Followers of the Bach seat have known for a while that your desk is killing you. Here are 6 ways to exercise while working from home. One of the worst parts about sitting at a desk for eight or more hours a day is the fluid that accumulates in the lower legs. This can make your legs swell. Long hours of sitting increases the risk of atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) as well as diabetes, obesity, and depression. One study even found a direct relationship between time spent sitting and risk of early mortality of any cause.
There is exercise equipment that can encourage blood flow and prevent fluid buildup throughout the day while you are working from home. Studies have found that periodic five minute sessions of movement can do good things for your health. Short sessions of exercise can lift your mood, restore energy levels without losing focus, and are more beneficial than taking a single long walk.
Working out intermittently throughout the day can also keep your head in the game and your mind sharp. Many users report huge increases in work-productivity after adding an exercise routine to their workplace. This post looks at some of the equipment you can use to feel better, lose weight and maybe even save your life while working from home.
Resistance bands
Resistance bands are a must-have part of you work from home office workout. The oversized rubber bands are great to use for any workout, any time throughout the work day. The bands provide enough challenges where you can build your strength. They help you strengthen your natural body movement patterns. Resistance bands can be used with popular workout programs such as yoga and Pilates, meaning they are great for both the office and home. The bands help with stretching, strength training, or injury recovery. The best stretch bands are heavy duty, inexpensive and can be made of eco-friendly latex.
Under-desk bike pedal exercisers
Under-desk bike pedal exercisers are good for a work from home space. They allow you to get some cardio activity done in a quiet and discreet manner while you are working. Desk bikes can create higher strain and muscle activation on higher resistance settings. They enable those seeking an actual workout while at their desk rather than a tool to simply stay active and moving at work. It is a time saver in that it may allow you to cut down on your workout time outside of the office. Their low profile and wide base is great for many different types of office spaces.
Under-desk elliptical exercisers
Under-desk elliptical exercisers have make forward/back motion as opposed to the circular motion of cycles. Elliptical’s let you to exercise throughout the day without really thinking about it. Desk elliptical s can be lower impact on your legs and joints than desk bikes. They allow you to keep your posture correct and is a discreet machine to slip under your desk so you can continue to work your way up to a greater level of fitness while sitting thru another Zoom meeting.
Hybrid desks
Standing desks allow you to be in an upright position, strengthening your bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments by straining them — in a good way. Being upright also encourages better posture, pumps more blood to the heart, increases airflow to the lungs, and burns more calories than you would sitting down. Sit/stand desks can also help with arthritis, as the regular movement prevents joints from getting stiff and can minimize joint pain overall. This is an effective way to add in some quality exercise throughout the day while multi-tasking. It increases you energy and reduces joint pain so you can stay in shape and make long-term changes to your healthy lifestyle.
Hybrid desks integrate work out equipment with a standing desk. They are typically more expensive than the previous items. But they tend to use less floor space in your work from home office by combining a desk with exercise equipment
Standing desk exercise bike
Cycling while working, even if you’re hardly exerting yourself, will increase your blood flow, keep your legs limber, and even burn some calories all while maintaining your productivity. A standing desk exercise bike can be used both in formal or informal offices. Their versatility is impressive. Utilizing a desk bike offers a number of benefits including, but not limited to:
• Strengthening muscles
• Increases in metabolism
• Burning of fat/Weight loss
• Sleep pattern improvement
• Mental health benefits
A standing desk exercise bike is a good answer for people who are interested in owning both a desk bike and a standing desk, while also being a versatile tool for all sorts of other work and play applications! Standing desk exercise bikes pairs a traditional exercise bike with an effective work space, enabling you to sit atop what feels like an actual bicycle while working from home.
You can use the the adjustable-height desktop as a standing desk, or remove the desktop and use the machine solely as an exercise bike. This is a strong option for those who are serious about both their work from home productivity and personal fitness.
Standing desk recumbent exercise bike
The standing desk recumbent exercise bike combines a workspace and a recumbent exercise bike. The seat of a recumbent exercise bike puts the body in a more natural position. It is typically easier on your joints and back during exercise. The body position is like sitting on a piece of furniture with adequate seat coverage and a back rest. The seat is typically larger, provide more lumbar back support, and have pedals positioned out in front of the body, making it a much more comfortable to workout from home than an upright bike desk.
A standing desk recumbent exercise bike comes with an adjustable desktop to hold your laptop, tablet or notebook. You can burn calories while working, checking emails, or attending a virtual meeting. And you can also use the device as a standing desk without cycling.
Treadmill desk
I introduced the Steelcase Walkstation to Bach Seat followers in 2009. This is the most expensive way to exercise while working form home. A treadmill desk is large and bulky, and not very discreet. On the other hand a treadmill desk can multi-task and serve as a standing desk. It also saves you time where you get your steps in throughout the day while you are working, without going to the gym. This device keeps you from living a sedentary life while you are working from home.
How to choose the best WFH exercise equipment
Choosing the best exercise equipment for work from home can be tough. There are a lot of options out there at many different price points. Ask your self these questions:
- How well the exercise equipment fit to your body and its needs?
- Does it have enough weight capacity?
- If you have physical limitations or problems, such as back problems, can it be adjusted so that you’re comfortable and safe while working out?
What kind of workout you want. Do you want a heavy-duty, full-body, high cardio-burning session? Do you you just keep moving while answering emails?- Do you have the real estate in your WFH office for the equipment?
- Finally, consider the cost. The exercise equipment we looked at in this post come in a wide range of prices. Even if you’re on a budget, you can still find exercise equipment that help you feel fitter.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.
There is a growing body of that evidence that your desk is killing you. Research suggests that sedentary office workers and other inactive people are at a relatively high risk of dying early. 
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