Driving to work in the morning, then sitting in front of the computer for hours and relaxing on the couch in the evening - does that sound familiar? The truth is that most of us exercise more than we think. You've heard it before and you'll hear it again – sitting for too long is bad for our health. Although there are numerous tips and tricks on how we can integrate more exercise into our everyday lives, unfortunately these are not always enough to counteract the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time. So if you want to be in shape and healthy, then stay tuned because we have THE best workout for people who sit all day.
Why is sitting for too long unhealthy?
According to surveys, adults sit on average for seven and a half hours a day and young adults sit for nine hours. Quite a lot, right? In recent years, sitting has been referred to as the new smoking and although at first glance it sounds a bit exaggerated, there is still some truth to it. To explore the negative effects, a study was conducted a few years ago with more than 100,000 participants from 21 countries over an 11-year period. According to the study, sitting for 6-8 hours a day increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 12-13%. For more than 8 hours, the risk increases by up to 20%. Pretty scary, right?
In addition, sitting for too long, especially with poor posture, can negatively affect our muscle performance and lead to severe back and neck pain in the long term. The metabolism also slows down with little exercise and weight gain is often the result.
At the end of the day, any movement that we integrate into our everyday life is better than none. In addition to the numerous tips and tricks, the best workout for people who sit all day is also a great way to strengthen our bodies. In order to prevent poor posture and tone the body, the following exercises are primarily aimed at the back, leg and buttocks muscles. Depending on how experienced you are, you can perform the exercises using either your own weight or dumbbells. Do 12-15 reps of each exercise, resting for 20 seconds between movements. Try to complete 3 rounds in total.
Dead-Bug-Übung
The dead bug exercisefocuses on strengthening the back and core muscles and these are essential for healthy posture.
- Lie on your back with your arms extended upwards.
- Lift your legs off the floor and bend them until your knees form a 90-degree angle.
- Then stretch your left leg forward and at the same time bring your right arm back over your head.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Einbeinige Gesäßbrücke
The single-leg glute bridge is a great exercise for strengthening the glutes as well as the core and hamstrings.
- Lie on your back and pull your legs close until your calves are positioned perpendicular to the floor.
- Stretch one leg up towards the ceiling and lift your buttocks off the floor until your butt, back and thighs are in a straight line.
- Hold for 1-2 seconds and return to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
Deadlifts with kettlebells or dumbbells
And what would be the best workout for people who sit all day without at least one deadlift variation? Finally, deadlifts are THE best exercise for strengthening the lower back and toning the glutes.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the kettlebell between your legs with both hands.
- Slowly squat down and bend your upper body forward while stretching your butt backwards.
- When doing this, make sure that your gaze is always directed forward and that your back forms a slight hollow back.
The best workout for people who sit all day: one-arm dumbbell row
One-arm dumbbell rowing uses the entire back muscles and also trains the biceps and arm flexors.
- Hold the dumbbell with your right hand and place the knee of your left leg on a bench or chair.
- Bend your upper body forward and support yourself on the bench with your left arm.
- Keep your back straight and slowly and controlledly lift the dumbbell towards your chest. Make sure the movement comes from your back and not your biceps.
- Do a total of 13-15 reps and switch sides.
Goblet squat version
The Goblet Squat is also a great choice for the best workout for people who sit all day. The back and legs are trained and coordination is improved.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at chest height with both hands.
- Lower your hips down and turn your knees slightly outwards.
- Keep your upper body straight and slowly squat down until your elbows are between your knees.
The classic plank
And we end the best workout for people who sit all day with a classic – the plank exercise. The isometric exercise is a great way to strengthen the whole body at the same time and improve our balance. To avoid boredom, you can experiment with different variations or perhaps try out our plank challenge.
