Hips · Legs
Sit-to-stand + glute squeeze
Strength · Standing
- How to do it
- From sitting, stand up (use hands on thighs/desk only if needed). Squeeze the glutes at the top, then sit down slowly with control.
- Dose
- 6 reps
- What you should feel
- Your legs and glutes driving you up
- Common mistake
- Knee cave, rushing, or pushing off with momentum only.
- Make it easier
- Use your hands on the armrests or desk.
- Avoid this movement if
- You have severe hip or knee pain or a balance problem.
- Why DeskBreak uses it
- Standing up and sitting down is the most useful leg exercise a desk offers, and a proper interruption of sitting.
Stop this movement if it causes sharp or worsening pain, numbness, weakness or dizziness.
Evidence
Moderate evidence.
- Breaking up prolonged sitting reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses (Diabetes Care, 2012)
- The sedentary office: an expert statement on the growing case for change towards better health and productivity (British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015)
- Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? (The Lancet, 2016)