Think you’re too busy for strength training at work? Try this quick and easy guide

Do you sit at a desk all day and notice that you are exhausted, have back pain and exercise is the last thing on your mind? I hear you. But desk jobs can be deadly, so do them regularly power breaks during the working day is essential for your health and well-being.

Strength training at work may sound like a strange concept, but it is one of the best things you can do to protect your health and reduce symptoms. adverse effects from a sedentary job.

Still not sure if you’re excited about the prospect of pumping iron at the office? I’m behind you. I am a clinical exercise physiologist my research focuses on finding new and innovative ways to improve participation in strength training among the general population.

If you want to improve mood, energy levels and mental focus and reduce the risk of developing long-term health problems then read on.

Step 1: Weeks one and two

Try the exercises below using only your body weight.

The first few weeks are about building confidence with the movement patterns in preparation for adding weights to the routine in the third week.

These five exercises don’t require furniture or walls, saving you the awkwardness of having to use a wall near a coworker’s desk. Plus, they’re done from a standing position, so you don’t have to get down on the floor if you’re in a shared office space.

One set = 12 reps and one minute of rest. Repeat with each of the five exercises.

In the coming weeks you will work towards two or three sets. Adjust the strength breaks in your day by doing a set of each of the five exercises at the end of each hour (or between meetings).

You should take a break away from your screen every hour anyway, so set a timer for every 50 minutes and let that power kick in.

The first two weeks of your strength training look like this:

• Repetitions—12
• Sets: Start with one and work your way up to three
• Exercises – five
• Weight – body weight
• Frequency: twice a week

Step 2: End of week two

Get some equipment, such as a kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells. Store the equipment safely near your desk, but where you can see it as a reminder. This purchase is one of the best investments in your health.

Leave out the one to three kilo pieces, you will outgrow them quickly. Choose a weight that you can grow to over the next four to six weeks.

If you can, try the weight in the store. If you can do 12 or more reps with it, it’s too light.

Can’t you lift it off the shelf? It’s too hard – for now.

Can you perform two to eight repetitions with good form and some effort? Then that’s the one you take home.

Step 3: Weeks three to eight

Add equipment to the exercises you practiced in step one. For example, the squat now becomes one cup squatting. Repeat the five exercises with equipment for four to six weeks.

Once you can easily perform twelve reps with good form, you’re ready to increase the challenge for step four.

Your routine for weeks three through eight should look like this:

• Reps – two to twelve (your last rep should be difficult to complete with good form)
• Sets: two to three
• Exercises – the same five exercises
• Weight: any external weight
• Frequency: twice a week

Step 4: Week eight+

Find a slightly heavier device than you used in step 3.

The goal of strength training is to get stronger, and to do that you need to practice lifting heavier weights every four to six weeks. This is called progressive overload.

There are other ways to overload or challenge your muscles – such as increasing your sets or the complexity of exercises – but for workday strength breaks, adding load is the most effective and efficient method.

From week eight onwards, your strength training routine should look like this:

• Reps – two to twelve (your last rep should be difficult to complete with good form)
• Sets: two to four
• Exercises – the same five exercises
• Weight: Any external weight, but slightly heavier than in step three
• Frequency: two to three times a week

That’s it!

When you start strength training for the first time, you can gain strength relatively quickly. However, as you gain experience and get closer to your genetic potential, it will take more consistent efforts to gain and maintain strength.

In my experience, beginners usually add more reps when strength training becomes too easy, and some people even do sets of 50 reps or more. However, if you want to build and maintain strength, keep the reps at a much lower range, and increase the weight or load instead.

Adding weight (instead of reps) can also feel easier. Although you’ll be working hard to lift something heavy, only lift a few reps before taking a one- to three-minute break between sets. And the heavier the weight you lift, the more longer your break should be.

Strength training also helps immediate benefits. Power breaks give an instant boost to our immune system, happiness and productivity – and in fact you should sleep better.

We know that having high levels of strength is the key to live a happier, healthier and more independent life, so make sure you increase your power now to invest in your future.

This article is republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.