How to Stay in Shape at a Desk Job | Hacker News Reader

How to Stay in Shape at a Desk Job

christopherhelkey.com

15 pointsblacksmythe24 comments

I don't see a lot of value in this article. There is no "before/after" statement that you could actually compare and no science reference, behind the idea of activity/every 30 minutes.

> You don’t even need to do push-ups for the technique to work. If push-ups are not your things try stretching, walking around the building or do any other short activity to mix up your day then repeat. Repetition is the key!

Yes, moving yourself every half an hour gives benefits, but does it count if you just go to the toilet or go out for a smoke?

My story is :

I go to the gym every work day for only half an hour, first thing in the morning ( I'm web-dev freelancer @ home / office ). Before I started doing that I had less energy and significantly worse mood. I also removed 3 kilos for approx. 1 month, without any diet. It's cool.

When sitting all day in front of a computer, I like to take breaks and use a jump rope. It helps get the blood flowing, and I'm able to think better and concentrate more easily afterwards.

Also, many people have said it before, but squats are absolutely amazing at getting in shape. Yes, if you do them incorrectly, you will hurt your knees. Starting Strength by Rippetoe tells you how to do them correctly.

You know what helps even more? Getting real, intense exercise for twenty minutes or more three times or more each week. That's one hour. Anyone can afford it, no matter what job or other responsibilities they have. You can even take a shower afterward, instead of progressively working up a sweat throughout the day. I'm sure coworkers (or family members) really appreciate that.

Sitting continuously for long periods really isn't such a great idea. Stepping away from the monitor periodically is beneficial for a whole lot of reasons. Doing a few pushups while you're at it sure won't hurt, but - by itself - won't get you in particularly good shape either. Let's not oversell it.

Pushups alone won't keep you fit.

True, but every little helps, and I bet it improves productivity and concentration

I knew someone who did 500 pushups a day. He looked pretty darn fit.

But obviously you should do more. Herschel Walker had a complete body weight workout and was in insane shape.

For some people, it's enough. Pushups might not keep you fit.

They don't keep anyone fit by my definition.

Maybe other people have their own definitions? That seems ok by me.

The great thing about exercise is there is no minimum effective dose.

Pushups are a great exercise, and they are more of a full-body exercise than they appear to be. They're an excellent starting point!

Keep your diet in check and eat your TDEE or less in calories to maintain weight or lose a few pounds. That's 90% of it. Sign up for a gym and workout 3 times a week aiming to improve strength if you want some muscle definition. That's the other 10% if you want to get fit.

We made a Slack bot, Swolebot, announce 3 times a day how many pushes we have to do based on how many open PRs we have to review

https://github.com/robinpowered/swolebot

How do the women and less-physically-able people on your team feel about that?

TL;DR - Do pushups on the floor.

TL;DR I started doing pushups occasionally while working and think I'm a genius that's in "amazing shape" because of it.

This isn't bad advice, but it's presented so poorly and with little forethought.

Stretching the definition of "killer workout" but it's good advice. Better (much) than nothing, and once you get a taste for zero-equipment bodyweight exercises there's lot more you can add.

I suggest doing something else instead of pushups. When you sit in front of a computer all day your shoulders tend to slump forward, and by doing pushups all day you're making that problem even worse.

Actually back strengthening and, in general, rear chain exercises are pretty much just the kind of strength training you ought to do to reverse (some of) the effects of prolonged sitting.

What? Do you think push-ups work your back?

Nope you're right - triceps are "rear-chain" but it's not a back workout.

That said you are _unable_ to really stretch your lower back while in a seated position, and it's much easier to engage the core and lower back in push up position.

Done properly they are also a core strength workout though which is just as important.

Yes, but a press up does very little for the posterior chain. The focus is on pec major, anterior deltoids and triceps[1]. Throw in some body weight squats, some body rows, (off the desk) and a pinch of planking and you'd have a more suitable list of movements to counteract sitting.

[1] Strength training anatomy, Frederic Delavier, pg 76.

Just as important - keep your diet on track. Lay off processed food, sugar, simple carbs (bread, pasta, etc.), and eat plenty of protein and complex carbs.

Funny, I work at a desk job and I just got back from my lunch break... at the gym.

Cardio?

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