Banish the desk-based blues with strength breaks

Ashley Gluchowski’s workout takes just three minutes and can be done in the office or when working at home. She says that, if done regularly, it can transform mood, productivity and levels of fitness.

“Strength is the most important component of physical fitness,” says Ashley. Originally from Canada, Ashley is one of 21 University Fellows at the University of Salford, a group of early career academics who are all undertaking research aimed at enriching lives and addressing pressing social issues.

“The dangerous effects of sedentary behaviour go well beyond aches and pains from sitting all day, and negatively influence our metabolism, cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal health,” she says. This is exacerbated by home working, where people are not even leaving the house to commute to work.

“We are spending far too much time sitting, and it is so bad for us physically and mentally!” says Ashley. She has spent years studying the benefits of strength training, particularly as our bodies age. So how can we incorporate it into our everyday lives, especially if we spend upwards of seven or eight hours a day at a desk? Ashley’s advice is to build strength breaks into our regular work routines.

“The beauty of this approach is that it’s so simple that anyone can give it a try. Build a ‘mini strength break’ at regular intervals through your day. When you boil the kettle or get up to stretch your legs. Set an alarm for every hour on your phone and try doing as many squats as you can for one minute, once an hour. Or try the ‘full strength break’ – 3 minutes of strength exercises four times a day. You will be amazed how much better you feel both immediately and by the end of the day.”

Ashley’s three minute strength break features one set each of six different exercises; sumo squats, deadlifts, lunges, shoulder presses, bent over row and the overhead triceps press.

“The exercise names may sound impressive,” says Ashley. “But most people are doing these movements every day, without even realising it. For example, the deadlift is simply picking up something from the floor while the shoulder press is simply putting something away on a top shelf!”

She advises all the usually cautions, including making sure your form is  correct when doing the exercises (follow the video) and ensuring your weights are put away safely so nobody can trip and fall over them.

She has presented her research at conferences and seminars and came up with the idea of the video after receiving countless queries from work colleagues and students.

“Colleague Wellbeing Manager here at Salford Lucy Heffron encouraged me to hold a staff session to share my findings on strength training. It was so popular we decided a video would be a great to spread the word even further and keep the motivation going. The University of Salford is really serious about looking after its staff and students, and it’s great to see it taking such positive steps to support wellbeing.”