See how to do each of these exercises:
Raise the roof (20 reps)
While marching in place, push toward the ceiling with your palms up and thumbs almost touching your shoulders. Make it harder by holding water bottles.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: One person found it "comforting" to dust off a 1990s dance move.
Con: Brief panic while you try to remember if you shaved your armpits.
Triceps kick (20 reps)
While marching in place, bend at the hips, about 45 degrees. Bend your elbows, then extend them behind you as if you are lifting weights.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Loosens your upper body.
Con: Awkward-looking. Several people accidentally whacked things behind them.
The Hulk (20 reps)
Keep marching and leaning. With your elbows bent and fists together in front, move your arms back like wings. Try to touch your shoulder blades together.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Some people make funny sound effects.
Con: Draws attention to the chest area.
Hamstring curl (20 reps)
Bend arms at the elbow. Bring one foot up toward your rear end while straightening your arms so that your hands are down when your foot is up.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Not terribly noticeable.
Con: Requires caution to avoid kicking things behind you.
Knee lift (20 reps)
Just like hamstring curls, except you lift your knee up in front as your arms go down.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Wakes up the hip flexors and quadriceps.
Con: Requires extra concentration and coordination.
Hallelujah (20 reps)
Sweep arms above your head and down again as you step side-to-side. Actually yelling ''Hallelujah!'' is optional.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Made us smile. Lends a flash-mob feel to even the least coordinated group.
Con: Not the slightest bit subtle.
Punching (20 reps)
While rocking foot to foot, punch with alternating arms. To reduce elbow stress, try not to fully straighten your arm.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Cathartic; an outlet for aggression.
Con: Most workplaces do not allow you to actually hit anyone.
Desk pushup (10 reps)
Place hands on edge of desk, shoulder width apart, legs out behind you. Push off with as much force as you can.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Not noticeable from across the room. Tough, in a good way.
Con: First, make sure your desk doesn't slide easily.
Side lunge (10 per side)
Place hands on edge of desk, shoulder width apart, legs out behind you. Push off with as much force as you can.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Doesn't attract much attention.
Con: Can be hard on knees.
Jump squats (10 reps)
Make sure you have space in front of you. Bend into a half-squat with your arms behind you, then jump and swing your arms up as if you're celebrating.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: Best calorie-burner of the moves we tried.
Con: Tall people (or high-hopping short people) will hit eight-foot ceilings.
Chair dips (10 reps)
With your legs out in front of you, grab the edge of a chair (or desk) and lift yourself down and back up. At the end, you'll be conveniently back in your seat.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: The most discreet of the bunch. Really works triceps.
Con: Can bother wrists. Be careful if your chair has wheels!
Walking (10 min.)
Lap your block or a floor of your office. Try for a pace of 100 steps per minute, which is easy if you don't stop to play with tchotchkes on other people's desks.
Our ratings:
| Not too | Very | ||
| Difficult? | |||
| Sweaty? | |||
| Humiliating? |
Our thoughts:
Pro: No one will notice. Great excuse for a stroll to Starbucks.
Con: Indoor laps get old; outside, you're at the mercy of the weather. Takes more time than a few quick moves at your desk.
Want to do this routine at your office? Download and print a cubicle poster.
SOURCES: Toni Yancey, professor of health services at UCLA and author of the get-moving book ''Instant Recess''; Alice Burron, exercise physiologist and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise; Catrine Tudor-Locke, who studies walking behavior at Pennington Biomedical Research.
GRAPHIC: Sohail Al-Jamea, Bonnie Berkowitz, Kat Downs, Laura Stanton - The Washington Post. Published Sept. 6, 2011.