If there’s one thing the pandemic has shown us, it’s that our homes can do it all! From conferences to mini dinner parties, work, and international zoom calls, you name it, that home office can handle it.
If you’re among the crew that works from home, then you’re going to want to grab some chips and pay attention to this blog post. There’s such a thing as an office workout room because sitting down in a spot for a long period can have negative effects on your overall posture and health.
Creating a home office gym is like killing two birds with one stone!
Come on ladies, let’s not lie to ourselves, the last thing about 90 percent of us want to do when we get off from a long day is work-out.
There are so many ways we can work out even while sitting at our desks; sit down exercise machines and standing desks are some of the effective ways.
Lack of a physical regimen can lead to mental fatigue and extreme burnout, it’s like working yourself to the point where you’re literally hanging by a thread.
Keeping your muscles active while working is a great way to manage physical burnout and on top of that, you’re increasing your potential for long-term health.
So, let’s dive into some amazing small office gym ideas and equipment, and talk about desk exercising.
*Some affiliate links are used, which means, if you purchased something, I may earn a commission.*
Does Desk Exercise Equipment Work?
When we sit down for hours without getting up, we are at risk of our bodies growing numb for lack of movement.
Desk exercises help to keep your body active while you’re in a sedentary position.
Exercise equipment like the mini elliptical promotes the flow of blood on your feet and prevents the buildup of fluids.
Other desk exercise equipment like stretch office chair attachments and squat rack desks can help reduce lower back pain, relieve tension in your muscles and help to strengthen them.
If you need some motivation, you can always keep a nice motivational water bottle on your desk, to silently encourage you to keep going.
So, need I say more? Desk exercise equipment is effective in ensuring your body is as active as it should be.
How Can I Exercise While Working At My Desk?
Since health experts confirmed that sitting at your desk for too long has negative side effects, many solutions have stormed our precious internet space.
There are so many ways to exercise while sitting at your desk, but I’m here to spill all the info on the most effective ones.
According to The American Heart Association, sedentary behavior has overtaken obesity for increasing heart health risks.
Now, more than ever, when more of us women work from home, there’s the need to normalize home office gyms and desk exercises.
Apart from performing stretches and random ankle lifts, some home office exercise equipment can help with keeping you active while you work. These are some of our favorites.
1. Balance Ball Chair
If you’ve ever wondered, ‘how do you exercise in an office chair?’ then you might want to pay close attention to this amazing piece right here. We all know a balance ball, does literally what its name implies, and helps to keep us balanced when we use it for exercise routines.
Balance ball chairs are an upgrade from your regular exercise balance balls. The balance ball chair is the ball fitted into office chair legs to provide ease of movement across your home office.
2. Mini Exercise Bike
Adding a mini exercise bike to your office makes your space the ultimate mini office workout equipment room you didn’t know you needed. A desk bike allows you to pedal with your feet as you work, to help promote blood circulation and lower body muscle activity.
The pedaling mechanism of the mini-bike fully engages your lower body, while you continue to work on your desk. So, using this desk exercise bike doesn’t impede your work activity in any way.
3. Stretch Office Chair Attachment
This is one simple yet sophisticated stretch office chair exercise equipment that is ideal for small office spaces. All you have to do is attach it to the back of your office chair, and whenever you like, pull it up and use it to stretch your shoulder muscles.
It works almost like a resistance band to help stretch your arm muscles and upper body while you’re still sitting.
4. Ankle And Wrist Weights
Weight lifting but without the traditional large weights taking up most of your precious office space. These ankle and wrist weights can be adjusted to fit your strength level. You can use them while you sit to promote blood flow on both your ankles and wrists.
They also help with muscle development, so once again, we are killing two birds with one stone. Absolute score!
5. Balance Board
Balance boards are normally used for stability exercises and much like balance balls, they help to support your joints and muscles.
Balance boards work great when you’re in a standing position rather than sitting. So, it is a piece of great equipment to pair with a squat rack standing desk.
6. Mini Elliptical
A mini elliptical is a great sit-down exercise machine that offers you a wide range of motions. With your desk elliptical, you can move backward or forward or even both ways as much as you like and work out that lower body muscle.
You can pair it with any standing table for optimal use.
7. Mini Stepper
This stepping home office gym equipment can be used while standing and sitting.
Mini Steppers help with lower body workouts while you go about your work. You can adjust it like your regular treadmill but of course, you can’t expect it to run as fast.
When paired with resistance bands, it gives you a full-body workout, all while you work. Sis, who needs the gym?
8. A Set Of Dumbells
Dumbbells are the most popular exercise equipment to have in your home office gym. You can get them anywhere and they work great in helping to keep your arm muscles beautifully toned.
Take breaks in between work to lift your dumbbells and promote blood flow around your arm and shoulder region. Right after finishing a set with these, you can make yourself a delicious protein shake using Form Protein Powder.
9. Resistance Band
Resistance bands! What can these baddies not do?
Talk about committing to simple strength training exercises. The resistance level these bands create is definitely something you want in your office gym.
From leg exercises to hand and full-body exercises, resistance bands are a great way to maintain your overall strength.
You can use resistance bands while sitting or standing to work out your arms and your legs.
10. Wobble Cushion
Now, the wobble cushion is certified gold as far as we are concerned. It helps to keep your spine in the right position, so you can maintain a good posture.
Also, you get to stay active by bouncing off on the seat while you work, it’s a win in all ramifications. The cushion allows you to sit with just the right amount of discomfort so you can adjust yourself to an upright position and be comfortable.
It works to relieve lower back pain and strain from bad sitting positions.
11. Pilates And Yoga Mats
This is probably one of the first things that came to mind when reading about office gym equipment.
Fitness mats can be used for both yoga and pilates. There’s a blog post all about pilates mat benefits and some great black-owned mats to purchase yours from.
12. Mini Treadmill
Well, hello there track star!
I wonder why I’m so attracted to things with ‘mini’ in front of them. Cute mini treadmills are noise-free first of all because they are made with the office in mind.
A desk treadmill helps to keep your lower body active, so you can conveniently work on your desk while you use it. As much as it’s not as fast as your regular treadmill, this cutie is very effective.
Reliable Physical Activity In Your Home Gym
So, if you work from home or have a home office, these pieces of equipment are definitely going to prove helpful. Our priority should always be our health and overall wellness. Which one of these do you have your eyes on?
