10 Office Workout Exercises You Can Do Secretly

In this busy, modern world, it can be easy to dismiss exercise as too time consuming — and fail to meet the weekly exercise goals all of us really should.

Add up 40 hours plus each week of work, commuting time, overtime, family commitments, chores at home, socializing and the numerous other supposedly small tasks that inevitably end up taking much longer than originally planned, and suddenly you’re left with no time for the gym.

In many respects, it does come down to priorities – if getting in shape and keeping fit is high on your agenda, you’ll find time to do it, though that can be easier said than done.

Rather than using time as an excuse though, look for opportunities to get your exercise in. It might sound mad, but in the office, during your working day is the perfect time for training, provided you can do it secretly.

Try these top secret office exercises to help you get in shape. (And no, people, don't worry — we're absolutely not talking about Kegel exercises here!)

1. Squats

Squats are simple exercises, but they work lots of muscle groups – your quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, calves and lower-back. This makes them a great choice.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees and toes forward and squat down by pushing your butt back and knees out. Hold your hands at the side of your head and go as low as you can.

2. Lunges

Stand with your feet slightly narrower and take a big step forward with your right leg. Bend both knees until the left one is an inch above the floor, then push back to the start. Repeat on the other side.

3. Glute Bridge Raises

Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Dig your heels into the floor and lift your butt up as high as you can. Pause briefly and then lower again in a controlled fashion. If these glute bridge raises are too easy for you, try putting your heels on a chair, or doing them one leg at a time.

4. Plank

Lie on your front with just your forearms and tiptoes on the floor and hold your body completely still with your butt, torso and head all in line. Hold the planks for as long as you can while keeping your stomach muscles tight. For a tougher variation, raise an arm or leg off the floor, or raise your feet on a chair or your desk.

5. Jumping Jacks

You know the ones – you might not have done them since high school, but they’re still a great cardio exercise, and you don't even need to do that many to feel an effect.

6. Pushups

Like jumping jacks, pushups need little introduction, just be sure to keep your core tight and don’t let your hips drop. If regular pushups are too easy, build up to one-armed ones, and if they’re too tough, do them on your knees.

7. Mountain Climbers

Assume a pushup position but with one leg in front of the over, then jump your front leg back and back leg forward so they switch positions. Repeat this, keeping a quick tempo, but making sure you don’t stomp your feet down.

8. Squat Thrusts

Like the above, but your feet move together. Start with both feet back, jump them both in, bringing your knees toward your chest, then kick them back out again.

9. Burpees

These are squat thrusts mark two. Every time you bring your feet in, stand up and do a jump, then squat back down.

10. Birddogs

Kneel on the floor, then lift your left arm in front of you and kick your right leg back. Do all your reps with the left arm and right leg, then switch to right arm and left leg.

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.