By Jamie Yu

A lot of our jobs these days involve sitting at a desk, glaring at a computer screen sometimes up to 8 hour a day and beyond. The result of this over a long period of time can create tension and stiffness in our backs, wrists, neck, and legs which can only be detrimental to our overall health and wellbeing not to mention cause a decrease in productivity in the work place. As I have mentioned in another article, some of us even find our lives far to hectic to even exercise outside of work.

Here are couple of simple stretches/exercises you can do whilst seated at your desk that should bring some welcome relief:

• Shoulder Rolls: This exercise is helpful for those that sit in any one position for any considerable length of time as part our work. It’s fantastic for stress in the muscles of your back, and can also help relieve tension in the area where the trapezius is located.
  
  Sitting upright, breathe in as you lift your right shoulder to your ear. Then exhale as you slowly roll your shoulder around and back, dropping it away from your ear. Do 3 revolutions on the right side before alternating to the left shoulder.
  

Jumping rope is one of the most exciting and effective exercises for athletes. It’s no wonder everyone from weightlifters to football players to gymnasts are fans of this “miracle” workout. Jumping rope improves agility, enhances balance, and burns about 200 calories per 15 minutes. How can you make jumping rope work for you? Use it to challenge your already intense routine.

Ladies, do you often wonder how celebrities get their legs to look so perfect on the screen? No matter what size actresses are, their legs always look long, slender, and lovely when you see them on TV or at the movies. Celebrity trainer Gina Lombardi is sharing the secrets of the stars.

Exercise: Close Grip Triceps Bench

Muscles Exercised: Triceps

Description: Using the flat bench, lie down as if you were doing a normal bench press. You may want to choose a weight much lower than usual and have a spotter on hand to assist the lift if you are unfamiliar with this exercise. Hold the barbell with a close grip, approximately 8-12 inches apart (note that the grip in the picture is closer than this, but most people recommend keeping your grip 8-12 inches apart). Keep your arms close to your sides and lower the bar until it just touches your chest. Return to the starting position, but do not lock out your elbows at the top of the lift. Focus on using your triceps to push and not your chest.

Pullups are a great way to build strong arms, a wide back and an overall impressive physique. As a requirement in most military training, pullups can be a tough exercise to do if you aren't already physically fit or if you are overweight. Many other exercises can be done initially to strengthen the muscles required to do pullups.

Exercise: Lying Triceps Extension (skull crusher)

Muscles Exercised: Triceps

Description: When trying this exercise for the first time, choose a very light weight, or just use the bar for practice. This exercise completely isolates the triceps and allows you to maximally stimulate this muscle group.

Use the “ez curl” or cambered bar for this exercise. Sit down at the end of a bench with your spotter at the head side of the bench. You can either lay down and lift the bar into the starting position on the way down, or have your spotter pass you the bar once you are in position.

Exercise: Straight Arm Pulldown

Muscles Exercised: Back, Lats (latissimus dorsi)

Description:Stand in front of the lat pulldown machine with your palms flat on the bar and arms outstretched at approximately shoulder width apart. Keeping your elbows slightly bent and your wrists locked, pull the bar down towards your body, keeping your back straight. Once you have fully contracted your lats and the bar has touched or come close to your thighs, slowly bring the bar back to the starting position.

Exercise: Supinated Alternating Dumbbell Curls

Muscles Exercised: Biceps

Description: Setup an adjustable incline bench between 45 and 60 degrees. Lie down on the bench and lower both arms to the start position. Just like in standing alternating dumbbell curls, start with the dumbbell handles parallel to your body and slowly lower them up, rotating the dumbbell on the way up so the dumbbell handles are perpendicular to your body. For maximum effectiveness, squeeze the biceps at the top of the exercise and lower the weight back slowly.

Exercise: Dumbbell Preacher Curl

Muscles Exercised: Biceps

Description: When trying this exercise for the first time, choose a dumbbell lighter than you would usually use for standing or alternating dumbbell curls.

Choose an appropriate height at the preacher curl bench that will support your elbow at full extension and feels comfortable. Do not move your elbows while performing this exercise. Initially, you can support the dumbbell with your other hand to ease into the release. Extend your arm holding the dumbell down to the bottom and then bring your arm back up again until your forearm is just touching your bicep. For maximum stimulation of the biceps, contract your biceps at the top.

Exercise: Incline dumbell fly

Muscles Exercised: Chest (pectorals)

Description: Choose a 45 degree angled bench for this exercise. Pick up two dumbbells and lean back on the bench. Lower the weight by opening your arms wide as if you were going to give someone a bear hug. Lift the weight back up by closing your arms in an arc, while keeping your elbows bent as if you were wrapping them around a barrel. Breathe in coming down, and exhale on the way back up.

At the bottom of the exercise when the weight is lowered, hold your chest high as if you were puffing it out, then at the top of the exercise (for maximum stimulation) contract your pectorals, then slowly lower the weight down again.

Exercise: Overhead cable row (exercise ball)

Muscles Exercised: Lats, Middle Back, Biceps, Forearms, Grip

Description:This exercise has similar mechanics to a seated cable row, but also adds a stability component due to the fact you are seated on an exercise ball and will recruit more stabilizers. This exercise also requires perfect form to avoid bouncing on the ball, and if you do it correctly will give good recruitment in your back and lats.

To perform this exercise, connect a v-bar attachment to the overhead cable machine. Seat yourself on an exercise ball with the correct weight rating. Pull the v-bar slowly down towards your body making sure you maintain your position throughout the exercise. DO NOT lean back using your momentum to pull the weight down, and DO NOT bounce down on the ball to help pull the weight down.

Exercise: Single arm dumbbell rows (bench assisted)

Muscles Exercised: Lats, Middle Back, Biceps, Forearms, Grip

Description: Pick a dumbbell and place it on the floor beside a flat bench. If you are working your right side, place your left knee on the bench, bend over and place your left hand at the end of the bench for support. Make sure your back remains parallel to the ground throughout the exercise. Grab the weight with your right hand and pull the weight slowly up to your chest and squeeze your lats and rhomboids at the top then slowly lower the weight back down to the start position. Stare at the floor while performing this exercise, since staring straight ahead can put your neck in an awkward position.

Exercise: Kneeling triceps cable pushdowns

Muscles Exercised: Triceps

Description: Using the high pulley on the cable machine, attach a straight (or preferably cambered) bar, and place your hands with an overhand grip on the bar approximately 6-10 inches apart. Kneel down on the floor and straighten your back and stare straight ahead. Position your elbows on the sides of your body as close as possible while still comfortable. Extend your arms straight down towards the floor without changing the position of your elbows. Tip: Visualize a broomstick between your elbows holding them in one position so they do not sway back and forth while performing this exercise. For maximum stimulation of the triceps, contract them when your arms are extended. Be careful not to lock out your elbows at the end of the range of motion.