MOVEMENT · PLAIN ANSWERS
What exercises can I do at my desk?
At or beside your desk you can do slow shoulder rolls, a side-of-neck stretch, an across-the-chest shoulder stretch, a chest opener, two wrist stretches, a seated leg stretch, a standing calf stretch against a wall, sit-to-stands from a stable chair, supported heel raises and a short, easy walk. That is eleven gentle movements. None needs equipment or a change of clothes, and most take well under a minute.
By Pause · KCO Partners LLC · Published September 16, 2026
Part of Workplace stretching, the Pause workplace stretching series.
Seven you can do from the chair
Circle the shoulders slowly back, then forward. Let one ear drift toward the shoulder for the side of the neck. Bring one arm across the chest and support it above the elbow. Draw the shoulder blades gently together to open the chest. Extend an arm palm up, then palm down, and guide the hand gently for the wrists. For the legs, rest one heel on the floor and hinge forward from the hips with a straight back.
Four that get you out of the chair
With both hands on a wall, step one leg back and keep that heel down for a calf stretch. From a stable chair without wheels, rise slowly and sit back down with control, up to five times. Holding a stable support, lift and lower both heels slowly, up to five times. Or simply take an easy walk along a clear route. The NHS includes sit-to-stands and calf raises among its gentle strength exercises.
How Pause guides them
All eleven are in Pause. Each has three written steps and its own timer: holds run from 15 to 30 seconds, the two repetition movements suggest up to five slow repetitions, and the walk is two minutes. Three curated routines combine a few of them into one short break. Keep every movement inside an easy range and stop for pain, dizziness, tingling or numbness.
Common questions
Can I do desk exercises without drawing attention?
The seated ones are small and quiet: shoulder rolls, the chest opener and the wrist stretches need no standing. Pause’s Stay seated routine uses only seated movements, and its guides are written rather than narrated.
Will desk exercises help me lose weight?
These are gentle movement breaks, not a workout. Pause makes no weight-loss or fitness claims; the point is a short change from sitting still.
Do I need any equipment?
No. A stable chair that does not roll, a wall for the calf stretch and something steady to hold for the heel raises are all these movements use.
Background: NHS strength exercises · NHS sitting exercises · CCOHS stretching at the workstation. These organisations do not endorse Pause. Product details describe Pause’s current iPhone build. These pages are general wellness information, not medical advice, and Pause’s routines have not been clinically validated.