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If you work while sitting down, you might spend a large part of your day immobile. However, just because you work from a desk doesn’t mean you can't get some exercise in! There are a variety of workouts you can do while seated that will tone your legs and lower body. If you make a habit of toning every few days at work, you'll notice big changes fast.

4

Do upper leg lifts.

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  1. Keeping your leg raised at a 90-degree angle to your body, flex your thigh to move your leg up and down about 1 in (2.5 cm) in the air. Do this 10 times, then lower your leg down and then repeat it on the other side.[4]
    • Try not to let your raised foot touch the floor during your 10 reps.
    • This is a great quad exercise to help you tone and shape your thighs.
    • If you’re having trouble balancing, put your hands on your hips.
7

Do miniature squats.

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  1. Lower down toward your chair until you can feel the squat in your glutes and thighs, then lower yourself back down. Repeat the squat 12 times.[7]
    • If your chair has wheels, don’t try this exercise! Use a sturdy chair that won’t roll backward underneath you.
    • Try to always keep your knees over your feet to hold the proper form.
    EXPERT TIP
    Laila Ajani

    Laila Ajani

    Fitness Trainer
    Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 13 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), and USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
    Laila Ajani
    Laila Ajani
    Fitness Trainer

    Sit-to-stand exercises and chair squats are easy variations of squat exercises. Doing a high rep of miniature squats can help you both build strength and train your body to reach the proper squat position.

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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    If I don't use weights, how can I tone my arms?
    Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
    Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Julian Arana is a Personal Trainer and the Founder of B-Fit Training Studios, a personal training and wellness set of studios based in Miami, Florida. Julian has over 12 years of personal training and coaching experience. He is a certified personal trainer (CPT) by the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). He has a BS in Exercise Physiology from Florida International University and an MS in Exercise Physiology specializing in strength and conditioning from the University of Miami.
    Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Push ups are one of the best exercises if you're trying to tone your arms. They really give you the best bang for your buck in terms of efficiency. You can also do variations of planks to work your upper arms. If you have access to a pull up bar, you can do inverted rows or pull ups, which are also a great choice.
  • Question
    How can I do the seventh step with little pain?
    Tom De Backer
    Tom De Backer
    Top Answerer
    If any exercise causes you pain, stop. You may have worked out too much, or you may have injured yourself. Contact a doctor if you have doubts.
  • Question
    How can I do this at school when the desks block my way? Any other exercises?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Do calf raises and leg extensions as best you can, you won't be getting swole just from sitting though, unfortunately.
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Tips

  • Start off with smaller ranges of motion and fewer repetitions until you become more comfortable with the moves.
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Warnings

  • Stop for the day if you feel pinching, tingling, numbness, or sharp pains. It can take some time for your body to get used to certain exercises and it's dangerous to push yourself to the point of strain.[11]
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About This Article

Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
Co-authored by:
Certified Personal Trainer
This article was co-authored by Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Julian Arana is a Personal Trainer and the Founder of B-Fit Training Studios, a personal training and wellness set of studios based in Miami, Florida. Julian has over 12 years of personal training and coaching experience. He is a certified personal trainer (CPT) by the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). He has a BS in Exercise Physiology from Florida International University and an MS in Exercise Physiology specializing in strength and conditioning from the University of Miami. This article has been viewed 368,193 times.
23 votes - 83%
Co-authors: 25
Updated: February 26, 2024
Views: 368,193
Article SummaryX

Even if you sit a lot during the day, you can still tone your legs with a few simple exercises. Rotate your ankles in a circle, moving clockwise for a few seconds, then repeat the exercise going in the opposite direction. Aim for 1 minute per ankle to increase your flexibility. To tone your inner thighs, squeeze an object, like a rolled-up sweater or a small pillow, between them for a few seconds at a time. If you want to tone your calves, raise your heels up to shift weight onto your toes. Hold the position until you feel your calves working, then try to hold a few seconds longer before releasing. You can also strengthen your butt while sitting by squeezing your butt cheeks for up to a minute and then releasing. For more tips from our Trainer co-author, including how to do leg extensions while seated, keep reading!

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Reader Success Stories

  • Ian Mowat

    Ian Mowat

    Dec 22, 2016

    "Cannot use my left foot for the past two months. These are easy-to-do exercises while my ankle recovers from..." more
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