Get Moving: 5 Great Workouts for Writers

As a writer, there’s no way to avoid spending large amounts of time sitting at the computer. All that sitting, however, can lead to bad posture, tight muscles, body soreness, and a whole host of other issues. Exercise of any kind is great to combat all the desk sitting, but we’ve pulled together 5 great workouts especially great for writers.

Restorative Stretching

This type of stretching is all about holding poses for longer durations, so you can fully stretch out tight or sore muscles. Perfect to practice from the comfort of your own home. Restorative stretching includes poses to help stretch tight hip muscles, which is common for people who sit for long periods during the day—such as writers. There are also poses to help elongate the spine, which promotes good posture, as well as positions to help alleviate neck and shoulder pain. 

Walking

Not only do you get great cardiovascular benefits from walking, but if you choose a new path each time, you can stumble upon some great writing inspiration. Whether you crank out a 3-mile walk before 7 a.m. every morning or you squeeze in a few 15-minute walks each day, any amount of movement is great for your body and your mind. You can walk in silence or listen to an audiobook or podcast to pass the time. Stop to take photos along the way and enjoy the view.

Swimming

It’s summertime and it is hot in most places right now. So not only is swimming a great way to cool off but doing laps in the pool workout so many muscles in your body without putting any additional weight or stress on your joints. Let yourself glide through the water and push out all the thoughts of the day and open some space to allow your creativity to recharge.

Pilates

Pilates is considered a low impact workout because most of the moves can be done in reclined or seated positions. That doesn’t mean the workout skimps on what it has to offer though. Pilates works every muscle in your body and also offers stretching to soothe tension and loosen tight muscles in the body. It also helps you strengthen your core. A strong center, which includes your stomach and back, helps your core remain engaged longer and leads to better posture overall

Tennis

I know tennis seems a little out of the left-field, but this workout is known to increase players’ self-esteem and optimism. I think all of us writers could always use this when we sit down to write. Tennis is a great aerobic exercise and is considered a moderate level workout, which means it’s a fantastic activity for people who sit a lot. And, on top of the huge dose of endorphins you get from exercising, you also get some vitamin D (if you play outdoors), which is a known mood booster.

Even using the most ergonomic desk set up, your body will still accumulate tension and stress points simply due to the amount of time you spend sitting all day. In addition to the workouts above, you may want to try incorporating stretching into your daily morning or evening routine. Consider planking for 30 seconds a day to engage your core better.

Do you have an exercise you love to do after a long day of writing? Add it to the comment section below!