Desk jockey – the exact definition varies but the term refers to anyone who spends a considerable part of their working day sitting behind a desk and invariably in front of a computer.
It is easy to get absorbed in our work, and many of us will know all too well the after-effects of sitting for a long period of time and finding that our muscles feel stiff and tight when we next get up. According to NHS Choices, sitting for long periods of time is thought to slow our metabolism and it is recommended that we break up sitting with “shorter bouts of activity for just one to two minutes”.
The following are a few suggestions of exercise plans which members of our team use to counteract the effects of daily sitting. Some of them are suitable to do at your desk whilst others are best suited to practice during a short break or at home at the end of your working day.
The Darebee Resource
Is a project run independently and maintained by a small group of volunteers and health professionals who believe fitness should be fun and available to everyone. There are many different workout cards, exercise cards and posters which can be printed off and followed, some only take one minute! All you need to do is filter your requirements and a suitable programme will be selected for you to follow. The site also offers advice on running, fitness and nutrition.
PopSugar
This section of the PopSugar website is made up of lots of varied fitness videos from pilates to high-impact aerobics. Each video is clear about how long it takes and you can chop and change depending on how you feel. Just remember to do a warm-up and a cool down.
The Body Coach
This is the website of Joe Wicks, you may already know of his cookery books about getting lean. Lots of ideas for short exercise sessions at home, many of them don’t require any equipment and, as he puffs and pants his way through the exercises, you don’t feel like you have to be superhuman to do them. He has off-days too so it makes you feel like it’s just about doing your best on the day. As above, remember to fit in a warm up and a cool down.
Here are some articles which signpost other free workout resources on the web:
- The 50 best free workout resources you can find online
- A workout at work?
- 10 exercises you can do at your desk
- Paths for all
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