Artikel Mar 22

6 quick and effective back exercises for the office and home office

Expert tips: Nike trainer Cecilia Zonta explains how to keep your back fit and healthy in everyday life.

Back pain and tension are still a result of a lack of exercise in everyday life. Our tips from the professionals show you how you can easily integrate back training into your working day. You can do these simple back exercises with and without an office chair in just a few minutes. They prevent back pain, keep you fit all day and encourage you to sit correctly.

Our health is the most important thing of all! But even in 2022, back pain is still the number one disease in Germany. Our Aeris home office study has shown that the main cause of back pain, muscle tension and headaches is too little exercise in everyday life and hours of rigid sitting at work. In addition to the health consequences, incorrect sitting in the office and in the home office often has a negative impact on work-life balance and general well-being. You are more stressed, get tired more quickly and your performance drops rapidly.

Explained by the expert: 6 exercises to combat back pain

But how can you stay active during your working day? And how do you have to train your back to permanently prevent back pain and muscle tension? The solution: 6 quick and effective back exercises for in-between times.

Our expert, Nike trainer Cecilia Zonta, explains the best back exercises step by step. The experienced fitness trainer shows you effective exercises that strengthen your back, improve the mobility of your spine and ideally stretch the ligaments and tendons. This activates the entire upper body from the lower back to the arms. This way you stay active and fit.

You can easily do this back workout at your workplace in the office or at home.
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And the best part: "You can easily do this back workout at your workplace in the office or at home. The exercises all work with your own body weight. In addition, each back exercise can be completed in just a few minutes and you don't need any equipment other than your office chair and a mat," says Cecilia Zonta.

Exercise 1: The C-arm – without an office chair

The focus of this first exercise is on the mobility of your spine. The C-arm exercise also loosens the shoulder muscles and activates breathing.

First, sit down on your mat and make sure that your back is straight. Then bend your legs at about 45° and place your hands on your knees (see image 1.1). Now breathe in deeply. As you breathe out, roll your back backwards, forming a C-shaped arch (see image 1.2). As you breathe in again, straighten your back again. Now do 15-20 repetitions of this. Then take a short break - about 30 seconds is enough. Repeat the exercise set 2 to 4 times, depending on your personal fitness level.

The C-arm exercise improves the mobility of the spine. First, sit upright – picture 1.1. Then form a C-shaped movement with your back – picture 1.2. Repeat this movement several times.

The C-arm exercise summarized:

• Focus: mobility of the spine and upper back muscles
• Bend your knees and place your hands on your knees
• Inhale: back straight
• Exhale: Roll your back into a C shape
• 15-20 repetitions per set
• 2-4 sets

Exercise 2: The butterfly – with office stool

A note in advance: Cecilia uses our Aeris Swopper for the exercise. The active office chair is ideal for back training thanks to its mobility and convex seat. Of course, you can also use another office stool for your workout. Put a cushion underneath if necessary.

With the butterfly exercise you can train and strengthen the shoulder and back muscles as well as the muscles in the hip area.

First, lie down on the stool with your chest and stretch out your legs. Make sure that your legs are really stretched out. Keep your head straight. Your arms should hang down to the left and right (see image 2.1). Now breathe in deeply and raise both arms evenly and slowly to the side. Make sure that your thumbs are pointing upwards and your hands are not bent. Your shoulder blades should move in the direction of your spine. Hold this position for about 2 seconds (see image 2.2). Then lower your arms and breathe out in a controlled manner. Do 10-12 repetitions of this per set. Depending on your training level, you can repeat the exercise 3-4 times. Important: Take a 30-second break between each set.

The butterfly exercise is an ideal way to strengthen your back muscles. Start as shown in picture 2.1 and then raise both arms parallel - picture 2.2. You can see the Aeris Swopper that Cecilia uses in detail here.

The butterfly exercise summarized:

• Focus: Strengthening back and shoulder muscles
• Place your chest on the stool
• Stretch your legs
• Inhale: Raise your arms evenly to the sides (hold for approx. 2-3 seconds)
• Exhale: Lower arms evenly
• 10-12 repetitions per set
• 3-4 sets

Exercise 3: The side bend – without an office chair

Here we come to the exercise already mentioned, which you can do alternately with exercise 1 - the side bend. This task is similar to a yoga exercise and improves the mobility of your spine, especially in your lower back.

First, sit cross-legged on the floor. Make sure you are in a comfortable position and keep your back straight. Hold your arms at your sides (see image 3.1). Now bend your back to the left while breathing in and bring your right arm over your head to optimally support the lateral stretch. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds (see image 3.2). When you breathe out, return to the starting position. Then repeat this in the other direction, to the right (see image 3.3). Repeat the exercise 5 times on each side and then take a 30-second break. You should repeat this set 2-3 times.

The side bend improves mobility in the lower back area in particular. First sit upright in a cross-legged position - picture 3.1. Then bring your right arm over your head and bend to the left - picture 3.2. Now repeat this in the other direction - picture 3.3.

The side bend exercise summarized:

• Focus: mobility of the spine in the lower back
• Sit cross-legged, back straight
• Bend sideways to the left, stretch right arm over head
• Bend sideways to the right, stretch left arm over head
• 5 repetitions per side
• 2-3 sets

Do you want more fitness exercises for at home from our expert Cecilia Zonta? Follow the Nike trainer on Instagram.

Exercise 4: The Superman – with office stool

The Superman is an extension of the butterfly exercise. This workout activates your core and improves the strength of your spine muscles. It also trains your thigh muscles and shoulders.

First, lie down on your stool with your chest. Make sure that your legs are stretched out and your neck is straight. Look towards the floor (see image 4.1). When you have built up enough body tension, you can begin: breathe in deeply and raise your right arm straight up. At the same time, raise your left leg (see image 4.2). Hold this position for about 1-2 seconds. As you breathe out, let your limbs slide back to the starting position. Make sure that you maintain control of your core position and body tension. Then do the movement sequence with your left arm and right leg (see image 4.3). Repeat the exercise 5 times per side and do 3-4 sets. Rest at least 30 seconds between each set.

First, take the starting position - picture 4.1. When you have built up body tension, stretch out your right arm and left leg - picture 4.2. After holding the position for about 1-2 seconds, switch and stretch out your left arm and right leg - picture 4.3"

The Superman exercise summarized:

• Focus: Strengthening the spine, thigh and shoulder muscles
• Place your chest on the stool
• Build body tension, legs stretched, neck straight
• Alternately raise the right arm and left leg and the left arm and right leg parallel
• 5 repetitions per side
• 3-4 sets

After we have done two exercises each for the strength of your back muscles and the mobility of your spine, we now focus on stretching. Regularly stretching ligaments and tendons is extremely important. It improves posture and mobility and also counteracts back, hip and leg pain.

Exercise 5: The lateral stretch – without an office chair

For the side stretch, stand in a doorway or at a post (if there happens to be a post in the office). All joking aside. First, stand upright in the doorway. Your feet should be close together and parallel (see image 5.1). Then cross your legs. To do this, place the leg on the doorpost over the other. Now grab the doorframe with the hand closest to the frame at the bottom and with the other hand above your head. In our example back exercise, reach over your head with your left hand. Now press your body - your hips do the main work here - towards the opposite side of the door (see image 5.2). Hold this position for around 25 seconds. Then turn around and stretch the other side. Repeat the stretching exercise if necessary. Important: Breathe deeply during the stretching exercise.

With this exercise you can stretch the ligaments and tendons in the hip area. To do this, stand in the door frame as shown in picture 5.1. Then push your hips outwards and push yourself off the door frame with your hands - picture 5.2"

The lateral stretch exercise summarized:

• Focus: Stretching the tendons and ligaments in the hip area
• Stand straight in a doorway, feet parallel
• Cross your feet
• Reach your arm over your head and hold onto the door frame
• Push the hips to the other side
• Hold position for about 25 seconds and then change

Exercise 6: The L position – with office chair

For this quick office exercise, you can use any conventional chair you have available. With the L-position exercise, you stretch your entire spine as well as the back of your thighs, the tendons and ligaments in the back of your knees, and your calves. The stretch goes through your whole body.

First, place your hands flat on the desk chair and then take 2-3 steps back, depending on your height. It is important that your back is straight and your legs are also stretched. Your body now forms an L-shape (see image 6.1) and you feel the pull from the back, over the thighs and backs of the knees down to the calves. Hold this position for at least 20 to 30 seconds and breathe in and out deeply. You can repeat the exercise if necessary. If you are not yet able to stretch that deeply on your chair, you can alternatively start this back exercise at your desk.

With the L-position you stretch all areas from the spine, over the back of the thigh and the back of the knee, to the calves. To do this, stand at a chair as shown in picture 6.1."

The L-position stretch summarized:

• Focus: Stretching the spine, thighs, back of the knees and calves
• Place your hands on the desk chair
• Go back 2-3 steps
• Stretch your arms and back straight
• Stretch your legs
• Hold position for at least 20-30 seconds
• Repeat if necessary

Do you want more fitness exercises for at home from our expert Cecilia Zonta? Follow the Nike trainer on Instagram.