# Boxing at my desk?



## Jonathan (Nov 2, 2006)

Well, no, not really boxing, per se... but are there exercises that might help me out that could be done while sitting at my cubicle?  I work in the finance field, so I generally at am a desk 8-10 hours out of the day... figure I might as well do something... footwork, stretches, wrist exercises (which I badly need- mine are pretty fragile), etc.

Any suggestions?  I already run at my gym (did 4 miles today, in fact), so I'm looking at low impact stuff that I can do while sitting at my desk.


----------



## morph4me (Nov 2, 2006)

If your chair swivels you can work on your obliques by keeping your upper body straight and swiveling your chair right and left as far as you can.  Get a set of hand weights and do some exercises with them while you're on the phone. You can also learn some of the aikido wrist stretches and do them anytime.


----------



## bushidomartialarts (Nov 2, 2006)

i used to work tech support and wound up in the same situation.

isometrics were good.

you can do your handwork right at the desk if you're not in a position where you'll get a call from HR for freaking out your workmates

those squeezy hand balls can be helpful

my desk was built at an angle, so i could do dips

stretching is easy there too


----------



## Jonathan Randall (Nov 2, 2006)

Dips are my first choice (thanks for reminding us, Bushidomartialarts!).

Second choice is, appearances permitting, keeping one arm up (or both if they are free), elbows tucked in, utilizing the same muscles that keeping a good guard up requires. Often boxers tire and their guard is the first to go.

Also, arm stretches can easily be performed, IMO, while at your desk (I do them sometimes in my cubicle while I'm waiting for stuff to print). Also, don't forget to do quick leg stretches during your breaks.

Best of luck and keep us informed of your progress!


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Nov 2, 2006)

If you do something, don't make it look like boxing or any form of fighting.  If a coworker sees you shadow boxing, or something similar, you are asking for trouble.  Something like that is innapropriate for the work place anyway about it.

Now, as for stretching and wrist exercises, that is different.  Years back I led a stretching program for my co-workers where we did about a dozen simple arm, wrist, and leg stretches before starting to work.  We did it on the clock, but made it the first thing before we got to work.  Maybe you could set up something like that.  It would help you and your coworkers out and even impress the boss if you do it right.

AoG


----------



## Jonathan Randall (Nov 2, 2006)

ArmorOfGod said:


> If you do something, don't make it look like boxing or any form of fighting. If a coworker sees you shadow boxing, or something similar, you are asking for trouble. Something like that is innapropriate for the work place anyway about it.
> 
> AoG


 

Great point. By guard, I should have specified I didn't mean using a closed fist to practice keeping your arm up. Also, any time I've done similiar exercises I did so with that side facing inside my cubicle and outside of view of passers by.


----------



## Hand Sword (Nov 2, 2006)

Jonathan said:


> Well, no, not really boxing, per se... but are there exercises that might help me out that could be done while sitting at my cubicle? I work in the finance field, so I generally at am a desk 8-10 hours out of the day... figure I might as well do something... footwork, stretches, wrist exercises (which I badly need- mine are pretty fragile), etc.
> 
> Any suggestions? I already run at my gym (did 4 miles today, in fact), so I'm looking at low impact stuff that I can do while sitting at my desk.


 

LOL! I see a little speed bag, suction cupped to a desk in one of the cubicles in my work. I hit a few times, when I walk bye on tour. You could use of those to keep up the timing. ( Or start coming in and working into the 3rd shift, no one is around then, and do what you want- lol)


----------



## Jonathan (Nov 3, 2006)

Hand Sword said:


> LOL! I see a little speed bag, suction cupped to a desk in one of the cubicles in my work. I hit a few times, when I walk bye on tour. You could use of those to keep up the timing. ( Or start coming in and working into the 3rd shift, no one is around then, and do what you want- lol)


 
Haha, I've seen those!  I may look to see if the local Spencer's Gifts has one.  

Thanks for the replies all!


----------



## Brian King (Nov 3, 2006)

Get rid of your chair and get a swiss ball and use it instead. Start by keeping your feet on the floor and just work all the little muscles that are not normally used while in a sitting posture. Then sit with your feet off the ground and balance while working you will find that this helps to free up the hips and shoulders and while working on breathing.  As the others have said doing various isometrics that include lifting, pushing, pulling and prying motions with all the various parts of your body, the arms, hands legs and feet is very beneficial. You can also take off your shoes and socks and grip the floor with your toes, move the chair or swiss ball away from the desk (a few inches at first) then pull your self into the desk using your toes only, you can also easily work the ankle at this time as well

Let us know Jonathan what desk exercises and drills you come up with as you explore all the various possibilities.

See you on the floor soon
Friends
Brian


----------



## ArmorOfGod (Nov 3, 2006)

Brian said:


> Get rid of your chair and get a swiss ball and use it instead. You can also take off your shoes and socks and grip the floor with your toes, move the chair or swiss ball away from the desk (a few inches at first) then pull your self into the desk using your toes only, you can also easily work the ankle at this time as well


 
I have to say there is no office that would allow that kind of thing to go on.  First, you would have to deal with the ridicule from cowrkers, then you would have to deal with your boss asking you what the heck you were doing while at work.  

If you are doing it on the clock, you are fired.  If you are on your break, you still are placing yourself in non-approved work movements, and since you are in your cubicle, if you got hurt, workman's comp would have to step in and you would get fired for "horseplay."  As I mentioned in another thread, even as a union shop steward, I could not get someone's job back in a situation where they were fooling around like that.

But, it sounds like an episode of "The Office" on NBC.  I can see Dwight doing all of that riduculousness after Jim convinces him to do it.  

AoG


----------



## Rook (Nov 3, 2006)

ArmorOfGod said:


> I have to say there is no office that would allow that kind of thing to go on. First, you would have to deal with the ridicule from cowrkers, then you would have to deal with your boss asking you what the heck you were doing while at work.


 
There are offices that would allow this.  Whether your coworkers would think you are nuts or not is another matter.

I wouldn't risk what it would look like and the resulting drop in reputation.


----------

