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Workplace Health

Workstation Gluteus & Thigh Exercises

Summary & Participants

Learn some exercises that you can do at your desk for the muscles of the lower body.

Medically Reviewed On: June 27, 2008

Webcast Transcript

MARY FISCHER, MS, PT: If you sit all day at your computer, like many of us do, your butt is probably out of shape. Don't lie! I know it is, I've seen them. But don't give up hope; there are exercises you can do right in your office to avoid that flattened, out-of-shape derrière.

So Kate can do exercises for her gluteus at work. It's very simple. There are isometric exercises and you're going to do them -- you can do them anywhere. Waiting for the elevator, waiting for the subway. And basically, all you're doing is squeezing your cheeks together. So you're going to tighten up and hold it for a count of five, four, three, two, one and relax.

And obviously, you can do it in sitting also. Have a seat. Right at her work station; no one will know. So you're just going to squeeze your cheeks. She gets a little taller; that's the only way you can tell that she's doing the exercise. So that's glute sets.

Another exercise that you can do right at your workstation is for your inner thigh muscles, which tend to also get underused when you're sitting a lot. And it's the same type of thing: An isometric exercise. All you're going to do is squeeze your knees together and hold it for five seconds. Five, four, three, two, one and relax. Again, you're doing isometric exercise to strengthen the adductor magnus muscle, which gets very underused from sitting.

So, work your way to a nice rounded bottom -- similar to our lovely Kate -- by doing glute sets and -- five squeezes right in your chair or waiting for the elevator. No one will know; I promise. So thanks, Kate.

KATE: Thank you.

MARY FISCHER, MS, PT: And thanks for joining us at Working Well.