Fitness as an efficiency booster in the workplace

Sitting at a desk for hours on end makes you tired and exhausted. In fact, research shows that regular physical activity not only reduces the risk of numerous diseases, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, but also leads to increased cognitive performance and improved well-being. Exercise is a real health and efficiency booster.

But what if you're not the gym type or only rarely find the time? No problem, you can stay fit and healthy with less effort. In fact, any movement is better than none. That's why short, regular fitness breaks during your working day can make a difference, whether you're working from home, in the office or in a coworking space.

In addition to your workplace workout, your workplace should be ergonomically designed – you can find all the information you need on a health-optimised office environment here. The flexible workstations and offices from Office-Club offer you maximum flexibility and ergonomic comfort. Here you can find out which coworking solution suits you best.

Back to your physical flexibility: The following exercises will show you how to turn your workplace into your personal gym.

Of course, the same applies to every workout at the workplace: Make sure you have the support you need and check whether you have enough strength and concentration for the exercises. Make sure you don't disturb your colleagues or find a quiet place.

Office fitness exercises: Utilise your surroundings

1. Back support at the desk: Move very close to your desk. Place your elbows on the table and press them down firmly. Hold this tension for 15 seconds, release briefly and repeat the process three to four times. Alternatively, you can also press against the back of your chair.
2. Bottle curls: Use two filled water bottles as weights. Hold them in your hands and perform classic bicep curls. 3 sets of 12 repetitions. As a precaution, it's best to use plastic bottles – optionally only half full – and carry out the exercise at a safe distance of a few metres from computers and colleagues.
3. Chair squats: Stand in front of your office chair as if you were sitting down and perform squats without actually sitting down. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
4. Table push-ups: Stand with your hands on the desk and perform push-ups with your body at an oblique angle. 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Here, your desk must be solid and well supported, preferably against a wall. Alternatively, support yourself with your palms on the door or wall and perform the push-ups in this way.
5. Briefcase for adductors: You don't need to leave your seat for strong inner thighs. Clamp a briefcase (or similar object) between your thighs. Now squeeze your legs tightly together and hold this tension for 20 seconds. Pause briefly, then repeat the exercise twice. As an alternative: Clamp your forearm between your legs to create the required resistance.
6. Book lifts: Use a thick book or alternatively a ring binder as a weight. Hold your chosen object in front of you with both hands and lift it up to eye level and back down again. 3 sets of 12 repetitions.
7. Chair planks: Find a chair without castors and soft upholstery and sit on the front edge of your chair. Support yourself with your hands next to your buttocks and lift your hips off the chair so that your body forms a straight line. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds.
8. Shoulder strengthening with a chair: Sit on a chair with armrests. Place your forearms against them from the inside. Now press firmly against the sides of the backrests. Hold this tension for 15 to 20 seconds and then pause for the same amount of time. Repeat the whole process twice. For the front shoulder area: Sit up straight, place and cross your hands in your lap with the backs of your hands facing upwards. Now press your hands firmly against each other. The duration and repetitions are as described above.

Office fitness exercises: Training without aids

1. Calves: Stand up straight, lift your heels and balance on your toes. Then slowly lower your heels again. 3 sets of 5 repetitions.
2. Pectoral muscles: Sit up straight or stand up. Place the palms of your hands together in front of your chest and press them firmly against each other for 15 to 20 seconds. Take a short break and repeat the whole thing three times.
3. Bum: Imagine you had to hold a coin with your buttocks: Contract your bum muscles tightly for 15 to 20 seconds, relax briefly and repeat two to three times.
4. Core: The plank, also known as the forearm plank, is a fitness exercise that trains the muscles of the trunk in particular and thus strengthens the core of the body. The exercise is performed in a position similar to a push-up. The difference is that you support yourself on your forearms instead of your hands. The body is stretched, tense and forms a straight line from head to toe. Depending on your individual fitness level, you can hold this position for a few seconds to several minutes.

Now it's up to you: Try out these exercises and put together your own set of four to five exercises, which you then repeat two or three times each. Simply choose the exercises that best suit you and your office environment.

If you manage to make small workout sessions a habit during your working day, you will usually quickly notice a real increase in fitness and efficiency.