Article Mar 22

6 quick and effective back exercises for 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 consequence of a lack of exercise in everyday life. Our tips from the pros show you how to easily integrate back training into your workday. You can do these simple back exercises with or without an office chair in just a few minutes. They prevent back pain, keep you fit all day and promote correct sitting.

Our health is the most important thing of all! But evenin 2022, back pain is still the number 1 widespread disease in Germany. Our Aeris Home-Office Study has shown: The main cause of back pain, muscle tension and headaches is too little movement in everyday life and sitting rigidly for hours at a time during work. In addition to the health consequences, sitting incorrectly in the office and home office often has a negative impact on the work-life balance and general well-being. People are more stressed, tire more quickly and their performance drops rapidly.

Explained by the expert: 6 exercises against back pain

But how can you keep moving in your everyday working life? And how do you train your back to permanently prevent back pain and muscle tension? The solution: 6 quick and effective back exercises for in between.

Our expert, Nike trainer Cecilia Zonta explains the best back exercises step by step. The experienced fitness trainer shows you effective exercises that strengthen the back, improve the mobility of your spine and stretch the ligaments and tendons ideally. 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 desk in the office or in your home.
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And best of all: "You can easily do this back workout at your desk in the office or at home. The exercises all work with your own body weight. What's more, each back exercise can be done in just a few minutes, and you don't need any equipment except your office chair and a mat," says Cecilia Zonta.

Exercise 1: The C-bend - without office chair

The focus of this first exercise is on the mobility of your spine. In addition, the C-bow exercise 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 about 45° and place your hands on your knees (see figure 1.1). Now inhale deeply. As you exhale, roll your back backwards to form a C-shaped arch (see Figure 1.2). Inhale again and straighten the back. Do 15-20 repetitions of this exercise. 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 flexibility of the spine. First sit upright - figure 1.1. Then form a C-shaped movement with your back - figure 1.2. Repeat this movement several times.

The C-arm exercise summarized:

• Focus: mobility of the spine and upper back muscles
• Bend knees and place hands on knees
• Inhale: Back straight
• Exhale: roll back in 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. If necessary, place a cushion underneath.

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 the legs are really stretched out. Keep your head straight. The arms hang down on the left and right (see Figure 2.1). Inhale deeply and slowly raise both arms evenly to the sides. Make sure the thumbs are pointing up and the hands are not bent. The shoulder blades move in the direction of the spine. Hold this position for about 2 seconds (see figure 2.2). Then lower the arms and exhale in a controlled manner. Do 10-12 repetitions 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 the back muscles. Start as shown in picture 2.1 and then lift both arms in parallel - picture 2.2. The Aeris Swopper that Cecilia uses, you can see in detail here.

The butterfly exercise summarized:

• Focus: Strengthening back and shoulder muscles
• Lay with the chest on the stool
• Stretch legs
• Inhale: raise arms evenly to the sides (hold for approx. 2-3 sec.)
• Exhale: lower arms evenly
• 10-12 repetitions per set
• 3-4 sets

Exercise 3: The side bend - without office chair

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

First, sit cross-legged on the floor. Make sure that you assume a comfortable position and keep your back straight. Hold your arms to the side of your body (see Figure 3.1). Now, while inhaling, bend your back to the left and bring your right arm over your head to optimally support the lateral stretch. Hold this position for 1-2 seconds (see Figure 3.2.) On the exhale, return to the starting position. Then repeat this in the opposite direction, to the right (see Figure 3.3.). Repeat the exercise 5 times per side and then rest for 30 seconds. You should repeat this set 2-3 times.

The side bend improves especially the mobility in the lower back. First sit upright cross-legged - Figure 3.1. Then bring your right arm over your head and bend to the left - Figure 3.2. Now repeat this in the other direction - Figure 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 above the head
• Bend sideways to the right, stretch left arm above the head
• 5 repetitions per side
• 2-3 sets

Want more home fitness exercises 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. With this workout you activate your core and improve the strength of the spine muscles. In addition, the thigh muscles and the shoulders are trained.

First, lie down on your stool with your chest up. Make sure that your legs are fully extended and your neck is straight. Your gaze is directed towards the floor (see Figure 4.1.) When you have built up enough body tension, you are ready to start: Take a deep breath and raise your right arm straight up. At the same time lift your left leg (see figure 4.2.). Hold this position for about 1-2 seconds. While exhaling, let your limbs slide back to the starting position. Make sure you maintain control of your core position and body tension. Then do the movement with your left arm and right leg (see Figure 4.3). Repeat the exercise 5 times per side, doing 3-4 sets. Rest at least 30 seconds between each set.

First assume the starting position - Figure 4.1. When you have built up body tension, extend your right arm and left leg - Figure 4.2. After holding the position for about 1-2 sec, switch and extend your left arm and right leg - Figure 4.3."

The Superman exercise summarized:

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

After doing two exercises each for the strength of your back muscles and the mobility of your spine, we now focus on stretching. Regular stretching of 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 office chair

Stand in a doorway or against a post (if there happens to be a post in the office) for the lateral stretch. Kidding. First, stand straight up in the doorway. Your feet should be close together and parallel (see Figure 5.1.). Then cross your legs. To do this, place one leg on the doorjamb over the other. Now grasp the bottom of the door frame with the hand closest to the frame and the top of the door frame with the other hand above your head. In our example back exercise, reach over your head with your left hand. Now push your body - the hips do the main work here - toward the opposite side of the door (see Figure 5.2). Hold this position for about 25 seconds. Then turn around and stretch the other side. If necessary, repeat the stretching exercise. Important: Breathe deeply during the stretching exercise.

With this exercise you can stretch ligaments and tendons in the hip area. Stand in the door frame as shown in figure 5.1. Then push your hips outward and push yourself away from the door frame with your hands - Figure 5.2".

The lateral stretching exercise summarized:

• Focus: Stretching the tendons and ligaments in the hip area.
• Stand straight in a door frame, feet parallel
• Cross feet
• Reach over the head with the arm and hold on to the door frame
• Push the hips to the other side
• Hold position for approx. 25 seconds and then switch

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 hamstrings, the tendons and ligaments in the back of the knee and the calves. The stretch goes once through the 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 will now form an L-shape (see Figure 6.1) and you will feel the pull from the back, through the thighs and back of the knees down to the calves. Hold this position for at least 20 to 30 seconds and breathe deeply in and out. If necessary, repeat the exercise. If you are not yet able to stretch deeply enough at your chair, you can alternatively start this back exercise at your desk.

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

The L-position stretch summarized:

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

Want more home fitness exercises from our expert Cecilia Zonta? Follow the Nike trainer on Instagram.