Office workers: Get moving

By Elaine Paoloni | amNewYork Features Editor

April 12, 2006

EquinoxÂs Lacey Stone demonstrates the weighted walking lunge. (amNewYork Photo/ Lane Johnson)

If you're sitting behind a desk the entire day, it's no wonder your butt isn't tight and your stomach hangs over your jeans.

While you might think that after a long day at the office the best place for your body is the couch, incorporating the gym into your daily routine can not only change your body, it can also change your life, said Equinox personal trainer Lacey Stone.

"Studies have shown that people who work out regularly are more productive in the workplace and are more willing to take the necessary risks that will take their careers to the next level," Stone said.

Although there are no quick fixes, there are effective workout strategies that can help maximize your time at the gym. Here are two moves Stone recommends:

Weighted Walking Lunge

This exercise targets lower-body problem areas. It tightens the hamstrings and the quadriceps, which in turn tightens up the butt. Because the lunge is done while walking, there's also a cardio aspect; an increased heart rate will cause you to burn more calories.

Start with weights in each hand. Take the first step with your right foot -- the placement of your knee should be directly above your toe, not surpassing it -- then return to the start position. Repeat the exercise with your left foot. Complete one set of 24 continuous lunges. Rest for 45 seconds and repeat the exercise three times.

While performing the lunge, remember to engage the abdominal muscles in order to maintain perfect posture.

Single-Arm Squatting Cable Row

Because you are in a squat position while performing this exercise that requires a cable row machine, you'll work your legs as well as your back. "Double duty is always good," Stone says.

Sit in a squat position with good posture, as if you are sitting in a chair. With your right arm, pull the cable, feeling your shoulder blade rotate toward your spine. Let your left arm rest on your hip. Return the right arm to the start position, feeling your shoulder blade externally rotate away from your spine. Repeat 12 times on the right side, then repeat on the left side. Take 30 seconds to rest, then repeat the exercise two more times, for a total of three sets.