Even the most intense exercise schedules can struggle to survive a long day in the office. So why don’t you give your active self a leg up over your sedentary alter ego?
You certainly don’t have to quit your job in order to stay healthy. If you add up the hours in the day that you spend sleeping, eating, driving, sitting, and watching television at night, that’s a lot of sedentary time.
A great innovation today is desk exercise equipment. Also referred to as “deskercise,” using this equipment will help you stay in shape and keep your body healthy despite the fact that you are confined to your desk all day long.
If you sit at a desk for the majority of the day, your fitness may be suffering. Why spend all of those hours in the gym if you are just going to sit all day and undo all of that hard work? Grab yourself an office chair and get ready to learn how to effectively deskercise.
After looking through all of the desk exercise equipment options on the market, I have narrowed it down to the most efficient workout tools that you can fit into a coffee break or conference call.
After reading about these products, you will be able to pick and choose what might work best for you.
How to Choose Desk Exercise Equipment
Consider your main objective.
Are you trying to lose weight, increase your blood circulation, burn more calories, or get your muscles toned?
Are you concerned more about your upper body or lower body?
Maybe you want to strengthen your hands?
Next, consider your office environment.
Is it quiet or loud? Would your boss be ok with you exercising at work? Think about if you need any storage area for your equipment, or if you have enough room under your desk if you want to get something that requires floor space.
Then you have to think about your health and fitness goals.
Maybe you want to get in some more cardio at your desk than you are able to really accomplish while doing your work. There are several machines available that can help with this.
Maybe you want something a little less noticeable, and you just want to activate your core. Using a ball chair is a great way to do this without having anyone notice you are improving your fitness while also getting your work done.
Before buying anything, think about your environment and your goals so you can narrow down your search a bit before diving in.
Common Questions About Desk Exercise Equipment
Many people have questions about using exercise equipment at work if it is something that they have never considered doing before. Here are some common questions that you may have, and the answers that will help get you started.
Where do I start?
You know you should be exercising, but you don’t really know what to do. First, you have to remember that your diet plays a huge role in your overall fitness. It is important to incorporate a healthy diet into an active lifestyle.
Secondly, you need to find an exercise that you enjoy doing so you will continue to do it. You don’t want your desk exercise equipment to just gather dust in the corner of your office.
Think about the products out there and visualize yourself using each one before you buy it. Do you think it is reasonable?
Consider your budget. You may not want to look into intensive equipment if it won’t fit in well with your budget. Consider what is reasonable and what part of your body you think you could work on while you are at work, and go from there.
What are some types of exercise equipment that are appropriate for an office?
There are many different kinds of machines you can use at your office with very little distraction to your actual job.
Some are small, hand-held products that help you increase the strength in your muscles without spending a lot of money on a bulky product, and some are a bit more intensive, such as exercise office chairs, a ball chair, or a resistance chair.
These can fit into just about any office, and they are very discreet, but they are much larger than a hand-held product. Using these for exercise is a more passive way to engage your muscles while you are working.
More and more offices are starting to incorporate desk treadmills into their spaces. These treadmills allow employees to work on their computers or do any other desk activity that they would normally do, but walk on a treadmill while doing it.
These are a bigger piece of equipment than some other options, so it is important to make sure this is something you could reasonably use before buying one.
15 Best Desk Exercise Equipment (Our Review for 2024)
Here are some specific pieces of office exercise equipment that might benefit you. After reading the pros and cons of each product, hopefully you will be able to make an informed decision about what you want to purchase.
1. Stretch Bands
These exercise bands are great for any resistance exercise routine. They are heavy duty and can be used for a variety of activities including strength training and injury recovery. They are inexpensive and made of 100% genuine eco-friendly latex.
They go through a rigorous stretch test to ensure their strength.
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2. Small Free Weights
These weights can be easily held and used throughout the day for light weight training. You can create your own custom resistance by using either more or fewer weights as you progress with your fitness.
They come in many different colors and are ideal for general exercise.
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3. Grip-Training Tool
These are a great way to work on the strength of your grip and arm muscles. They are small and easy to travel with so you can get some exercise in while on-the-go.
This product is available in 11 strengths so you can vary the intensity of your workout as you progress.
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4. Yoga Mats
The Gaiam Reversible Yoga Mat is your best choice if you’re looking for a lightweight and dependable mat for your at-desk fitness routine.
At 6 mm, it is thicker than most yoga mats, which means you get extra cushioning for your joints.
The mat is reversible, featuring high-quality printed designs on both sides. It has a textured non-slip surface to provide stability, so you can stay focused on your yoga poses.
It also rolls tight, making it easier to store. It is non-toxic and guaranteed free from harmful chemicals such as DNOP, DEHP, and DIDP.
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5. Posture-Improvement Stool
This learning stool helps you to sit in the proper ergonomic position while activating your core muscles. It is comfortable and easy to use, and a great way to passively get in a workout throughout the day.
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6. Stability Cushion
This important strengthening tool is great for both adults and children. Sitting on this disc activates your core muscles, as well as your flexor and extensor muscles to help keep your balance throughout the workday.
With the small, continuous motions you make all day to remain stable on this chair, deep core muscles are always being stimulated and enhanced.
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7. Ankle Weights
These ankle weights are an affordable and dependable way to keep your body engaged throughout the day.
They add resistance to your walking to strengthen your leg and core muscles. You can also wear them on your wrists if you want to activate the muscles in your arms.
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8. Hand Exercise Balls
These colorful balls are great for both increasing your strength in your hands, arms, and wrists, and decreasing anxiety throughout the day.
They prevent tension while also alleviating joint pain. These are also great for arthritis, as they build strength and help with discomfort.
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9. Fitness Tracker
With this product, you can track your activity levels and sleep.
It comes with a sleek band that uses several sensors to help you monitor the number of steps you take, the distance you walk, the stairs you climb, the calories you burn, and how long you spend each day being active.
It is easy and discreet to wear and gives you motivation throughout the day to get up and get moving.
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10. Balance Ball Chair
This balance ball chair allows you to activate the muscles in your body throughout the day without anyone knowing that you are doing so. It is discreet and comfortable, allowing you to stay on task all day while providing your muscles with healthy tension.
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11. Hand Exercise Gyroscope
This spinner gyroscope helps exercise your wrists and forearms. Using this tool for a few minutes each day can be equivalent to spending hours doing full motion work with dumbbells.
This product will help to steadily increase the strength in your hands while working and it is easy to transport home if you want to continue to use it throughout the evening while relaxing and watching TV.
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12. Under-Desk Elliptical
This product allows you to exercise throughout the day without really thinking about it.
It allows you to keep your posture correct and is a discreet machine to slip under your desk. With eight levels of resistance, you can continue to work your way up to a greater level of fitness.
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13. Under-Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser
This is perfect for a workspace because it allows you to get some cardio activity done in a quiet and discreet manner while you are working.
It is a time saver in that it may allow you to cut down on your workout time outside of the office. Its low profile and wide base is great for many different types of office spaces.
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14. Treadmill Desk
Having a treadmill desk allows you to get your steps in throughout the day while you are working, and keeps you from living a sedentary life while you are in the office.
This is an effective way to add in some quality exercise throughout the day while multi-tasking.
It increases you energy and reduces joint pain so you can stay in shape and make long-term changes to your healthy lifestyle.
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15. Adjustable Height Desk
These desks allow you to have the benefits of standing rather than sitting throughout the day. This is a great tool to use to improve your health and keep your body’s posture correct while you are working.
You can adjust it to your preferred height level for optimal comfort.
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Final Thoughts on Desk Exercise Equipment
The clear must-have of this roundup is the Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands. They are great to use for any workout and allow the user to integrate them seamlessly throughout the day.
They can also be used with popular workout programs such as yoga and Pilates, meaning they are great for both the office and home.
They help with both stretching and weight training. The carry bag that comes along with this product makes it easy to travel with your bands to do any workout away from home.
Their superior quality and discreet usability mean that this is a product you can have and use for a long time. With varying degrees of resistance, you can work your way up to more strength in your hand as time progresses.
They come with a lifetime guarantee, so this product is well worth the money.
This photo shows a girl using her Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands. It demonstrates one of the several ways that these bands can be used to increase your fitness. Don’t let yourself be sedentary while working at the office all day.
Get these resistance bands to carry around with you so you can work your muscles and increase your flexibility.
And if you’re looking for more resources on desk exercise equipment, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 7 Best Treadmill Desks for Your Home Office (2023 Review)
- 30 Deskercise Routines You Need to Stay Healthy at Work
- How to Improve Your Bad Posture Habits
