7 Exercises You Can Do While Sitting Down

Here are seven exercises you can do while sitting down in the office that doesn’t even require that you get out of your seat.

Calf muscle toning
Give your calf muscles a work out by raising your legs up on the very tips of your toes while remaining seated. Your calf muscles should start to burn after a few seconds. Hold for ten seconds and then repeat eight times.

Clenches
For buns of steel, clench your buttocks and hold for ten seconds. Do five sets of eight reps. The beauty of this exercise is that you aren’t getting up and no one knows that you are secretly fitting in a workout.

Ankle Rotations
Rotate your ankles in both directions for five seconds. Do five sets of eight reps in each direction. This exercise can strengthen the flexibility of your ankles and make you less likely to suffer from sprains.

Arm stretches
Just because you’re seated at your desk doesn’t mean your arms can’t do just about anything they want. Many arm exercises can be performed while seated at your desk. Stretch the muscles in your right arm by reaching as far to the left as you can with your right arm while supporting it in the crook of your left elbow and then hold it there. Feel the stretch for five seconds. Do eight reps before switching over to your left arm.

Rotating at the waist
Strengthen your core by rotating at the waist while remaining seated. Rotate as far to the left as you can and hold for five seconds, then repeat on the right. Complete five sets. Grab the backrest of your chair with your hands for extra support.

Crunches
Move to the edge of your seat and lean back on the backrest. Then lift your straightened legs a few inches above the ground and raise your back a few inches off the backrest. Feel the burn in your abdominal muscles and hold for ten seconds. Eight reps of ten seconds each can strengthen your core considerably when done regularly.

Leg lifts
Starting with both feet flat on the floor, do leg lifts, starting first with the right leg and then the left. Lift each leg until it touches the underside of your desk. Do ten sets of eight reps to strengthen your thigh muscles and your core.

Being busy is never an excuse to not stay fit. While you should always try to make time for proper cardio and weight training, never forget that there are many other ways you can incorporate exercise into your daily routine.  Doing a couple of simple exercises while sitting down in the office each day can, when done regularly, help to improve your flexibility, muscle tone and strength.

Article originally appeared on Your Modern Family