Standing Desk Exercises: 6 Simple Moves for Your Workday

A standing desk can help you sit less, but standing still all day is not the same as exercise. These standing desk exercises are small, quiet moves you can do between emails and calls to keep your legs, hips and back working. Below you’ll also find how to split your time between sitting and standing, and the limits of a standing desk.

Standing isn’t exercise (but it helps)

Standing uses a little more energy than sitting and gets you out of a slumped position, which is useful. But your muscles are barely working when you stand still. It won’t build strength, improve your fitness much or replace a workout.

The real benefit of a standing desk is variety. It gives you another position to move into and makes it easier to shift around, walk away from the screen and add small bursts of movement. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines advise adults to break up long periods of sitting, and a standing desk is one tool that makes that easier. For the bigger picture, read our guide to fixing a sedentary lifestyle.

How to alternate sitting and standing

There’s no perfect ratio, and swapping one fixed position for another isn’t the goal. A simple approach that works for most people:

• Change position every 30-60 minutes. Sit for a block of focused work, then stand for calls or emails.
• Start small. If you are new to standing, begin with short spells and build up over a couple of weeks.
• Use triggers. Stand for every phone or video call, or every time you refill your water.
• Walk when you can. A two-minute walk does more than an extra hour of standing still.

6 standing desk exercises

Do one or two of these every time you stand up. None of them need equipment, and most can be done while reading or on a call with your camera off.

1. Calf raises. Rise onto your toes, pause, lower slowly. 15-20 reps. Good for circulation and your lower legs.
2. Mini squats. Hold the desk lightly, sit your hips back a few inches and stand up tall. 10-15 reps.
3. Glute squeezes. Squeeze your bum hard for 5 seconds, relax and repeat 10 times. It wakes up muscles that switch off during long sitting.
4. Hip hinges. Soft knees, hands on hips, push your hips back with a flat back until you feel your hamstrings, then stand tall. 10 reps. A great habit if your lower back aches from your desk job.
5. Desk press-ups. Hands on the edge of a sturdy, fixed desk (not one on wheels), walk your feet back and lower your chest towards it. 8-12 reps.
6. Marching. March on the spot, lifting your knees to hip height, for 30-60 seconds. Gets your heart rate up a little and your hips moving.

Move slowly and with control, and stop any exercise that causes sharp pain. The aim is to get blood flowing and muscles working, not to work up a sweat before your next meeting. If you’re self-conscious in an open-plan office, calf raises, glute squeezes and hip hinges are almost invisible.

Pair these with a few of our desk stretches for office workers and you have a simple routine to break up the day.

Habits that make it stick

• Set a quiet reminder on your watch or phone every hour.
• Keep your water bottle small so you have to get up to refill it.
• Use a phone call as your cue to stand and march or do calf raises.
• Stack the moves onto things you already do: ten calf raises every time you send a big email, a set of mini squats while a file downloads.
• Track your daily steps. Our guide on how many steps a day to lose weight explains why they matter more than you’d think.

The limits of a standing desk

It’s also worth being realistic about what a standing desk does for weight. It may help you move a little more through the day, but on its own it won’t make a big difference to fat loss. Steps, food and strength training matter far more.

Standing for long spells has its own problems. Many people find that standing still for hours leads to sore feet, aching legs and lower back discomfort, the same way sitting for hours does. The answer isn’t to stand all day. It’s to keep changing position.

• Wear supportive shoes, or use an anti-fatigue mat.
• Shift your weight, rather than locking your knees or leaning on one hip.
• Keep your screen at eye level and your elbows roughly at 90 degrees when you stand.

Note: if you have ongoing pain or swelling in your legs or feet, varicose veins, or back pain that isn’t easing, speak to your GP before changing how long you stand. Get help urgently if one leg becomes suddenly painful, swollen and warm.

Desk moves are a start, not the finish

These standing desk exercises help you feel less stiff, but they won’t make you much stronger. For that you need proper strength training two or three times a week, with weights that progress over time. That’s what our personal training programme is built around, so the hours you spend at a desk stop catching up with you.

Think of it in layers. Small moves at your desk through the day, a walk at lunch or after work, and two or three proper training sessions a week. Each layer adds something the others can’t.

Want this coached 1-to-1? Short desk moves help, but proper strength training does the heavy lifting. Book a free consultation at our Archway studio.

Frequently asked questions

What exercises can I do at a standing desk?

Calf raises, mini squats, glute squeezes, hip hinges, desk press-ups on a sturdy desk and marching on the spot all work well. Do one or two each time you stand up.

How long should I stand at a standing desk?

There’s no perfect number. Most people do well changing position every 30-60 minutes and starting with short spells of standing, building up gradually.

Is standing at a desk as good as exercise?

No. Standing helps you sit less, but your muscles barely work when you stand still. You still need regular walking and strength training.

Can standing all day cause back pain?

It can. Standing still for long periods can cause sore feet, legs and lower back for some people. Alternating positions and moving often works better than standing all day.

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