Excercise in Office
October 11, 2021 3:07 AM Subscribe
I (35yo male) work in a windowless office by myself in a location where I can't go outside.
When I work I'm the only one there, at other times the space may occupy as many as four people.
I'm looking to increase my excercise at work on my lunch break (45 minutes to an hour) with these restrictions:
1) business casual clothing, pants and dress shirt. Can change undergarments afterwards but not entire outfit. I must be able to go do important things with other people when called at a moments notice. No access to shower.
2) there's enough space for a yoga mat and I can bring a barbell, or other small excersice equipment. My storage space is very small.
3) can do some basic cardio in place (like running in place), but probobly shouldn't jump
4) want to target as many areas of the body that I can.
5) don't want the office to smell like I excersice every day in it. It's tile, no carpet. Air exchange is okay, but it is a small windowless space.
Fitness level, not every high, assume I'll need instructions to do specific moves properly, not enough bodily awareness and poor flexibility for yoga without in person coach instruction so that's out.
Goals increase overall strength, maybe lose a little bit of weight but that's secondary to the first.
There is lots of subtle excercise at work around coworkers questions on the internet, but that's not quite my scenario . It's more exercising without stinking up the place in clothes not meant for it.
I'm looking to increase my excercise at work on my lunch break (45 minutes to an hour) with these restrictions:
1) business casual clothing, pants and dress shirt. Can change undergarments afterwards but not entire outfit. I must be able to go do important things with other people when called at a moments notice. No access to shower.
2) there's enough space for a yoga mat and I can bring a barbell, or other small excersice equipment. My storage space is very small.
3) can do some basic cardio in place (like running in place), but probobly shouldn't jump
4) want to target as many areas of the body that I can.
5) don't want the office to smell like I excersice every day in it. It's tile, no carpet. Air exchange is okay, but it is a small windowless space.
Fitness level, not every high, assume I'll need instructions to do specific moves properly, not enough bodily awareness and poor flexibility for yoga without in person coach instruction so that's out.
Goals increase overall strength, maybe lose a little bit of weight but that's secondary to the first.
There is lots of subtle excercise at work around coworkers questions on the internet, but that's not quite my scenario . It's more exercising without stinking up the place in clothes not meant for it.
Turkish Get-Ups are supposed to be great for all round exercise - you could do them in a space the size of a yoga mat (miiight need a little bit of extra space for your leg to stick out at one point in the movement). You'd just need a kettlebell, which should be doable if you've space for a barbell. No jumping required. That demo vid is fairly slow, once your body knows the movement you can go a wee bit faster than that, though the movement should always be steady and controlled.
If you're getting a kettlebell in, there are plenty other exercises you could do with it. You obviously want to ignore the swings but things like rows, squats, lunges, presses, would all work. Here are some examples. Write yourself a list of half a dozen different exercises covering different parts of the body, do a set (8-12) of each, back to the beginning, for 15-20 minutes. Take a break. Repeat.
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on October 11, 2021
If you're getting a kettlebell in, there are plenty other exercises you could do with it. You obviously want to ignore the swings but things like rows, squats, lunges, presses, would all work. Here are some examples. Write yourself a list of half a dozen different exercises covering different parts of the body, do a set (8-12) of each, back to the beginning, for 15-20 minutes. Take a break. Repeat.
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on October 11, 2021
A set of exercise resistance bands take up very little space and can give you quite a range of options for what exercises to do with them.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:56 AM on October 11, 2021 [12 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:56 AM on October 11, 2021 [12 favorites]
An under-desk cycle can get you some cardio without getting too sweaty. I have the first one on that list, the Stamina InMotion, for my home office and use it regularly on days I can't go for a walk outside -- I'll watch an episode of something silly on my break and pedal away. I prefer using it in the standing (elliptical-esque) mode rather than sitting. Depending on how fast you go/how high you crank the resistance, you'll get warm. Pairs well with resistance bands or small handweights.
posted by basalganglia at 4:16 AM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by basalganglia at 4:16 AM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Tai chi. It would be a great place to start and doesn't build a sweat unless you really want to. Here's a set of videos.
PT basics like bird dogs, bridges, cat/cow, etc. for core strength, plus bodyweight moves like squats & lunges build a general stability and foundation for anything else you decide to take on. This playlist from YouTube is an example.
Hula hooping is deceptively physical but low impact on you and your surroundings.
posted by cocoagirl at 5:00 AM on October 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
PT basics like bird dogs, bridges, cat/cow, etc. for core strength, plus bodyweight moves like squats & lunges build a general stability and foundation for anything else you decide to take on. This playlist from YouTube is an example.
Hula hooping is deceptively physical but low impact on you and your surroundings.
posted by cocoagirl at 5:00 AM on October 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
Are you required to stay in the actual office? Most buildings have stairs, walking up and down stairs is great exercise. Look on youtube for 10 minute exercise videos. 40 minutes of exercise will get you sweaty; 10 minutes, less so. Apply powder in the morning, reapply deodorant after exercise.
The Standing 7-Minute Workout
15-Minute Full-Body Workout
The 9-Minute Strength Workout
8 Balance Exercise Examples for Better Stability as You Age
posted by theora55 at 6:29 AM on October 11, 2021 [10 favorites]
The Standing 7-Minute Workout
15-Minute Full-Body Workout
The 9-Minute Strength Workout
8 Balance Exercise Examples for Better Stability as You Age
posted by theora55 at 6:29 AM on October 11, 2021 [10 favorites]
Is it possible to stand and work? I found overall my strength and balance increased using a standing desk. That plus some small weights, and a grip exerciser. If you can sneak a balance board in to stand on, that can encourage all day lower body muscle activity.
posted by nickggully at 6:43 AM on October 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by nickggully at 6:43 AM on October 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
The Planet Fitness YouTube channel has a bunch of short exercise videos that have given me a good repetoire of movements that would work for you, although they also have some moves with jumping. There are also videos for seated exercise and low-impact exercise that should have only suitable exercises. I'd shoot for a few ten-minute exercise breaks during the day to get some movement without getting sweaty. There are almost certainly other channels/apps with a similar concept if this one isn't quite your speed.
The 7-minute workout is also a concept that may work - there are modifications where you don't have to get on the floor and to work up to challenging moves. Apps are available that can mix up the exercises a bit so it doesn't get boring.
posted by momus_window at 9:30 AM on October 11, 2021
The 7-minute workout is also a concept that may work - there are modifications where you don't have to get on the floor and to work up to challenging moves. Apps are available that can mix up the exercises a bit so it doesn't get boring.
posted by momus_window at 9:30 AM on October 11, 2021
You say that yoga is out because you don't have good body awareness. Would you be willing to do yoga-ish exercises as a warm up or cool down, like this series of 8 stretches.
As for strength building, I would just go for planks.
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:18 PM on October 11, 2021
As for strength building, I would just go for planks.
posted by spamandkimchi at 12:18 PM on October 11, 2021
the guys over at Stronger by Science have a guide on doing a no-gym workout. scroll down for specific moves, many of which have an example video accompanying it. EX-RX is also a decent resource even if the science backing up some of their programming is a bit dated (still overall much better than some rando site like bodybuilding.com though)
there has been research demonstrating that breaking up your routine throughout the day (eg doing one superset every hour) is just as if not more effective than having a single workout period where you're pushing yourself to the limit. I've set up my weight training equipment in my home office and will do a superset on a regular interval and then pop back into work. I've found that my recovery is much faster so I'm not out of breath or visibly sweating in meetings. you should pretty much be able to accomplish the same thing doing the bodyweight or banded moves described above
to kind of address your concern re: sweat/stench, there's no way to really know how much odor you'll be putting out. there's going to be a point of exertion where your body will start compensating for the heat energy of respiration using sweat that's different for everyone. how much odor you produce as a consequence will also be specific to you. best way to find out is to just do the thing, monitor it diligently, and adjust accordingly
posted by paimapi at 1:13 PM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
there has been research demonstrating that breaking up your routine throughout the day (eg doing one superset every hour) is just as if not more effective than having a single workout period where you're pushing yourself to the limit. I've set up my weight training equipment in my home office and will do a superset on a regular interval and then pop back into work. I've found that my recovery is much faster so I'm not out of breath or visibly sweating in meetings. you should pretty much be able to accomplish the same thing doing the bodyweight or banded moves described above
to kind of address your concern re: sweat/stench, there's no way to really know how much odor you'll be putting out. there's going to be a point of exertion where your body will start compensating for the heat energy of respiration using sweat that's different for everyone. how much odor you produce as a consequence will also be specific to you. best way to find out is to just do the thing, monitor it diligently, and adjust accordingly
posted by paimapi at 1:13 PM on October 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Why not add a air filter to your office? The Coway filter is popular but pricey. There are others at lower price points that might work equally as well for a small office.
posted by amanda at 2:37 PM on October 11, 2021
posted by amanda at 2:37 PM on October 11, 2021
Make sure you start off not smelly. Shower in the morning rather than at night. Hit places where you sweat (armpits) with some rubbing alcohol if you're persistently smelly there. Consider an antiperspirant. Wear freshly and well laundered clothes. Do you sweat more or less if you're wearing natural fibers? Do undergarments made of technical fabric end up smelly? Consider what fragrances you're adding to yourself - laundry detergent, body spray, cologne - they become pronounced if you sweat.
Have a backup outfit on site if needed. Buy multiples of dress shirts that fit you well. Folks won't notice if you change from one white shirt to another, midday. If you change out of clothes you worked in, can you contain their smell, or store the dirty clothes somewhere outside your office like a car?
Build standing, and walking, into your routines. Use a standing desk as much of the day as possible. Never take an elevator if you can avoid it. Are there any fire exit stairwells that have things you could use for chinups, incline pushups, or dips? Are there pipes or stable spots in your office that you could hang from or pull from?
posted by enfa at 11:13 AM on October 12, 2021
Have a backup outfit on site if needed. Buy multiples of dress shirts that fit you well. Folks won't notice if you change from one white shirt to another, midday. If you change out of clothes you worked in, can you contain their smell, or store the dirty clothes somewhere outside your office like a car?
Build standing, and walking, into your routines. Use a standing desk as much of the day as possible. Never take an elevator if you can avoid it. Are there any fire exit stairwells that have things you could use for chinups, incline pushups, or dips? Are there pipes or stable spots in your office that you could hang from or pull from?
posted by enfa at 11:13 AM on October 12, 2021
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I ask because so much of exercising is being in an exercising mentality. The clothes, the location, the people, the smells, all help you get in the mood for exercise.
But, to answer your question, any successful exercise plan starts with a concrete goal, and works backwards from there, to where your starting point is. Starting from "increase strength" is a great spot!
I would recommend finding a push up progression, or a handstand progression. Both are kind of demoralizing, but they are great spots to start! Push up bars will help if you are nervous about your wrists.
For losing weight, ...most of that is done with a specific exercise called "fork put-downs". Which is incredibly difficult. Skipping breakfast and lunch is called "intermittent fasting" and works best of all diets that I know people are on.
posted by bbqturtle at 3:25 AM on October 11, 2021