Exercise for the desk-bound

September 21, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

For those who sit in a cubicle more often than they care to admit, here are some ways to interject a bit of fitness into your days.

Keep (and use) a weight at your desk. We’re not talking barbells here. Five pounds is fine. Use it for slow bicep curls, 10 on each side, twice, sometimes three times a day.

Take the stairs. Yes, it’s one of those “well-duh” ideas, but a few steps up and a few down a couple of times a day do add up.

Do tricep dips while your coffee reheats. Try turning your back to the counter, grasp it with your hands, bend your elbows and slowly dip till your thighs are parallel to the ground. Voila — when the microwave timer goes off, you have hot coffee and 30-seconds worth of stronger backs-of-the-arms buildup.

Think (and do) squats. They’re easy, they’re quick, they’re good for your legs. Stand at your desk once every few hours, extend your arms and bend those knees.

Walk when you can. Around the block a time or two is nice. So is a jaunt to a co-worker’s cubicle. It clears your mind, your thoughts, your urge to reach for the cookies you’ve stashed in your desk.

Source: Dallas Morning News