Abdonminal Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk While Working

Getting a little soft in the middle due to long hours of working and sitting at a desk is a common hazard of office jobs. Demanding responsibilities and heavy workloads can leave little time for working out or getting to the gym as often as you would like. However, with a little creativity you can strengthen and tone your abs while sitting at your desk during your workday. Take a break, rest your eyes and tone your abs.

Leg Lifts

Leg lifts are beneficial for toning the lower belly, which can be a problem spot for many people. Sit up tall in your chair, with arms by your side, your back and shoulders straight, and your abdominal muscles engaged. Extend your legs straight in front of you so that they are parallel to the floor. Lower your legs until they are about a foot from the floor and then raise them toward the ceiling, stopping at the height of your chair arm rests. Lower again and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions.

Abdominal Crunch

This effective abdominal exercise usually done while lying on the floor can also be executed while sitting at your desk. Sit up tall with your feet flat on the floor, and cross your arms in front of your chest. Engage your abdominal muscles and lower your head toward your knees, crunching your abs on the downward movement. Sit back up to starting position and repeat for a total of 10 to 15 repetitions.

Abdominal Hold

The abdominal hold has a similar movement to a reverse crunch and works the lower and upper ab muscles. Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your back straight. Place your hands on the chair next to each leg, fingers pointing out. Engage your abs and lift your feet off of the floor and knees toward the ceiling, until your knees come up to about chest height. Hold for 10 seconds and then return to starting position.

Stability Ball

Trade your regular office chair in for a stability ball. Stability balls come in a range of sizes and are large enough for most people to use as a desk chair. Sitting on the ball for part or all of your day will allow you to strengthen your core as you work without any other effort. The ball can also help you to improve your posture because you are forced to sit up straight or you risk rolling off.