Your Core in office work
One of the best things you can do for your health is to strengthen your core muscles.
Your core is more than just abdominal muscles; it includes the muscles in your back, sides, pelvis, and butt. They’re the muscles that allow you to reach, bend, and move freely.
What’s more, a strong core helps keep you steady on your feet. And that’s critical because it can help you stay independent by preventing debilitating falls.
How is your balance? Take this 10-second balance test right now:
Stand comfortably near a wall with your arms in any position you choose. Lift one foot an inch or two off the floor so that you are balancing on the other foot. If you can’t hold this position for more than 10 seconds, you’re at risk for a fall. See page 16 of Gentle Core Exercises for ways to increase your core strength and improve your balance.
The office workout
The following routine is a great way to ease into core work. You can do these four exercises at work, without your colleagues being any the wiser. You can do these exercises at home, too, thanks to simple variations. The front plank, for example, can be done while either leaning on your desk or using the kitchen counter to support your weight.
Equipment needed: Desk (a table or countertop is also fine), exercise mat, and sturdy chair.
Time can pass awfully slow when you’re hoping to see results after embarking on a new exercise regimen. But if you do gentle core work consistently, you can start to see progress in as little as two to four weeks. Once you do, you might wonder when and how to progress from there or how to just maintain the gains you’ve made. Either way, our tips below will help.
When to progress
Repeatedly challenging muscles makes them stronger. As you get stronger, exercises in your routine will become easier to do. You’re ready to progress if you can manage all four of these tasks throughout each exercise:
- maintain good form
- stick to the specified tempo
- use a full, or comfortable, range of motion
- complete the suggested number of reps or hold the position for the suggested number of seconds.
How to progress
You can continue to challenge your muscles by making one of these choices:
- adding sets (up to two, if specified in the instructions)
- trying the higher level variation of the exercise
- moving up to a more challenging core regimen.
How to maintain gains
At some point, you may be satisfied with the gains you’ve made. To maintain gains, continue your routine, sticking to the highest level of challenge you’ve achieved.
If you get sick or take time off for other reasons, you may need to drop down a level or do fewer reps and sets before building up again.
What if you begin to feel bored? Go over your goals again. Then vary your core work by trying a new workout or selecting new exercises to do throughout the day.
