Exercise Library

Wrist Circles

Upper Bodyisolation·desk-friendly

40

/100

low (0.25)
Decision Guide

Best when...

  • You need something you can do near your desk without much setup.
  • You only have about a minute between tasks or meetings.

Not ideal when...

  • You need something substantially more intense or more workout-like.

Pairs well with...

a short walk or lower-body movement after a long typing block

Better than X when...

Longer break routines when you only have 60 seconds and need immediate value.

Office-clothes alternative

Sit-to-Stand or Wall Push-Up are easy alternatives when you want something even more office-friendly.

Movement Profile
Muscular Demand
2modeled

Targets forearms

Metabolic Cost
35modeled

MET 1.2 (modeled), 0.3x walking

Mobility Value
32modeled

Joint ROM: 50%, posture benefit: 10%

Desk Practicality
98modeled

Can be performed at or near a desk

Muscle Activations

forearms

30%modeled
Energy Estimate
~0.4kcal

for 20 reps · roughly 0.1 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg person

Score by Rep Count

40

5 reps

40

10 reps

40

15 reps

40

20 reps

40

30 reps

Wrist Circles scores 40/100, strongest in desk practicality. Suitable for a desk break.

Caveats
  • Metabolic cost varies with body weight and fitness level
  • mobility value, desk practicality, muscular demand are estimated, not directly measured
  • Limited research data for this exercise
  • Study populations may not represent sedentary desk workers
Data Provenance

Measured (0)

    Derived (1)

    • caloric expenditure

    Modeled (5)

    • MET value
    • forearms activation
    • joint ROM
    • posture correction
    • desk practicality
    References

    2011 Compendium of Physical Activities

    Barbara E. Ainsworth, William L. Haskell, ... et al.

    Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2011) · Vol. 43(8) · pp. 1575–1581

    Established MET reference values for common activities