5 arm exercises for busy professionals
What's the story
Typing for hours on end can tire out your arms and wrists. To prevent that, adding a few arm exercises to your daily routine can improve your endurance and prevent discomfort. These exercises target the muscles you engage while typing, promote a good posture, and increase your overall typing productivity. Here are five useful arm exercises that can help improve your typing stamina.
Flexor stretch
Wrist flexor stretch
The wrist flexor stretch ensures your forearm muscles remain flexible. For this exercise, extend one arm forward with the palm facing up. Using the other hand, gently pull back on the fingers until you feel a stretch along the underside of the forearm. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds before switching arms. This stretch relieves tension accumulated from long typing sessions.
Extensor stretch
Wrist extensor stretch
The wrist extensor stretch focuses on muscles on top of the forearm, important for balanced muscle development. Extend one arm with the palm facing down and use your other hand to gently press down on the back of your hand until you feel a stretch along your forearm's top side. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds before switching arms.
Plank exercise
Forearm plank
The forearm plank not only builds core strength but also engages those arm muscles you use while typing. Start by lying face down and then lift your body on your toes and forearms, keeping elbows directly below shoulders. Make sure your body makes a straight line from head to heels without sagging or arching at any point during this hold.
Bicep curls
Bicep curls with light weights
Bicep curls with light weights strengthen upper arms, helping you support your wrists during hours of typing. Start with dumbbells at your sides, curl them towards the shoulders while keeping elbows close to your torso. Keep going until biceps are fully engaged and lower them back down slowly. Repeat this process a few times per set, depending on your fitness goals, for improved performance over time.
Tricep dips
Tricep dips using chair edge
Tricep dips target triceps behind upper arms, thus helping you build the endurance levels necessary for long hours of working on keyboards without fatigue. This happens due to improper muscular support from otherwise neglected areas, which are often overlooked. Maintaining a healthy balance between different muscle groups involved in repetitive tasks, like those you encounter daily in modern workplaces, is more important now than ever.