15 Minute Workout while at your desk …a healthy workplace initiative

Staying active at work Sitting at your desk all day? Why not, add a little movement into your day? You will feel energized and more focussed, while increasing your strength and flexibility. You will need a chair and a sturdy wall. …a healthy workplace initiative This 15-Minute program has been adapted from the SparkPeople website. Visit for many more tips, tools and resources.

Warm Up First! It’s a good idea to get up and move around before doing the following exercises. Muscles work better when they are warm, so go for a 5 minutes brisk walk, go up and down the stairs a few times or some other movement that gets your blood flowing and muscles warmed up. …a healthy workplace initiative

Wall Squats Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and about 1-2 feet in front of you. Lean your back against the wall. Bend your knees ensuring that your knees stay over your heels and not forward. Engage your abs as you push your heels into the floor and stand back up Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Wall Lunges Place one heel against the wall as you step forward with the other leg. Keep abdominals engaged and back straight with shoulders staying above your hips (avoid leaning forward) Bend knees ensuring your front knee stays above your heels. Only bend knees as far as you can comfortably while keeping your balance and weight evenly distributed. Repeat 15 times on each leg …a healthy workplace initiative

Calf Raises Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned out slightly. Hold on to the wall for balance Raise your heels up from the floor and then slowly lower down Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Wall Pushups Place your toes 2-3 feet away from the wall and your hands 3 feet apart on the wall at chest height. Keeping your body in a straight line, bend elbows to lower your body towards the wall. Keep head in alignment with the spine and abdominals engaged. Straighten arms to push away from the wall. Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Narrow Wall Pushups Place toes 2-3 feet away from the wall and hands close together in a triangle shape (index fingers and thumbs together) Keep body in a straight line, head in alignment with the spine, and abdominals engaged, slowly push away from the wall and lower back down. Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Tricep Dips Place a sturdy chair up against the wall. Sit on the edge with finger tips facing towards the floor. Straighten the arms and move slightly forward so buttocks is just in front of the edge of the chair. Slowly lower down, bending the elbows ensuring they are pointing backwards (not out to the side) Lower down as far as you can comfortably and then raise back up, straightening the arms. You can make this more difficult by straightening the legs out or lifting one leg. Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Seated Leg Extensions Sit tall holding on to the sides of the chair with feet flat on the floor. Straighten or extend one leg at a time so your thigh lifts slightly off the chair, then lower back down Repeat 15 times each leg …a healthy workplace initiative

Seated Knee Lifts Sit at the front of the chair with hands grasping the sides. Keeping your back straight, lean back until you feel your abdominals engage. Keep your knees bent and legs together. Lift your knees up towards your chest and slowly lower them back down. Be sure you are not leaning into the back of the chair. Repeat 15 times …a healthy workplace initiative

Seated Side Bends Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Place your hands next to your ears with elbows bent. Keep your back straight and abdominals engaged. Moving from the waist, bend so elbow is reaching towards your hip and lift your hip up towards your elbow at the same time. Slowly come up and then bend towards the other side. Repeat 15 times each side. …a healthy workplace initiative

Shoulder Rolls Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Lift shoulders up towards your ears, then rotate back and back down. Inhale and exhale with each rotation …a healthy workplace initiative

Shoulder Stretch Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Bring one arm across your body gently pulling it towards your chest. Breathe deeply and hold for seconds. Repeat on the other side …a healthy workplace initiative

Tricep Stretch Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor Lift your arm over your head placing your palm on your back. Gently use your other hand to hold the stretch. Breathe deeply and hold for seconds. Repeat on the other side. …a healthy workplace initiative

Upper Back Stretch Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath and lift your arms above your head, reaching for the ceiling. Relax your shoulders and reach with your finger tips Breath deeply and hold for 15 – 30 seconds …a healthy workplace initiative

Upper Back Stretch Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Relax the shoulders and lift your arms in front of you, lacing your fingers together. Press forward with your hands as you round out your upper back and slighly lower your chin to your chest. Breathe deeply and hold for seconds …a healthy workplace initiative

Neck Stretches Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Relax your shoulders and drop your chin to your chest. Breathe deeply and hold for seconds. Roll your head to one side and hold for 15 – 30 seconds. Roll your head to the other side and hold for 15 – 30 seconds. …a healthy workplace initiative

Chest Stretch Sit tall in your chair with feet flat on the floor. Relax your shoulders. Lift your arms up and gently press back with your elbows as though you are squeezing your shoulder blades together. Breathe deeply and hold seconds …a healthy workplace initiative

Conclusion These exercises and stretches are easy to do throughout your day. If you don’t have time to do them all at once, do a few in the morning and the rest in the afternoon. Whenever you can, sit tall, open your chest and take 10 deep breathes. You will feel energized and ready to go again! Be sure to drink plenty of water. …a healthy workplace initiative

If you have questions about other SHR healthy workplace programs, contact Mimi Lodoen at: