New Delhi: Corporate life often brings to mind the image of a person sitting on a chair, staring at a computer screen for at least 8-9 hours every day. In a technology-filled world, the scope of physically labour or even working at some tasks manually has drastically reduced. Lifestyles are getting more sedentary and this is taking a toll on our fitness levels leading to deteriorating health. It becomes difficult to hit the gym or have a fitness regime after spending all day at work.
One of the primary reasons why people skip a work-out is because they are exhausted at the end of a long working day.
Besides the daily fatigue, our posture at work also has a long term effect on our health and wellbeing.
Sitting on a chair for long periods of time shortens the hip flexor muscles which can have serious repercussions on the spine. A shift in spine alignment can lead to further complications like from backache to diabetes.
Secondly, hunching not only causes pain in the neck but also limits your breathing.
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Here are some quick and easy tips, given by dance and fitness expert Charu Shankar, which you can try during office hours to ensure that energy levels don’t drop at the end of the day.
When and Where to workout
Now that you are feeling more energetic at the end of the day, the next step is to manage your time better and fit in a regular workout. Charu Shankar has a few suggestions.
Work out for 30 minutes before office hours. Eat a fruit for energy and hit the gym for an intense power packed workout.
Divide your week between strength training and cardio. To maintain the energy levels post office hours, stay hydrated and practice deep breathing during the day.
Switch to a ‘power lunch’ system. Divide your one hour lunch break into 30 minutes of workout and 30 minutes of eating.
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Work out for 30 minutes after office hours. Follow the HIIT formula- High Intensity Interval Training. In HIIT, there are 30-60 second intervals of fast paced strenuous activity followed by one minute of rest. HIIT formula is one of the most efficient workout sessions as it is not only time effective but also helps in maximum fat burning. This formula can be incorporated in cardio as well as strength training routines.
Go the ‘Tabata’ way
However, there will still be days when it becomes impossible to exercise. For days like these, Charu Shankar suggests the Tabata intervals.
Choose any exercise like jogging and do it for 20 seconds putting in your maximum effort. Rest for 10 seconds and repeat again. Do this about 7-8 times. A four minute tabata workout is easy and can be done anywhere.
Including these techniques in your daily routine can get you impressive results within a short span of time.
Hence, now with these simple fitness principles you can continue at your corporate job without compromising on your health and fitness.
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