What workout should you do if you sit all day?

You have probably heard the phrase that “sitting is the new smoking”.  That is to say that too much time in a chair or on the couch is just as bad for your health as smoking.  The Mayo Clinic reported on research regarding the dangers of being too sedentary, “Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.”  A 2010 paper by the American Cancer society, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology said that women who were inactive for 6 hours a day were 94% more likely to die of complications from obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease over a 14-year period.   

Think that because you exercise for 30 minutes a few times a week that sitting much of each day doesn’t matter?  You might be wrong.  A newer study looked at the activity data for 89,530 people for a week and then followed up with them for 8 years.  They found that the median sedentary time was 9.4 hours a day, but at 10.6 hours a day there was a significant increase in the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular mortality compared to those who sat less.  Even those who exercised for 150 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week still showed this increase in risk.  Exercise does matter for your health, but the amount of time you spend sitting each day matters just as much.   

Here are a few ideas to get more movement in when you have a job that requires you to be at a desk all day: 

• Move some each hour.  Even for a minute.  Set a timer or listen to your activity tracker or smart watch when it tells you to stand.  Walking to the kitchen or break room to refill your water bottle is a great reason to get up and move. 

• Stand or pace when talking on the phone.   

• Do 10 squats anytime you stand or after you have a meal or snack.  This helps your blood sugar lower and keeps your circulation moving.   

• If you can, set up your computer on an elevated surface so you can stand and work.  Or if you have a treadmill or walking pad, try to have your work surface above the treadmill so you can walk while you work.   Standing helps strengthen your core, posture and balance plus standing improves your circulation vs. sitting.  But don’t only stand all day, too much standing can lead to back problems.  A mix of standing, sitting and movement throughout the day works best. 

Combat all that sitting with movement to stretch the muscles that become shortened when in a seated position too long and exercises to strengthen your entire body.  This is a sample workout that would be great for anyone, but especially after a long time seated. 

1. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

This first dynamic stretch is designed to target the front of the hip, which is shortened when sitting. 

Start with one knee on the ground and the foot of the other leg flat on the ground so that both knees are at 90 degrees. Place both hands on your hips and engage your abs as you squeeze the glute of the knee-down leg. Push the hip forward a couple of inches while you keep the low back from arching. Return to the start and repeat for eight to 10 repetitions (reps) per side.  

2. Back to Wall Overhead Reach

Start standing with your feet about six inches from a wall (you can also do this exercise seated on a weight bench). Grab some lighter weights (this isn't a strength-building exercise). Lean back so your low back, upper back and head are in contact with the wall or the bench. Engage your abs to flatten your back to the wall. With your palms turned toward your face, keep your elbows in line with your shoulders as you reach your hands overhead. Only go as high as you can without letting your lower back come off the wall. You may notice that you can start to go higher as the repetitions add up. Repeat for eight to 10 reps and hold the last one overhead for 20 seconds while you take deep breaths. 

3. Plank

Your body should be in a straight line from the ears through the shoulders and down to the hips, knees and ankles. Concentrate on keeping your lower back from arching and your hips from sagging.  Start this from the push-up position and work your way down to the forearms as you progress (or stay on your hands in the push up position, if that's more comfortable for your shoulders and arms). Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds. 

4. Birddog

From all fours, reach one hand out overhead with the thumb toward the ceiling while simultaneously lifting the opposite leg. Replace the hand and foot and repeat on the opposite sides. Continue alternating sides, visualizing not spilling an imaginary cup of hot coffee on your back, and reach out as far as you can. Aim for 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side. 

5. Band Pull Aparts

Hold a resistance band shoulder width apart at shoulder level. Pull the band apart using the muscles between your shoulder blades and return slowly to the starting position. Do 3 sets of 10 – 12 reps. 

6. Suitcase Carry 

You require good posture to perform this exercise. Chest up, shoulders down and level.  Your abdominals should be engaged.  Hold a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand and walk as close to 40 meters as you can before turning around and walking back with the weight in the other hand.  Repeat this three times.   

7. Goblet Squat

Hold one dumbbell and position it at chest height with one hand under each edge of the dumbbell.  Inhale and descend pushing the hips back and bending the knees at the same time. Once your thighs reach parallel with the floor, begin to stand.  Keep your abs braced and drive your feet through the floor back to the starting position.  Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps, resting for a minute or two between each set. 

8. Romanian Deadlift:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell at thigh level. Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart.  Keeping your back straight, bend at your waist and sit your hips back to lower the bar.  Keep the bar close to your shins and lower as far as your flexibility allows while keeping your back straight.  Squeeze your glutes to extend at your hips (bring your hips forward) and stand up.  Aim to do 3 sets of 10 or 12 reps. 

Any increase in activity, even small ones, can help improve health.  Keep in mind, it's also important to keep track of how much sitting we're doing, too.  Break up long periods of sitting as much as you can with even 1 minute of standing and moving before sitting again.  Do this sample workout, or another strength workout, 2 – 3 times a week along with cardiovascular exercise 2-5 days a week.   Contact a LivRite Trainer if you have questions! 

References: 

1.  Mayo Clinic 

1. Patel AV, Bernstein L, Deka A, Feigelson HS, Campbell PT, Gapstur SM, Colditz GA, Thun MJ. Leisure time spent sitting in relation to total mortality in a prospective cohort of US adults. Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Aug 15;172(4):419-29. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq155. Epub 2010 Jul 22. PMID: 20650954; PMCID: PMC3590043. 

1. Ajufo, E, Kany, S, Rämö, J. et al. Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Behavior and Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease. JACC. null2024, 0 (0) .