Let's Talk Fitness

Most of us live in our cubicles. I know, I know, this blog is called Life Outside the Cubicle but let's face it; when we're not sporting flip flops and a backpack looking for a cheap hostel room in Beijing or Manila or Istanbul, we are sitting in a chair at a desk within the confines of our cube. Now, it is difficult to maintain a positive outlook on life when this is the case. It is also difficult to maintain a six to eight pack when sitting is our life. So, I would like to present some easy to follow ab exercises that can become part of your daily work routine. You need nothing more than a floor, a chair, some toight pants, and perhaps a cubicle partner. My cubicle partner is called Anna and I know she would love nothing more than to hold a towel over my head (read on to understand this one).

Ready? Let's get started!

Sprawl out on the floor face down and do some easy back and ab warm ups. ....Hold up. Perhaps we should discuss wardrobe before we get on the floor.
For all you fellas out there I suggest some tight cycling shorts, no shirt and a cap to keep those locks from getting snagged. Now, be careful when selecting your bottoms. You don't want this to happen...

The male camel toe is not a good look. It will give you the wrong kind of attention from all your lady friends. Tuck in your shirt if you must but please be aware of any wrinkles as they may interrupt the linear contours forming the flow of your package.

If you work the sort of office job that requires you to wear a suit worry no more. As long as your suit is comfortably baggy and the pants are pleated you too will be able to acquire the ever elusive six to eight pack.

Now that we have that out of the way let's start with some easy to follow chair exercises.
Phew, I don't know about you but I am all warmed up and ready to go!

Lower abdomens first.

Okay. A few more leg raises. Don't worry, practically no one will notice you doing these exercises at your desk. Most cubicle walls are at least 4 foot 8 inches (give or take) and will comfortably hide your lower ab work.
Let's not forget the obliques. Your obliques aid in the twisting of your trunk and strengthening them will help you in any activities where you rotate your trunk. Some such office related activities include leaning down sideways in your chair to pick up food products you may have dropped because you were staving off boredom by stuffing your face at 10am.
Back to the rectus abdominis, a muscle responsible for tilting the pelvis. Now, at this point people may notice the top of your shoes sticking out from within your cubicle walls. Lower your chair as low as it will go to continue exercising inconspicuously.
Those obliques won't strengthen themselves people. Here is another variation of the exercise that engages your transverse abdominis as well as your internal obliques.
You can add the scissor leg variation to the above exercise to keep it fresh.

And now for the chair finish (remember to lower your seat) raise your arms and stretch out your legs like so...

and bring them together like so...

As you can see, a six to eight pack is within easy reach of your chair.

Now go get'em tiger!

Floor Exercises
We touched upon floor exercises briefly above. Here is a simple crunch for all you ladies out there. Once again ain't nothing to it. Simply put down a flattened cardboard box, take off your shoes (for comfort), loosen any tight or restrictive clothing and start crunching! Fellas if you would like to avoid the awkward package-hanging-crunch just form frog legs by placing the bottom of your feet together with your knees facing outward.


If you have a cubicle partner, as many of us do, mine once again is named Anna, you can enlist his/her help. All you need is a chair and a towel. Simply get on your knees (don't get excited now), place a towel on your head and have your cubicle partner stand behind you on a chair holding one end of the towel up like so...

Now pull forward! Forward! Forward!

Note that this exercise might involve some worker's compensation if your partner is standing on a chair with wheels. Also, people may wonder why your partner is standing on a chair as she will clear the 4 foot 8 inch walls of the cubicle with her upper body. I suggest that you do this exercise near some shelving to hide from prying eyes.

With a healthy diet and these easy to follow ab exercises a 6 to 8 pack should be yours within a few weeks. Don''t use your cubicle as an excuse for floppy abdominal muscles.

Turn that one pack, beer filled gut into a six pack, beer filled gut!
Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!