wrongfullyaccuzd

I work at a bookstore, where I spend most of my time behind the counter. When not dealing with customers, I can usually be found improving my Hearts or Minesweeper-ing skills. I got to thinking the other day, there's probably something physically productive I could be doing while I'm standing around. The only thing I could think of were toe raises. (I think that's what they're called? They work your calves?)
Anyone have any ideas?

Paradise Lost

It may seem silly, but do sets of push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups if you have a bar, or something
secure to hang on to. If you're sure there's not gonna be a rush, run around your store a
couple of times (outside of it, you'd look really silly doing it inside.)

I know it's not really the same, but when me and my friend worked a concession stand at
Fairs, we'd have one person stay behind during slow times, and the other would go out
for like 30 minutes (working 12 hours a day at not-very popular fairs, you had ALOT of slow time.)

Try something like this with a buddy-co-worker or something. If both
of you could get into it, I'm sure it'd be easier to get your exercise.

Rodney

Best would actually be heaving books around in the stockroom and carrying out the cases to stock shelves -- lots of lifting, stretching, bending. All around good exercise.

But if you don't get to do that and if you just have to stand behind the counter, that's a little harder. I supposed you could stash a light set up dumbbells back there and do bicep curls and dumbbell presses -- or would that be too conspicuous. You might also get one of those spring-loaded grippers for working the forearms; they also make good tension relievers, they're pretty cheap, and if you keep your hands below the counter, no one will know.

If you can drop down behind the counter for a set of 20 pushups every so often, I don't suppose that would be too conspicuous, either. Try doing sets of pushups with your arms wide apart, medium, and close together. Each variation works the upper-body somewhat differently.

mazagmot

If you have a non-rolling chair, you can also try doing dips. place your hands on the armrests or edge of the seat with your feet out in front of you, and lower yourseldf until you have a 90 degree angle at your elbow, then back up. This works the same muscles as push ups however (triceps and chest). You can also try doing single-arm push-ups against the counter if you get tired doing regular push-ups. Unwheighted squats, both double-leg and single-leg [url=http://www.bullz-eye.com/furci/2003/exercise_of_month/january.htm](Site with info on single-leg)[/url, and lunges to work legs. back raises - lie on stomach and lift chest as far off ground as possible - to work lower back and hamstrings.

coash

what exactly you trying to achieve with your exercising
fitness or muscle or just to humour yourself

wrongfullyaccuzd

Thanks for all the advice so far, first of all.

Secondly, interesting question, coash. I guess the idea started with me humoring myself, but it sounds from the suggestions like I could actually get some fitness going on, with the stretching and whatnot. I'm about as flexible as your typical 6'1", 180 pound guy, so stretching might not be bad. The rubber-spring-squeezy things is also not a bad idea. No chair, but there is a desk/wall setup that's hard to describe but could probably be used for dips. There's really nowhere to hide any kind of weights.

So I guess I'll get a squeezy thing and do some dips and some stretching.

Again, thanks for all the help and keep 'em coming!

Slavakion

Try getting a nice big rubber band. You can work a lot of different muscles with one of those. Just try anchoring it somewhere and pulling with a body part.

rockzilla

You can do something called a Plyometric Chest Press (I think that's what it's called). Press the palms of your hands together in front of your chest and squeeze as hard as you can for a second or two. Do a few of these and you'll start to feel the burn in your chest.
If you google 'Plyometrics' you can find a whole range of excercises that usually don't require any special equipment except maybe a box to jump onto or a broomstick.

wrongfullyaccuzd

Thanks for the Plyometrics hint. I looked them up, looks pretty interesting. Thanks!

HockeyGuy

Also exercises I use for my VMO (knee) are ski sits, sitting down plies (pressing back of foot into side of other foot), leg lifts, bridging (alhtough this one DOES look strange at work).

thingstodo

Why not try excercicing your brain. I mean, bookstore, books....I'd be reading everything! Then, you can work out when you're not at work. And what boss could ever mess with you for reading on the job when you work in a book store??

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