your chair. Hold this balanced position for as long as you can.

For your flexibility:
Hamstring Stretch: While sitting in your chair, straight both legs out until your legs are nearly straight. From here, lean towards your feet and try to touch your toes without your knees bending more.
Chest Stretch: Put your forearm vertical against a wall, and slowly lead away from it to pull your elbow back in line with the rest of your body. Do this until you feel a stretch in the chest and shoulder area on that side.

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