5 Quick Office Exercises

The shoulders are the part of the body where most people hold all their tension. For some reason, we think that the tighter we hold these muscles, the faster we'll work. Unfortunately, holding the shoulders in one position for a long time can compress nerves and impair circulation.

This exercise strengthens and loosens these muscles, all the better to hold up that hard-working noggin. Add some weight by holding a full water bottle in each hand, or use small hand weights. This exercise works best in a chair that has no armrests.

Here's a stealth exercise that you can do even when you're teleconferencing. Sit up straight in your chair, tighten your buttocks, hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat eight to 10 times -- or as often as you can get away with it.

Take a cue from yoga and be an office warrior. The Warrior III pose (or Virabhadrasana in Sanskrit) strengthens hamstrings, glutes and back muscles -- the muscles that get the least exercise when you're sitting in a chair all day. This variation of Warrior III is easy to do in the office, but you'll need a little space both in front of and behind you.

If balancing is difficult for you, keep one hand on the desk or wall during the exercise.

Forget expensive exercise equipment and fussy props. A wall is all you need for this exercise. Doing a push-up against the wall is not as hard as a regular push-up, but it still gives your biceps, triceps and pectorals a little workout. Contracting your abdominals and back muscles during the exercise helps strengthen your core muscles.

To make the push-ups harder, move your feet farther away from the wall, or do them on the edge of your desk.

Having strong abdominal muscles isn't just about looking good at the beach. There's a reason why your abs are referred to as "core" muscles. They're the fulcrum around which your body works. They help you sit up, bend over, lift your legs and twist your body.

At the office, all these functions are crucial. Without them, you couldn't bend over to pick up a paper clip from the floor or twist in your chair to pull a file from the drawer. Most importantly, your abs hold you upright in a sitting position. Without them, you'd have to be strapped into your chair or you'd slump over onto your desk. So take good care of them by doing these ab curls once a day.

Walking is a great way to exercise because it's safe, easy and cheap. And you don't need to set a brisk pace to reap the benefits. A study by the Mayo Clinic showed that leaner people were more likely than heavy people to get up and move around throughout the day, even if they weren't necessarily exercising. The difference in calories burned per day between the two types of people was about 350 calories. If you tend to be more sedentary, this information might motivate you to find ways to be more active throughout the day.

For instance, why sit down to talk on the phone when you could be burning calories and toning leg muscles? Use your speakerphone, or a headset, so that you can move freely around the office during long conference calls. If you get writer's block in the middle of preparing the budget report, get up and pace until your mind clears. Drink a lot of water during the day so you have to get up and go to the bathroom at least once an hour.

Any excuse you can think of to get yourself out of the chair and on your feet is a good excuse -- as long as it's work-related, of course!