Desk exercises: 20 moves you can do at work
Stretches and strength moves for your chair, in work clothes. Plus a 5-minute routine with a timer that walks you through it.
The best desk exercises are short moves you can do in work clothes without breaking a sweat: chin tucks, shoulder blade squeezes, an overhead reach, seated cat-cow, wrist circles, chair squats and desk push-ups. Do one or two every hour, or run the 5-minute routine below once or twice a day.
A 5-minute desk exercise routine
Ten moves, 30 seconds each, in your chair and at your desk. Press Start and follow along; a chime marks each new move. Short on time? The 2-minute version does the neck, back and wrists.
First move · 10 moves
Overhead reach and side lean
0:30
Palms to the ceiling, then lean left and right.
Next: Chin tuck
Press Start and follow along. A chime marks each new move.
- Overhead reach and side lean: Palms to the ceiling, then lean left and right.
- Chin tuck: Glide the chin back, hold 3 seconds, repeat.
- Shoulder blade squeeze: Shoulder blades back and down, hold 5 seconds, repeat.
- Upper back stretch: Push the hands away and round the upper back.
- Seated cat-cow: Chest up as you breathe in, round as you breathe out.
- Wrist circles and finger spreads: Slow circles each way, then open and close the hands.
- Seated figure-four: Ankle on the opposite knee. Switch sides halfway.
- Seated leg extension: Straighten one leg, hold, lower. Switch legs halfway.
- Chair squat: Stand up without your hands, sit down slowly.
- Desk push-up: Hands on a sturdy desk edge, lower and press away.
Move slowly and stop if anything hurts. If you have an injury, pain that won't go away or a health condition, check with a doctor before you start.
10 desk stretches for the neck, back and wrists
All seated, all quiet enough to do between calls. Breathe normally and never bounce.
- 1.
Chin tuck. Sit tall and glide your chin straight back, as if making a double chin. Keep your eyes level.
Hold 3 seconds, 10 reps
- 2.
Neck rotation. Turn your head slowly to look over one shoulder, pause, then turn to the other side.
Hold 10 seconds each way, 3 times
- 3.
Shoulder blade squeeze. Draw your shoulder blades back and down, as if holding a pencil between them. Keep your neck long.
Hold 5 seconds, 10 reps
- 4.
Shoulder shrug and drop. Lift both shoulders up toward your ears, hold, then let them drop and relax.
Hold 2 seconds, 10 reps
- 5.
Overhead reach and side lean. Lace your fingers, press your palms up toward the ceiling, then lean gently to one side and the other.
15 seconds up, 10 seconds each side
- 6.
Upper back stretch. Clasp your hands in front at shoulder height, push them away and round your upper back.
Hold 15 seconds, 2 times
- 7.
Seated cat-cow. Hands on your knees. Breathe in and lift your chest; breathe out and round your back.
8 slow rounds
- 8.
Seated figure-four. Rest one ankle on the opposite knee, sit tall and lean forward a little until the hip stretches.
Hold 20 seconds a side
- 9.
Seated hamstring stretch. Slide to the front of the seat, straighten one leg with the heel down and toes up, and lean forward from the hips.
Hold 20 seconds a side
- 10.
Wrist circles and finger spreads. Circle both wrists slowly, then spread your fingers wide and close them into a loose fist.
10 circles each way, 10 spreads
Office chair workout: 6 strength moves
Small strength work for legs, core and arms. If your chair has wheels, push it against the desk or use a fixed chair for the moves that load it.
- 11.
Chair squat. Stand up from your chair without using your hands, then sit back down slowly. Use a fixed chair, or brace yours against the desk.
10 reps
- 12.
Seated leg extension. Sit tall and straighten one knee until the leg is level with the seat, hold, then lower slowly.
Hold 2 seconds, 12 a side
- 13.
Seated ab brace. Sit tall away from the backrest and tighten your stomach as if bracing for a poke, breathing the whole time.
Hold 10 seconds, 5 reps
- 14.
Desk push-up. Hands on the edge of a sturdy desk that won't slide, step back, lower your chest toward the edge and press away.
10 reps
- 15.
Seated glute squeeze. Squeeze your glutes as tight as you can, hold, then relax. Nobody on the call will notice.
Hold 5 seconds, 15 reps
- 16.
Desk press. Press your palms down on the desktop as hard as is comfortable; then lift gently against the underside.
Hold 10 seconds each way, 3 times
4 standing desk exercises
For when you're already up, or at a standing desk. Keep one hand near the desk for balance.
- 17.
Standing quad stretch. Hold the desk, bend one knee and hold that ankle behind you, knees side by side.
Hold 20 seconds a side
- 18.
Single-leg balance. Stand on one foot beside the desk, fingertips resting on it. Lift them off once you feel steady.
30 seconds a side
- 19.
Standing back bend. Feet hip-width apart, hands on your lower back, and lean back gently to look up at the ceiling.
3 slow reps
- 20.
Stair break. Take the nearest staircase up and down at a steady pace, holding the rail.
2 flights
How often to do desk exercises, and how to make it stick
A minute or two of movement every 30 to 60 minutes is an easy rule, with the full routine once or twice a day.
Desk exercises break up long stretches of sitting; they don’t replace a workout. The World Health Organization advises adults to get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and to limit the time they spend sitting (WHO, Physical activity, 2024).
Five ways to make the habit stick
- Tie one move to something you already do: a chin tuck every time a call ends.
- Set a quiet calendar reminder for mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
- Run the 2-minute routine at the start of any meeting longer than an hour.
- Stand for the first five minutes of every call where your camera is off.
- Pick a time with a teammate, like 3 pm, and ping each other: "stretch?" "stretch."
Pair the routine with focused work blocks from our Pomodoro timer, and if stiffness comes with a tight jaw and a full inbox, see how to reduce stress at work. Want a real sweat with coworkers? Our team workouts guide has circuits for a living room or a meeting room.
