As most of us are finally settling into our working-from-home routines (read: we’ve stopped trying to kill our spouses), now it’s time to look at some ways to maximize our time at home. Since we’re no longer walking to the water cooler, to and from our cars, or across the street for lunch, a lot of us have become more sedentary than ever. And we can’t even tell you how bad that is for our overall health! 

But just because we’re chained to our home offices for most of the day, doesn’t mean we can’t get in a nice workout without even leaving the room! So with that said, let’s dive right into the ultimate at-home desk workout!

First things first, you’re gonna want to get a good stretch in to warm things up, like this awesome desk stretch routine from our very own Cat Kom! Ok, you feeling limber? Here we go!

Tricep Dips

These beauties utilize nothing but the arms of your chair and your own bodyweight, but they’re as effective as any move you can do in a gym. 

How it’s done: 

• Push a chair against a wall or make sure it’s stable
• Starting seated, grip the arms of your chair with both hands
• Press down on your hands, lifting yourself up out of the chair
• Keep your back straight and your head facing forward
• Slowly lower yourself down to about 1-2 inches above the chair
• Pause and repeat 3 sets of 7 dips

Chair Squats

Next up in our super-duper desk workout is the chair squat. What’s so great about these is that you are basically mimicking the movement of sitting down, but never quite getting there. 

How it’s done: 

• Stand up from your chair, feet shoulder-width apart
• Move your arms slowly in front of you, as you lower into a squat
• Lower your glutes gently above your chair, careful not to touch down
• Hover for a second and then return to starting position
• Try 4 sets of 10

Incline Push Ups

You only need the corner of your desk to get a great chest workout at home. Just make sure your desk is big and sturdy. 

How it’s done: 

• Start with your hands at the corner of your desk, shoulder-width apart and make sure the desk is stable so you don’t flip it (yikes)
• Place your feet far enough behind you to create a 45° straight angle with your body
• Lower yourself down into a pushup, pausing at the bottom before returning to start position
• Try 2 sets of 20 pushups

Rear Desk Pulses

This is a modified barre move that really gets those hams and quads burning, utilizing your own balance for an isometric contraction. 

How it’s done: 

• Stand behind your desk, gripping it with both hands
• Raise one foot behind you, at a 45° angle 
• Carefully lift and press your leg behind you in quick pulses
• Repeat for 20 reps on one side, switch to the other and repeat
• Try 3 overall sets on both sides

(Un)-Jump Rope

You don’t need a jump rope to get in some swift cardio behind your desk. If you’ve got a long, mostly listening Zoom meeting, and are comfortable turning off your mic and camera, why not burn those calories while on the job. 

How it’s done: 

• Stand up behind your desk, and start hopping on both feet
• Alternate between small jumps with both feet, to one foot in front of the other
• Keep your hands at your sides, mimicking jumping rope 
• To increase intensity, jump and swing your arms harder
• Try to build up to 10 minutes uninterrupted, starting with 1 minute, then adding on a minute each day

Well there it is! We hope you enjoyed this quick and effective workout you can do at your desk. This isn’t meant to replace your full exercise routine, but it will help to break free of the constant pull of lethargy that comes with a desk job. But remember, with most of us working from home, it’s never been more important to get serious about our health and fitness. That’s why at Studio SWEAT onDemand, we deliver the best in streaming fitness classes right into your home. With our All Access Pass, we give you unlimited access to our huge library of onDemand workouts, featuring Bootcamp, Kickboxing, HIIT, TRX, Spin, Yoga, Pilates, and so many more. So sign up for our 7-Day Free Trial, and let’s get our sweat on!