Townsville Physiotherapist Riley McDonald recommends these 4 drills for increasing your strength at work.
You can do these exercises when you have a few spare minutes – so you keep on top of any aches and pains you may develop throughout the working day while sitting at your desk.
Riley says that aside from the normal pain of exercise induced muscle burn – no exercise should cause you prolonged pain. Remember not every exercise is for everyone, these are merely some easy examples.
“If you experience pain from these exercises, it might be important to have a physiotherapist assess why and to modify the exercise for you. Don’t let pain keep you from moving your body and doing what you enjoy!” says Riley.
1. Reverse Flys with Resistance Band
- Hold the band approximately shoulder width apart with arms raised in front.
- Pull the band apart until arms are straight out to the side.
- Squeeze the muscles in between your shoulder blades and hold for 3 seconds.
- Repeat up to 12 times and perform up to 3 sets.
2. Wall Push-ups
- Hands about shoulder width apart and at approximately shoulder height
- Stand a comfortable distance away from the wall.
- Perform a push-up and pause when you are closest to the wall for 3 seconds.
- Repeated up to 10 times and perform up to 3 sets.
- This exercise can be progressed by performing a push-up on the edge of a desk
3. Sit-to-stands (Paused Squats) From Chair
- Exactly as it sounds – just don’t let the chair roll away from you if it’s on wheels!
- Repeat up to 10 times and perform up to 3 sets.
4. Shrugs With Resistance Band
- Hold one end of the band in each hand.
- Stand both feet on middle of the band so that you have an even length of band on either side.
- While holding the band, shrug your shoulder up towards your ears.
- Hold for 3 seconds.
- Repeat up to 12 times and perform up to 3 sets.
