Tips For Training Discretely

Now you know what exercises to do at the office, it’s down to you to keep your workout routine private. It won’t look too good if you’re supposed to be on a conference call, only for your supervisor to walk in and discover that you are performing jumping jacks in your shorts and tee shirt. This does, of course, depend on your workplace environments; some employers might welcome the effort.

1. Block out time in your diary

If you make it implicitly clear to people that when you block time out, they shouldn’t disturb you, you should be able to get your workout done in peace.

2. Stick to circuits

Forget resting between exercises – that just wastes time. Pick at least four exercises and go through them back to back, performing each for 20 to 45 seconds depending on your fitness levels. Not only does this make the most efficient use of your training time, circuits raise your heart rate and boost your fitness more than straight sets too.

3. Earn Your Time

Count up how long your colleagues spend on cigarette breaks or hang around the water cooler. At the end of each week, work out the total time and allow yourself this long for office training each week. Now you won’t feel guilty for taking a few minutes here and there.

4. Train barefoot.

It might only take 30 seconds to change your shoes, but that’s 30 seconds you could be squatting for. Every second adds up.

5. Keep two deodorants in your desk

People will catch on to your training pretty quick if you constantly smell like the bottom of your gym bag, so keep two deodorants on your desk. One for a quick spray after each session, and one because you’re bound to misplace the first.

6. Break your workouts up

Even if you’re particularly cunning, coworkers will start to wonder if you disappear for half an hour every day. Instead of long workouts, break your sessions up into two to three lots of five to 10 minutes. This might mean a few clothing changes during the day and will only mean you get in one or two circuits per small block, but you’re far more likely to get away with this method unnoticed.

The Not So Secret Office Exercise Routine

Here’s an idea – instead of trying to sneak your exercise in during the working day, getting your suit sweaty, and having to pretend your searching for your pen that you dropped while midway through a set of pushups, why not approach your boss about starting a group exercise class?

Participants in the study took two and a half hours each week away from work to exercise, yet still managed to complete all their regular tasks from a normal 40 hour week, despite this time away from their desks.

The exercise increased stamina, both mentally and physically, meaning workers got more done in the time they were in the office despite the fact that they took time to exercise. Tell your boss this, and they’ll probably jump at the chance to get a group exercise class going.