If you’re reading this, chances are good that you may have one or more virtual meeting on your calendar during your average workday.
From 2020 to 2022, the percentage of remote workers who use video conferencing platforms like Zoom or Microsoft’s Teams rose from 48% to 77%, according to Webex’s guide for virtual meetings. But the rise of virtual calls and remote work can keep you more sedentary, and this can have harmful consequences on your body.
“Many people spend between six and eight hours a day on Zoom calls, which means in general, unless you have a walking desk, you’re sitting for an extended period of time,” says Kira Stokes, a celebrity trainer and founder of Kira Stokes Fitness.
“What happens when you sit is you tighten your hip flexors,” she says. “And you’re also sitting on your butt which means you’re not engaging your glutes.”
Not to mention that depending on how you’re sitting, you may also be straining your neck or experiencing lower back pain. Sitting for most of the day has also been associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a JAMA study published in September.
The next time you get off a long call, Stokes recommends trying these exercises to counter the negative effects of being sedentary.
1. Glute bridges
Lay on the floor with your feet hip width apart and your knees bent. Then lift your glutes off of the floor while engaging your core.
″[Bridges] actually work on hip extension, which is the opposite of hip flexion, and they get your glutes engaged,” Stokes says.
Placing a resistance band around your knees during the exercise can also engage the side muscles of your glutes, which can help to stabilize your lower back.
2. Standing banded kickbacks
Stand in a quarter-squat position and place an exercise band around your ankles. Reach one leg at a time behind you to get a nice stretch for your glutes and legs.
“This will help alleviate back pain,” Stokes says. “What I hear a lot of as a trainer is, since Covid when Zoom calls really became a thing, there’s been a real increase in low-back pain.”
You can also reach your legs out laterally to the side for a banded side kick. Doing these exercises without a band is also possible, but the band gives you more of a challenge by adding resistance.
3. Postural exercises
After activating your glutes, Stokes says doing postural exercises is a good way to reset your posture after sitting for a long time.
“On a Zoom call, you have more forward posture, maybe you’re typing on your phone at the same time, or you’re just in general kind of rounding your shoulders forward,” she says. “So you want to do anything that will pull those shoulders back.”
Stokes suggests putting a resistance band around your wrists and holding your arms straight out in front of you parallel to the ground and even with your shoulders. Once you’re in this position, squeeze your shoulders together and do tiny presses on the band in an outward motion.
Be mindful of your posture during your video calls too, she says, especially your neck’s position.
“If your legs are crossed, uncross them,” she says. “Do a figure-four stretch when you’re seated to get constant movement in your body.”
4. Inversions
Inversions are movements where your head is below your heart. They can increase blood flow to your brain and help boost your energy.
“You feel like ‘Okay, I’ve got my second wind,’” she adds.
Inversions can range from a downward dog pose to a headstand.
5. Take a walk
Even if you don’t do any of the other exercises after taking a video call, Stokes at least recommends getting up and going outside for some fresh air. Get some vitamin D for a boost of energy and move your body in the simplest way, she says.
“It’s important that we have these energy boosting moments,” she says. “I like to think motion is lotion.”
Even if you don’t have time to take a walk, any sort of movement can help.
“Take a few moments to truly boost your energy,” she says. “Get up from your chair and do some simple hops up and down, just to increase the blood flow in your body.”