Exercises for desk jockeys (1 Viewer)

[Henry Ford]

In the last couple of years I've lost a pretty sizable amount of weight. I'm now noticing, with the 50 lbs. of fat gone from my face, arms, legs, and torso that my posture, my muscle tone, and my potbelly are in terrible shape. I clearly need to be doing something to deal with this, but would like the minimum amount of time, and cannot under any circumstances join a gym. I have an irrational fear of locker rooms and communal workout machinery. I also have bad knees, so running - and really even lots of walking - are out.

Taking all reasonable ideas which do not involve running or joining a gym. If the exercise can be performed while doing my job, that would be awesome.

 

[fantasycurse42]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

 

[Parrothead]

chair dancing

 

[mquinnjr]

I use the rowing machine at the gym, but since a gym is out (and not all gyms even have one), you could get one for your home if you can work in working out before/after work.

Great cardio workout, not hard on your knees, and will tone your upper body while building your lower body. Can get a great workout in with as little as 10 minutes if you really go hard, and can adjust from there and go a long as you want or need to time wise.

http://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Kegels

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Serious answer: Start off by walking every day or as many days a week as you can. 30-60 minutes at at least 3mph pace. You'll be shocked at how well it works in terms of dropping weight and getting you in enough shape to eventually run.

Once you're ready to do some light jogging d/l one of the Couch to 5k apps.

Oh yeah...you have to find some sort of diet that works for you as well.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Serious answer: Start off by walking every day or as many days a week as you can. 30-60 minutes at at least 3mph pace. You'll be shocked at how well it works in terms of dropping weight and getting you in enough shape to eventually run.

Once you're ready to do some light jogging d/l one of the Couch to 5k apps.

Oh yeah...you have to find some sort of diet that works for you as well.

He said walking and running are out

 

[belljr]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

IN

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Serious answer: Start off by walking every day or as many days a week as you can. 30-60 minutes at at least 3mph pace. You'll be shocked at how well it works in terms of dropping weight and getting you in enough shape to eventually run.

Once you're ready to do some light jogging d/l one of the Couch to 5k apps.

Oh yeah...you have to find some sort of diet that works for you as well.

He said walking and running are out

Ahhh...missed that part.

Look up 7 minute workout. Do as many rotations as you can. If any of the exercises bother your knees find a substitute.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

You should start running. Either that or join a gym.

 

[Henry Ford]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

No, I'd like to not go to the gym and my knees are so bad that I can't do long walks or runs.

 

[Henry Ford]

You should start running. Either that or join a gym.

Thank you. At least someone is being helpful in here.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

Serious answer is that you can probably find relatively inexpensive used weight-lifting equipment. If your concern is muscle tone as opposed to further weight loss, you'd rather get some sort of all-purpose Bowflex-type thing or even a set of dumbells as opposed to an elliptical.

Edit: Obviously you stick this in your basement someplace. No gym, no locker room.

 

[Henry Ford]

Serious answer: Start off by walking every day or as many days a week as you can. 30-60 minutes at at least 3mph pace. You'll be shocked at how well it works in terms of dropping weight and getting you in enough shape to eventually run.

Once you're ready to do some light jogging d/l one of the Couch to 5k apps.

Oh yeah...you have to find some sort of diet that works for you as well.

He said walking and running are out

Ahhh...missed that part.

Look up 7 minute workout. Do as many rotations as you can. If any of the exercises bother your knees find a substitute.

Awesome. Exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks.

The diet part is no worry. Like I said, I've lost a bunch of weight. It just makes it obvious that I have no muscle tone, especially in my core. Hence the pot belly.

 

[fantasycurse42]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

No, I'd like to not go to the gym and my knees are so bad that I can't do long walks or runs.

Swimming, you need to find a pool.

 

[Henry Ford]

Serious answer is that you can probably find relatively inexpensive used weight-lifting equipment. If your concern is muscle tone as opposed to further weight loss, you'd rather get some sort of all-purpose Bowflex-type thing or even a set of dumbells as opposed to an elliptical.

Yeah, I feel good about my weight, I'd just like to not look like a Sneetch.

 

[Henry Ford]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

No, I'd like to not go to the gym and my knees are so bad that I can't do long walks or runs.

Swimming, you need to find a pool.

Agreed. If I had a pool, I'd be in it every day.

 

[fantasycurse42]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

No, I'd like to not go to the gym and my knees are so bad that I can't do long walks or runs.

Swimming, you need to find a pool.

Agreed. If I had a pool, I'd be in it every day.

Any YMCA's near you?

 

[Henry Ford]

So you'd like to get in good shape & be healthy without doing anything?

No, I'd like to not go to the gym and my knees are so bad that I can't do long walks or runs.

Swimming, you need to find a pool.

Agreed. If I had a pool, I'd be in it every day.

Any YMCA's near you?

Why, looking for some action?

Edit: and, no. No YMCA around me.

 

[tri-man 47]

It will help to focus on your core ...build strength in the middle and work out from there. You could develop a decent yoga or Pilates routine to do at home. I started with a base of nine positions I saw in a running magazine and have slowly added to it. While I do a lot of running, I feel good after 20-30 minutes of yoga/stretching. Part of that could be planks (front and side), which help with posture. Some good old-fashioned push-ups and sit-ups are fine as well. I've been doing a lot of high knee lifts on winter days when I can't get out and run. You don't need to be breaking a big sweat. Just work through various movements and stretches that will help with shape and toning.

 

[kutta]

How about just doing a routine of push ups and sit ups. Buy some dumbbells and do some shoulder presses and curls with those. If your knees can handle it, do some non-weighted squats too. With those you could create a quick little workout that you can do pretty much anywhere.

 

[Guest]

Masturbation? Or are you not looking to do something while at your desk?

Do your knees allow you to bike? New or used stationary bike, or if you already have a bike, get one of those trainers that the back wheel sits on.

 

[Don Quixote]

Standing desk could be used while working.

 

[DocHolliday]

Stationary bike and dumbells for use in the basement.

 

[Sarnoff]

NOXPLODE! for all your meals

 

[Mister CIA]

Not a kinesiologist and I don't really know what "bad knees" implies, but if you can tolerate it, stair climbing might be your meal ticket. Yeah the knees have to move but I think that maybe good form can put the load on your quads and hamstrings, and not so much the knees. Can be a helluva a cardio workout too. Depending on your environment, some hand rails might help to cheat a little to overcome initial difficulties.

Odds are decent you could routinely cross paths with a health conscious doe or two if you happen to work in a highrise.

 

[belljr]

recumbent bike

 

[eoMMan]

Push-ups

Squats

Hand to schween thrusts

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

It will help to focus on your core ...build strength in the middle and work out from there. You could develop a decent yoga or Pilates routine to do at home. I started with a base of nine positions I saw in a running magazine and have slowly added to it. While I do a lot of running, I feel good after 20-30 minutes of yoga/stretching. Part of that could be planks (front and side), which help with posture. Some good old-fashioned push-ups and sit-ups are fine as well. I've been doing a lot of high knee lifts on winter days when I can't get out and run. You don't need to be breaking a big sweat. Just work through various movements and stretches that will help with shape and toning.

This one is great. Carolina 400 You can get an 8lb medicine ball at Wal Mart for less than $20.

Start off with 10 reps each and adjust from there.

 

[Fennis]

masturbate

 

[Mister CIA]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

You are probably correct, however it makes a little sense that a bad joint could be augmented by increasing the strength of surrounding muscle.

Kind of like the way beer boosts my brain power, perhaps.

 

[Henry Ford]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

You are probably correct, however it makes a little sense that a bad joint could be augmented by increasing the strength of surrounding muscle.Kind of like the way beer boosts my brain power, perhaps.

Both of my knees were shattered into a dozen pieces (each) in a bad accident many years ago. They're not going to get much better.

I do appreciate all the suggestions, though. Thanks a bunch to everyone.

 

[belljr]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

You are probably correct, however it makes a little sense that a bad joint could be augmented by increasing the strength of surrounding muscle.Kind of like the way beer boosts my brain power, perhaps.

Both of my knees were shattered into a dozen pieces (each) in a bad accident many years ago. They're not going to get much better. I do appreciate all the suggestions, though. Thanks a bunch to everyone.

i posted earlier, my dad had one knee replaced and may get the other done, heswears by his bike

 

[Riversco]

ballsack lifts.

 

[dal_boys_phan]

 

[Henry Ford]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

You are probably correct, however it makes a little sense that a bad joint could be augmented by increasing the strength of surrounding muscle.Kind of like the way beer boosts my brain power, perhaps.

Both of my knees were shattered into a dozen pieces (each) in a bad accident many years ago. They're not going to get much better.I do appreciate all the suggestions, though. Thanks a bunch to everyone.

i posted earlier, my dad had one knee replaced and may get the other done, heswears by his bike

Yeah, I'm eventually going to have to do this some day, just putting it off as long as possible.

Biking is a solid idea. I haven't ridden a bike in a long time, but maybe it's time to fix that.

 

[Timmay]

Coke. Lots and lots of coke, you'd be amazed how fast the weight sheds off.

 

[Mookie]

You can't do it at work, but get a yoga dvd and try that at home. I get up 30 minutes earlier and do a 20 minute back/core yoga and stretching routine 2/3 times a week, and then do pushups on alternate days. My back problems went away after a couple of weeks.

 

[DSP]

Kegels

 

[James Daulton]

The only way to build muscle is to put that muscle under stress. Pushups and situps sound ideal for you, and biking will develop the large muscles in your legs. Did you mention if you can get some weights for your house? And if you have belly fat, you're still fat and need to lose more weight.

 

[Zow]

Swimming is the first thing that came to mind. Aren't you in AZ? There are pools everywhere here.

For tone, I would think some sort of combination of a home-gym/bowflex type thingy and light yoga would do the trick.

As for work, unless you want to be that judge who got busted for masturbating under his robe while on the bench, I don't know what you could do.

 

[Henry Ford]

The only way to build muscle is to put that muscle under stress. Pushups and situps sound ideal for you, and biking will develop the large muscles in your legs. Did you mention if you can get some weights for your house? And if you have belly fat, you're still fat and need to lose more weight.

I don't think it's so much fat as just my insides leaking out through soft, worthless muscles.

I realized yesterday that simply standing up completely straight made the pot belly disappear, but also made my back and stomach muscles quiver from all the work. Which indicates that my core is just a touch weaker than a very small baby and my posture sucks.

Got used to being a fat slob because of my knees. Going to fix that.

 

[Henry Ford]

Swimming is the first thing that came to mind. Aren't you in AZ? There are pools everywhere here.

For tone, I would think some sort of combination of a home-gym/bowflex type thingy and light yoga would do the trick.

As for work, unless you want to be that judge who got busted for masturbating under his robe while on the bench, I don't know what you could do.

Not in AZ. I live in a racist state, but not that racist.

 

[belljr]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that climbing stairs (for exercise) with bad knees would suck balls.

You are probably correct, however it makes a little sense that a bad joint could be augmented by increasing the strength of surrounding muscle.Kind of like the way beer boosts my brain power, perhaps.

Both of my knees were shattered into a dozen pieces (each) in a bad accident many years ago. They're not going to get much better.I do appreciate all the suggestions, though. Thanks a bunch to everyone.

i posted earlier, my dad had one knee replaced and may get the other done, heswears by his bike

Yeah, I'm eventually going to have to do this some day, just putting it off as long as possible.

Biking is a solid idea. I haven't ridden a bike in a long time, but maybe it's time to fix that.

To be clear, he has an recumbent excercise bike..... Actually so do I.

Watch tv, play video games etc while riding

 

[jfranco77]

Get a giant exercise ball and replace your desk chair with that.

 

[McGarnicle]

This is a good one that I like to do about 30 minutes after lunch. It's low impact, so perfect for your situation.

Sit at your desk chair in an upright posture, feet flat on the floor. Make sure your knees are bent at a 45-degree angle and thighs are parallel with the floor. If they aren't, adjust the height of the chair. Now take your waste basket and clench it between your knees. Rest your elbows comfortably at your sides. Now, take 5 deep breaths. Extend your right arm above your head and extend your index finger. Bend your right elbow, keeping the index finger extended, and insert your finger into your mouth, all the way back to your throat. Lean forward, and empty the contents of your stomach into the waste basket.

 

[DSP]

I think id rather die than sit behind a desk for a living. For any amount of money

 

[Henry Ford]

This is a good one that I like to do about 30 minutes after lunch. It's low impact, so perfect for your situation.

Sit at your desk chair in an upright posture, feet flat on the floor. Make sure your knees are bent at a 45-degree angle and thighs are parallel with the floor. If they aren't, adjust the height of the chair. Now take your waste basket and clench it between your knees. Rest your elbows comfortably at your sides. Now, take 5 deep breaths. Extend your right arm above your head and extend your index finger. Bend your right elbow, keeping the index finger extended, and insert your finger into your mouth, all the way back to your throat. Lean forward, and empty the contents of your stomach into the waste basket.

Hah! Joke's on you! I don't eat until I get home every day. Just coffee and V8!

 

[James Daulton]

The only way to build muscle is to put that muscle under stress. Pushups and situps sound ideal for you, and biking will develop the large muscles in your legs. Did you mention if you can get some weights for your house? And if you have belly fat, you're still fat and need to lose more weight.

I don't think it's so much fat as just my insides leaking out through soft, worthless muscles.

I realized yesterday that simply standing up completely straight made the pot belly disappear, but also made my back and stomach muscles quiver from all the work. Which indicates that my core is just a touch weaker than a very small baby and my posture sucks.

Got used to being a fat slob because of my knees. Going to fix that.

If you're so concerned about your core, situps, crunches, planks, etc. Your situation sounds odd though, standing up makes your muscles quiver?