DIY Life

We internet-addicts are a tragic group. We spend our days and nights creating and maintaining the greatest network of knowledge known to man, while wasting away (or, in most cases, ballooning up) in our extra-lumbar-support chairs. And what do we get in return for enslaving ourselves to our machines? Money? Fame? Sometimes, but more often than not all we get is a sore back, dry eyes, creaking finger joints, and carpal tunnel syndrome. What are we cubicle dwellers and home computer workers to do?! The answer is quite simple, actually: get some exercise.

Now, I know what you're thinking, "EXERCISE?! That means I have to get up and walk away from the computer! Are you crazy?!" While it's true that many of the most beneficial exercises require you to step away from your PC (i.e. riding your bike, walking, jogging, etc.), there are still plenty of workouts that can be done from your chair (or a nearby wall) that will help get you in better shape.

If you find that you're sitting all day long, the first thing you should do is start standing up and walking around every 30 minutes to an hour. Sitting for prolonged periods of time isn't good for you, and can lead to such pleasant conditions as hemorrhoids and arthritis of the butt (a.k.a. sore bottom). Make it a point to get up every once and a while, and take a quick walk. Once you get in the habit of doing this, you'll be well on your way to getting fit at work.

Desktop Yoga - Yoga is a great way to loosen up your body and relieve some of that workday stress. Desktop Yoga is designed specifically for the desk-bound who don't have a lot of time, space, or equipment. The animated pictures make this a terrific resource for beginning your workday workout.

Exercise at your desk - If you're looking for a more active routine that involves aerobics and such, WebMD has compiled a nice list of workouts that can be done in the vicinity of your chair. Personally, I think some of these are a little over the top for an office environment, but who am I to judge (said while shadowboxing and violently tapping my feet at the same time)?

How to do basic deskercise - The good folk over at Video Jug have put together a fantastic video demonstrating various exercises that can be done without ever leaving your chair. The guy in the film is a little goofy, but he's easily counteracted by the sultry narration. MEOW! Sorry, my cat just jumped on the keyboard.

Office exercise - About.com has created another great resource for chair-bound exercise. The workouts are grouped into sections that focus on specific parts of your body (i.e. wrists and arms, legs, abs, etc.), which comes in handy if you only have time to exercise one problem area.

Five quick exercises you can do at your desk - This group of workouts is focused on speed. I'm sure most of these can be done in the time it would take for a couple files to transfer across a slow network. Instead of staring blankly at your screen the next time you're waiting for the printer queue to clear up, try squeezing off a couple "butt squeezes!"

Remember, the robots want you to be a slave to the machine. The fatter and lazier you become, the easier it will be for them to take over when they decide it's time to crush the human race. You owe it to yourself, and your fellow man, to stay fit. They may take our waistlines, but they'll never take our FREEDOM! (*insert funny Howard Dean scream*)