Don’t tell me you haven’t suddenly felt the urge to walk around, work out, or twerk to a Beyoncé song when you’re hours-deep in a spreadsheet. Here are six workday workouts you can fit in between conference calls.
Sitting down is hard. I’d rather get hard abs.
How do I fit a workout into the workday?
It’s easier than you think. If you can find time to go for a Starbucks run, you can find 10 to 15 minutes to fit a good workout, even if you’re working from an office. A 10-minute workout between meetings—what else are you doing, really—can be effective for your mental and physical health.
6 workouts you can do during the workday
Yoga
Your back called, and it’s looking like the McDonald’s arches. One of my favorite yogis, Yoga With Adriene, has tons of yoga exercises that are beginner– and expert-friendly. Reenergizing movements like downward dog, warrior, chair pose, and even child’s pose will have you and your abs at their best, and it can also help you find some much-needed calm in the middle of the workday.
Crunches
Crunches are a great way to hide your Nutter Butter addiction.
Try squeezing three sets of 20 in 15 minutes. You can also turn your crunch workout into a fun challenge by counting how many you can do in a day from behind your desk before someone sees you.
Lateral lunge to knee drive
Workouts that allow you to exercise more than one muscle are always clutch for a corporate baddie. A lateral lunge to knee drive will work out both your glutes and abs in no time. This workout can be your go-to body sculpt.
Here’s how it works:
Complete 12 to 15 reps on each side. But if you only have 10 to 15 minutes, don’t rush it: Do what you can in a short amount of time.
Ab roller
Who knew a little piece of plastic could be so humbling? To do this workout, you’ll have to pick up an ab roller—they’re cheap—and a mat to protect your knees.
I don’t even know if it’s humanly possible to do this for 10 minutes, but let’s just say this ab workout hits different and is super effective at working your core.
Planks and mountain climbers
Planks are challenging exercises that most people, including myself, don’t like to do but pay off sooner rather than later. Plank leg lifts are an excellent way to target those ab muscles.
Abs are cool, but body positivity is sexy
Please don’t feel pressured to have the hottest abs on the planet. Take it from a foodie like me, who has no shame in doing an ab workout and eating a cookie after.