While we are still in the season of the New Year, it’s the best time to make the most of the renewed energy and the momentum we have during this season to jumpstart new goals and develop new habits. This is also the best time to plan to create the best year yet. How are you doing with your health goals?

In the previous post, we looked into one of our favorite exercise equipment, walking pads, and did a comparison with the regular treadmills. In this post, we’ll expand a bit and take a closer look at the different under desk exercise equipment to help you decide which ones will work for you best in achieving the health goals you’ve set.

But why focus on desk exercise equipment? Well, with the busy days that most people face every day and the limited time we have, being able to insert some form of exercise into our day is helpful in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And what better way to achieve that than with the use of home and office exercise equipment?

The Different Types of Desk Exercise Equipment and How to Choose the Right One for You

One other good thing about desk exercise equipment is that they come in a variety of options and designs, from the simpler to the more complex ones. So, what are your options? Take a look at the following:

Walking Pads

You can consider walking pads as the smaller version of treadmills. They have the same purpose and design, except that walking pads are simpler. These desk exercise equipment carry basic functions and their design is geared more towards portability and handiness.

Walking pads are perhaps the most popular of all the desk exercise equipment available in the market today, and for good reason. Their slim and small design allows them to fit in limited spaces, so they are perfect for both homes and offices (or home offices). Like treadmills, walking pads are built so you can walk or run on them, allowing full body exercise and stimulation and a holistic set of health benefits. And because they are compact and can be stored even in tight spaces, you can have them readily available in your office space, allowing use of the walking pads everyday as your time permits. In fact, you can pair this desk exercise equipment with a standing desk—you can walk on the pad as you perform light work on your desk.

Guide to choosing the right walking pads:

• Determine your available office or home space and choose from walking pads that will fit in the said space
• Decide between slim walking pads that you can slide under your desk, couch, or bed after use and foldable walking pads that you can store in a cabinet or place against a wall once you are done using them
• Choose the right desk exercise equipment with the weight capacity and speed range that will match your body type and the type of exercise that you do
• Determine the features that are important for you—incline for a more intense workout, a handle bar for safety, Bluetooth connectivity so you can easily listen to music or podcasts as you work out, or capability to sync with your preferred fitness apps
• Look into factors such as cost and warranty, and then read reviews about the walking pads you are considering to get to help you decide on the right one

Mini Pedal Bikes

You can consider mini pedal bikes as the simpler version of stationary bikes, and these desk exercise equipment are great at giving your lower body a workout even as you are seated and working on your desk. Like stationary bikes, mini pedal bikes operate by encouraging a cycling motion. You just put your feet on the pedal and pedal away!

Some of these desk exercise equipment have a strap to keep your feet secure on the pedal, allowing you to do your seated workout without your feet sliding off the stepping surface. Different pedal bikes also offer different levels of resistance, so you can vary your workout from moderate to heavy to give your leg muscles the right level of stimulation and exercise.

When it comes to mini pedal bikes, you will find smaller ones that you can easily slide under your desk. There are also models of these desk exercise equipment that come with a desk, making them a complete workstation in themselves, even though they may not be ideal for use for longer hours because the seat is not as supportive as a regular office chair.

Guide to choosing the right mini pedal bikes:

• Choose a desk exercise equipment with the right size, small enough to fit underneath a desk but big enough to be stable without possible issues of wobbling while you are using it
• For added safety and stability while you are using this desk exercise equipment, choose one with the right pedal—either one with straps to keep your feet steady on the pedal as you bike or one with a good grip on the pedal surface to keep your feet from slipping off as you pedal
• Pick a pedal with a wide range of resistance level, especially if you are an advance user—you’d want a mini bike that has higher resistance to give you the proper training and muscle stimulation
• As with the walking pads, look into factors such as cost and warranty and read reviews about the different options for this desk exercise equipment to help you pick the right one

Ellipticals

Ellipticals are quite similar to mini pedal bikes. The difference is in the pedal movement. While mini bikes create a complete cycling movement, ellipticals create an arc movement, simulating the act of walking (they are related to another exercise machine, the mini stepper, which creates an up-down movement).

Similar to mini pedal bikes, ellipticals offer low-impact exercise, one that you can easily insert in your day-to-day schedule. These desk exercise equipment are easier to use and have low impact on knees and joints because your weight is more evenly distributed between each leg (vs. running, in which one or the other leg carries the entire weight of the body as you run).

Guide to choosing the right ellipticals:

• Choose a mini elliptical machine that is small enough to be slid under your desk and portable enough to be easily carried anywhere—some of these desk exercise equipment even come with a bag that will allow you to carry them between places
• Depending on your need, you can choose between a machine that can be used while seated and one that you can use either sitting or standing
• Like the mini bikes, ellipticals also have different resistance levels—pick the desk exercise equipment with the level that will match your own capabilities and experience
• Ellipticals are generally affordable, and you will even find one below $100—go for a machine that meets both your budget and needs

Are you ready to jumpstart a healthier 2024? Start with small and simple habits that you can practice consistently until they become part of your lifestyle. Look into the different desk exercise equipment we discussed above—walking pads, mini pedal bikes, and ellipticals—and see which one will be helpful for you in creating healthier days.

About Us

MotionGrey is a Canadian standing desk company that specializes in ergonomic furniture. We supply and install only the best quality standing desks and ergonomic chairs in the country. We offer free shipping within Canada and the US.

What made you switch to standing desks? Our products are designed with wellness as the focal point. From our electric standing desks to our office and gaming chairs, we deliver best value by putting your health, safety, and comfort as top priority. Boost your creativity and level up work performance. We want you to create great outcomes so we’re providing you only the best tools to make them possible.

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