desk treadmill and standing desk

Working Out, While You Work?

When you picture your work day, the image of sitting at a computer for hours on end comes to mind. People all over the world spend countless hours sitting, with Hong Kong having the highest median weekly tally of 44 hours a week per worker. Naturally, the longer you spend working, the longer you will therefore be sitting in a day. According to a survey conducted by the Sports Professionals Association in 2021, more than 60% of the respondents said that they did not have enough time to exercise due to their busy work schedule. Although most people are aware of the harm caused by sitting for a long time without exercising, the pressures of a busy schedule leave employees seemingly without a choice, with no time or energy to put towards exercise after work hours.


Fortunately, with the advancement in technology nowadays, there are many types of fitness equipment specially designed for using while in the office, so that people can exercise without going to the gym, and even stopping work. When your day is taken up entirely by work, you can use the time that you spend working to your advantage, killing two birds with one stone. Some great examples are the mini elliptical machine and the foldable treadmill, both specially designed for users to make full use of their day and work out while working anytime, anywhere.


Under-the-desk fitness equipment is specially designed for the office environment, and with its smooth and quiet design, the volume never exceeding 30 decibels during operation, there is no need to worry about being distracted from your task at hand.


Introducing office fitness equipment into your routine is a great way to make your office work for you. Those interested in adding fitness equipment to their office environment may wish to learn more about the new way of working, and so we are here to show you the best benefits of working out, while you work.


Lose Fat, Gain Muscle and Strength


A small mini elliptical machine can burn about 120 calories per hour, which is equivalent to half a bowl of rice. In addition to improving aerobic exercise performance and enhancing cardiopulmonary function, the use of a lifting table can also focus on training the large muscles of the lower body such as thighs, buttocks and calves without hurting the knees. Long-term use can better tighten the lines and sculpt the muscles even further, so committing to working out while you work will provide you with real physical benefits.


Improve Health and Wellness


The American College of Sports Medicine published a study in 2015 showing that using exercise equipment while working can improve one’s health immensely. In the experiment, the subjects were asked to use an under-the-desk treadmill for an average of two hours every work day for two months. Without changing their eating habits, it was found that the subjects' blood pressure and sleep quality were significantly improved. It can be seen that the health benefits brought by fitness equipment specially designed for the office are very significant, and you will leave your job each day not only satisfied with a job well done at work, but with a better quality of life from exercise.


Reduce Stress and Improve Your Work Performance


Nowadays, employees are sedentary and less active, which can easily lead to muscle collapse and excessive mental stress. Some studies have found that regular exercise helps relieve the mental stress that the body bears each day. When the stress is relieved, the body produces an increased level of the hormones that help people feel happiness and relaxation, including dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. In addition to this, these hormones help the brain focus as well, so a person will have a much easier time being productive after exercising. The increased brain power, improved memory, and improved work efficiency of working out while you work are reason enough to take part in this new mode of working.



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More about the author

Lily Cooper

Writer at RISEDESK

Lily is a Rotman Commerce student at the University of Toronto, and is the Creative Content Writer at Risedesk. Pursuing minors in English and Economics, Lily is also the Film and TV Representative at RCEM, and has a passion for journalism, literature, and entertainment.