Anybody out there using a standing desk or a TrekDesk?
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I built my own and have been using it for the last 11 months. I love it and would not go back to sitting all day. I also started a trend here, two others are standing all day as well. I will say that the first three or four weeks, you will be dead tired at the end of the day. Building it myself, and fashioning it out of parts from Ikea, kept the price under $180. That really helped me justify it to the CEO. If you want I can get you the parts list with all the funky names, but it was just: Set of legs from a Kitchen Island (tall set, ~43") A desktop 38" X 60" 3 angled shelf brackets A floating shelf (this could be just a nice piece of wood.) The brackets and shelf raise my monitors up another 11" to reduce neck strain. The only thing this setup does not have that I wished it would, is a bar in the front to rest my foot
I've been planning on building a standing desk myself out of the various wire shelves and poles from an organizing store and I could never get the cost below $200. I'd be curious to see your parts list from Ikea. The bar is a great idea! Wish I'd thought of it! Now that you have, I'll add it to my parts list. Still nowhere near under $200 but isn't that what a tax return is for?
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I built my own and have been using it for the last 11 months. I love it and would not go back to sitting all day. I also started a trend here, two others are standing all day as well. I will say that the first three or four weeks, you will be dead tired at the end of the day. Building it myself, and fashioning it out of parts from Ikea, kept the price under $180. That really helped me justify it to the CEO. If you want I can get you the parts list with all the funky names, but it was just: Set of legs from a Kitchen Island (tall set, ~43") A desktop 38" X 60" 3 angled shelf brackets A floating shelf (this could be just a nice piece of wood.) The brackets and shelf raise my monitors up another 11" to reduce neck strain. The only thing this setup does not have that I wished it would, is a bar in the front to rest my foot
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I use one at home (I built an elevated stand that sits on top of my normal desk). I get to work from home two days a week -- when I'm at the office I sit though. I would think you could justify a standing desk by citing ergonomic concerns. A lot of companies make an effort to meet the ergonomic needs of their employees. You may even take this up with HR as well. On thing I will say is that a standing desk is no replacement for physical movement. I try to take a walk around our building after lunch every day, and get up frequently to stretch my legs. A standing desk keeps the blood flow unhindered but physical activity keeps circulation high. Good luck!
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Thanks for the encouragement. I may do this even if I don't get financial support from my company! ;P
Glad to help. BTW, this is what my desk looks like now if you want some ideas.
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Well, considering this thing costs $550 WITHOUT the treadmill...you better have a GREAT sales pitch for your boss!
The world is going to laugh at you anyway, might as well crack the 1st joke! My code has no bugs, it runs exactly as it was written.
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I am about to start my 35th year in IT this summer and my body shows it - i.e. more pounds overweight than I care to admit (BMI is over the ideal 24/25). :omg: Anyway, I keep hearing things about how much better it is to stand than to sit all day. I spend at least 6-7 hours per day sitting. I've even seen some short videos on walking 1.0-1.5 MPH on a treadmill using a "TrekDesk". :cool: Anybody out there using one? If so, how did you justify it to your boss?:confused:
Standing desk are starting to show signs where they can be bad for your knees, often people don't stand properly, so that creates problems, also most people have mal-aligned backs from decades of chair riding, so that doesn't help either. The first few weeks are also hell. Sorta like the first time you started working retail as a kid if you ever did, legs ack and you hurt, but burn through the pain for a week or so and it's second nature and you burn about 2-3x the calories just standing over sitting. For the treadmill desks they are better for your knees as they create motion, and that prevents compression and fluid build up around the knees. I have tried both, mostly at another company on a test run to say. It takes a bit of time to get use to typing and using a mouse while your body is moving but you get use to it. You will burn quite a lot of calories as well. If you trim your intake some you can get fit in a hurry. Problem is if you get one everyone else wants one cause it's cool. 90% will try it and hate it, so see if you can talk them into getting one and then putting it up as a "trial" / demo location. Let people test it out. But.... depends on where you work, most aren't designed for large bodied people, most aren't designed for the guy wanting to sprint walk against the motor, etc. So there is some learning on how to properly use the thing, without messing it up.
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Standing desk are starting to show signs where they can be bad for your knees, often people don't stand properly, so that creates problems, also most people have mal-aligned backs from decades of chair riding, so that doesn't help either. The first few weeks are also hell. Sorta like the first time you started working retail as a kid if you ever did, legs ack and you hurt, but burn through the pain for a week or so and it's second nature and you burn about 2-3x the calories just standing over sitting. For the treadmill desks they are better for your knees as they create motion, and that prevents compression and fluid build up around the knees. I have tried both, mostly at another company on a test run to say. It takes a bit of time to get use to typing and using a mouse while your body is moving but you get use to it. You will burn quite a lot of calories as well. If you trim your intake some you can get fit in a hurry. Problem is if you get one everyone else wants one cause it's cool. 90% will try it and hate it, so see if you can talk them into getting one and then putting it up as a "trial" / demo location. Let people test it out. But.... depends on where you work, most aren't designed for large bodied people, most aren't designed for the guy wanting to sprint walk against the motor, etc. So there is some learning on how to properly use the thing, without messing it up.
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I've been planning on building a standing desk myself out of the various wire shelves and poles from an organizing store and I could never get the cost below $200. I'd be curious to see your parts list from Ikea. The bar is a great idea! Wish I'd thought of it! Now that you have, I'll add it to my parts list. Still nowhere near under $200 but isn't that what a tax return is for?
UTBY frame - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10117561/#/90117562 Galant Table top - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89821547/ Broder Shelf - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90154314/ Capita brackets - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40051196/ On the Utby frame, make sure you get the taller one. It is the 41 3/8" one. The table top could be anyone you choose that is bigger than the 48" X 24" The Capita brackets are nice angled brackets that you will need to drill a hole through the table top to mount, but they look really sharp. I would suggest that you mount them so they angle towards the back of the desk. On mine, I angled them forward and the shelf is not as stable as the second desk I built for a coworker whose brackets I angled back.
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UTBY frame - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10117561/#/90117562 Galant Table top - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S89821547/ Broder Shelf - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90154314/ Capita brackets - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40051196/ On the Utby frame, make sure you get the taller one. It is the 41 3/8" one. The table top could be anyone you choose that is bigger than the 48" X 24" The Capita brackets are nice angled brackets that you will need to drill a hole through the table top to mount, but they look really sharp. I would suggest that you mount them so they angle towards the back of the desk. On mine, I angled them forward and the shelf is not as stable as the second desk I built for a coworker whose brackets I angled back.
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I am about to start my 35th year in IT this summer and my body shows it - i.e. more pounds overweight than I care to admit (BMI is over the ideal 24/25). :omg: Anyway, I keep hearing things about how much better it is to stand than to sit all day. I spend at least 6-7 hours per day sitting. I've even seen some short videos on walking 1.0-1.5 MPH on a treadmill using a "TrekDesk". :cool: Anybody out there using one? If so, how did you justify it to your boss?:confused:
I switched to a standing setup about a month ago. At first, I had a standing setup & a sitting setup side-by-side, so that I could have the option of sitting if I go tired. 2 weeks in I got rid of the sitting setup because I found that sitting became uncomfortable after a short period of time. Haven't lost any weight yet, but it definitely improves your digestion, and I have far fewer aches in my shoulders, neck & arms. A split keyboard is a must so that your arms can hang naturally. Some padding under the feet is nice too. Productivity-wise, it has changed my work pattern a bit. Previously, during a lengthy compile or download, I would go to email, browse, or start a "quick" game of something...which of course would take longer than the compile/download I was waiting on. Now I do a "micro" workout while waiting. ie stroll around the room, stretch, swing my arms just until the task I am waiting on is done. I definitely recommend giving it a try. Just as an aside...I also highly recommend Tai Chi. Been doing it for 3 years now...within the first 6 months it completely eliminated some severe chronic pain I used to have in my right shoulder/arm.
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I switched to a standing setup about a month ago. At first, I had a standing setup & a sitting setup side-by-side, so that I could have the option of sitting if I go tired. 2 weeks in I got rid of the sitting setup because I found that sitting became uncomfortable after a short period of time. Haven't lost any weight yet, but it definitely improves your digestion, and I have far fewer aches in my shoulders, neck & arms. A split keyboard is a must so that your arms can hang naturally. Some padding under the feet is nice too. Productivity-wise, it has changed my work pattern a bit. Previously, during a lengthy compile or download, I would go to email, browse, or start a "quick" game of something...which of course would take longer than the compile/download I was waiting on. Now I do a "micro" workout while waiting. ie stroll around the room, stretch, swing my arms just until the task I am waiting on is done. I definitely recommend giving it a try. Just as an aside...I also highly recommend Tai Chi. Been doing it for 3 years now...within the first 6 months it completely eliminated some severe chronic pain I used to have in my right shoulder/arm.
I didn't even think about the digestion part of it (I have occasional bouts of constip... :-O ). I can see where it could really help. I have thought about bringing some dumbells to work but have never done it. If I can start standing instead of sitting, it might be easier to grab a dumbell for a mini-set as well. I certainly could use the calorie burn ;)
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I am about to start my 35th year in IT this summer and my body shows it - i.e. more pounds overweight than I care to admit (BMI is over the ideal 24/25). :omg: Anyway, I keep hearing things about how much better it is to stand than to sit all day. I spend at least 6-7 hours per day sitting. I've even seen some short videos on walking 1.0-1.5 MPH on a treadmill using a "TrekDesk". :cool: Anybody out there using one? If so, how did you justify it to your boss?:confused:
I use an adjustable desk with an electric motor. I switch between sitting and standing 4-5 times a day. That's probably the best for you, I like it a lot. I got the cheapest model at a company call the human solution, the 445 and it's great. They start under 800. http://www.thehumansolution.com/elheadde.html[^] There was also a place called nerddesk, that had some lower priced desks, but they didn't have a center cut.
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I tried the standing desk for about a month. Then had a break moved office, etc for about a month or so. Finally got one in at work, and been using it for about 2 months now. Granted I've been on a decent diet around 1800 calories a day, nothing hot but am keeping tabs on it. So far down from 220 lbs to about 200. I don't do any workouts outside of work. maybe cause work is a work out now lol. I need to do sit ups though, keep the extra skin toning up as I go. So it's not a huge instant OMG but it does do what it says it does. You do burn calories, and you do feel like you got a work out at end of day, but during the day you really don't notice it that much. There are a few cheap "laptop" style mounts that fit 99% of treadmills you can try that are usually much cheaper than the full deal, if you want to try it out. I talked them into a full sized unit though cause I code and need dual monitors etc. Overall though I feel much better and don't have that mid / afternoon sleepy daze. Which has helped keep me pushing through code faster. Which helps justify the costs some. But boss still comes by and says, we could of just bought you a coffee maker for your office for a fraction of the cost. I remind him while true, I hate coffee so that would of needed to been a fountain drink machine with lots of mtn dew instead. And my desk is cheaper than that. lol
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You don't have as far to fall when you fall off a chair... :-D I can remember many times when I tripped but the last time I fell off a chair I was at the bar...
It was broke, so I fixed it.
Be careful about leaning too far back in your chair. You could fall backwards.
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I am about to start my 35th year in IT this summer and my body shows it - i.e. more pounds overweight than I care to admit (BMI is over the ideal 24/25). :omg: Anyway, I keep hearing things about how much better it is to stand than to sit all day. I spend at least 6-7 hours per day sitting. I've even seen some short videos on walking 1.0-1.5 MPH on a treadmill using a "TrekDesk". :cool: Anybody out there using one? If so, how did you justify it to your boss?:confused:
Last month, I just got a Kangaroo Jr. Desktop (http://www.ergodesktop.com[^]). I've been standing about 5+ hours per day now. At least with this, it's just a turn of 2 knobs, lift or push and you're up or down. What I like is, I can adjust desktop part for keyboard independently from monitor. I was afraid with just one level, the monitor and/or keyboard wouldn't be correct height.
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A pneumatically adjustable one is what I thought might work as well. There are some like this one : http://www.ergodesktop.com/[^] which might work as well.
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Last month, I just got a Kangaroo Jr. Desktop (http://www.ergodesktop.com[^]). I've been standing about 5+ hours per day now. At least with this, it's just a turn of 2 knobs, lift or push and you're up or down. What I like is, I can adjust desktop part for keyboard independently from monitor. I was afraid with just one level, the monitor and/or keyboard wouldn't be correct height.
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I use a monitor. I had to remove the stand and screw the back to the kangaroo desktop. It wasn't that hard. I did have my husband help a little - it really takes 2 people to get it lined up and lifted right but after that it's fine. (they mention it may take 2 people to do it.) The nice thing was, my boss gave me $300 toward a standing desk of my choice. That just about covered all of it. I work from home in another state. When I had to move, my boss let me keep my job! But sitting 8 hours + a day is a killer.
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I am about to start my 35th year in IT this summer and my body shows it - i.e. more pounds overweight than I care to admit (BMI is over the ideal 24/25). :omg: Anyway, I keep hearing things about how much better it is to stand than to sit all day. I spend at least 6-7 hours per day sitting. I've even seen some short videos on walking 1.0-1.5 MPH on a treadmill using a "TrekDesk". :cool: Anybody out there using one? If so, how did you justify it to your boss?:confused:
When I worked at the Butler Manufacturing company, ten years ago, many of the senior managers had offices that had a conventional desk, chairs and coffee table. However, their offices had an anti-chamber off of this dress office that they did most of their work in. It was relatively narrow and set up with files and standing desks that they and their secretaries could access separately. I never had this set-up but my boss, the President of our division, liked his a lot. It did two things, it a allowed him to work in either office, but it kept 95% of the clutter out of any visitor's sight, and it had the benefit of standing to work when he wanted. I don't know if anyone else mentioned it, but both Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill used to use stand desks for reading and writing. Their desks can be seen in both of their libraries.
NEVER take on a vast project with a half-vast idea.
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When I worked at the Butler Manufacturing company, ten years ago, many of the senior managers had offices that had a conventional desk, chairs and coffee table. However, their offices had an anti-chamber off of this dress office that they did most of their work in. It was relatively narrow and set up with files and standing desks that they and their secretaries could access separately. I never had this set-up but my boss, the President of our division, liked his a lot. It did two things, it a allowed him to work in either office, but it kept 95% of the clutter out of any visitor's sight, and it had the benefit of standing to work when he wanted. I don't know if anyone else mentioned it, but both Thomas Jefferson and Winston Churchill used to use stand desks for reading and writing. Their desks can be seen in both of their libraries.
NEVER take on a vast project with a half-vast idea.
