Desk jobs are often described as
“cushy,” but those of us w ho
do them five (or seven) days a week know that’s not accurate. No matter
how competent you are, or how comfortable your chair is, office work is
hard on the body. Whether you spend your days hunched over a keyboard,
training new staff members, or are making life—and—death corporate
decisions, one thing is certain: your muscles are suffering.
The events of the past three decades have
placed professional women in a privileged and often difficult position.
Our intelligence and skills are finally being recognized, but we have
more responsibilities than ever. We must be smart, but not too
aggressive; thoughtful, but not too sensitive; and feminine, but not too
frilly—and that’s not even in the job descriptions! No wonder we’re
stressed out.
Some of us have gym memberships, but
are too tired to work out at the end of the day. Some of us were never
optimistic enough to join a gym in the first place. Either way, if
you’re too drained at six o’clock even for a dinner date or a little
shopping, your job is getting to you.
Anthony Colon, a fitness instructor at
the BQE Racquetball and Fitness Complex in Woodside Queens, has been
teaching exercise for 14 years. Having trained students from all walks
of life, he knows how much tension can build up in a sedentary body. He
suggests these quick stress busters to make your workday a little easier
and pep you up for the evening ahead:
Neck and shoulder rolls
(reduces tension and increases
circulation, can be done sitting or standing)
Neck. Hold your head up, facing
forward. Slowly bring your chin down to your chest. Still facing
forward, roll your head to the right until your ear is just above your
right shoulder. Moving in the same direction, roll your head to the
back and let it hang there loosely. Then roll it over until your head
is in the same position on the left side as it was on the right.
Finally, let your head fall forward again. Repeat 10 times, and then
do the same in the opposite direction.
Shoulders: With back and neck held
straight (but not stiff) face forward and lift your shoulder to your
ears, feeling the pull in your shoulder
and chest. Then pull your shoulder back and slowly down as far as
they’ll go (you should still feel a slight strain). Finally, pull your
shoulders forward and in, as if to touch them together. Repeat 10
times, and then do the same in the opposite direction.
Leg extensions (stretches hamstrings,
tones legs and hips)
Sit comfortably in a chair with your
back straight, feet flat on the
 floor,
and knees about hip height. Lift one flexed foot until it is in a
straight line with the knee and hip. In a slow, controlled movement,
lower your foot (keeping it flexed) back to the floor. Then slowly
lift it again. Repeat 20 times, and then do the same with other foot.
(To incorporate abdominal muscles into the exercise, try it with both
feet at once. You may need a stationary chair for this.)
Desk push-ups
(tone pectoral and upper arm muscles)
Remove shoes and stand about two
small steps away from your desk. Lean forward, arms straight, with
your hand on the desk and your weight resting on your hands. Keeping
your body in a straight line from shoulders to ankles, bend your arms
until your chest almost touches the desk. Slowly raise your body up
again. Repeat 10 times. You should be able to work up to 20 very
quickly.
By using these three exercises and
maintaining a balanced diet (according to U.S. RDAs), you should be
able to keep your energy levels in shape for tougher workouts and
those rare, much-needed social weekends. Try to have some of those,
and enjoy the warm weather while it’s here. Sometimes a brisk walk
outside—in comfortable shoes- can be the best pick-me-up of all after
a tough day.
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