If you were interested in joining the military, there are some fitness tests you would need to pass in order to qualify.
But not all military roles are physical. In fact, many military workers are desk-based and experience the same challenges as regular office workers,
That’s where Lt. Col. Jason Barber, PA-C comes in. He is a U.S. Army Reserve soldier, strength and conditioning coach and a leader in the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system.
As part of Barber’s role, he supports desk-based military personnel to stay fit and ready for action, using a system inspired by special forces training methods.
This may sound like Barber builds intimidating, difficult workouts, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
He has shared his go-to exercises to improve strength and fitness—and you can do them at your desk, while at work.
He says that the full workout can be done “right at your desk, in 10 minutes, or less”.
He has even included modifications to scale up or scale down the exercises to suit your fitness level.
Tell us in the comments how you fare, and whether you found this military-approved workout harder or easier than your usual training method.
Watch how to do the equipment-free desk workout
Exercise guides
1. Squat
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with a chair behind you, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly.
- Keep your chest up and core engaged.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to sit on the edge of the chair.
- Press through your heels to stand back up.
Add intensity: Remove the chair, hold a heavy book or water bottle at your chest, or perform jump squats
Reduce Intensity: If you chair has arms, use them to push back up.
Barber says: “The bodyweight squat improves mobility and stability, while also strengthening your lower body by targeting the glutes, quads, hamstrings and core.”
2. Desk push-up
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart against your desk.
- Step your feet back, so your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the desk.
- Press away from the desk to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
Add intensity: Lift one foot to add instability. Perform a push-up with your hands on the floor. If this is still too easy, elevate your feet on a chair and perform slow, controlled reps.
Reduce intensity: Use a wall to make the angle of your push-up less steep.
Barber says: “Leaning push-ups work the chest, shoulders and triceps, making them an effective upper-body workout. They are also easily modifiable.”
3. Reverse lunge
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step your right foot back, then bend both knees to lower—keeping your left knee directly above your left ankle and your chest facing forward.
- Push through your left heel to return to standing.
- Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.
Add intensity: Hold weights or add a knee drive at the top.
Reduce intensity: Limit the depth of the lunge or hold onto a chair for balance.
Barber says: “The reverse lunge is a great way to improve balance and coordination, while also strengthening your lower body. Reverse lunges also have less of an impact on your knees than a forward lunge.”
4. Standing twist
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms raised in front of you at shoulder height, holding something from your desk to add weight.
- Moving from the middle of your back, but keeping your gaze forward, move your arms to the right, then to the left, keeping your hips facing forward.
- Engage your core throughout the movement.
Add intensity: Hold a weight or medicine ball, or increase the speed of your twist.
Reduce intensity: Perform slower, smaller twists.
Barber says: “The standing twist can help improve rotational mobility and core engagement, and is a great exercise if you spend most of your day at a desk. It primarily activates the abs and obliques and helps to strengthen spine stability.”
5. Lateral hop
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each direction
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
- Lift your right foot and leap to the right, landing softly on your right foot, keeping your left foot off the floor.
- Immediately leap back to the left.
- Continue leaping side to side, staying light on your feet.
Add intensity: Increase the hop distance or speed.
Reduce intensity: Step side-to-side instead of hopping.
Barber says: “The lateral hop builds agility, coordination and endurance while targeting the glutes, quads and calves—as well as the stabilizing muscles around your joints. If you are a runner, consider incorporating this exercise into your training to improve joint stability through your hips, knees and ankles.”
Lt. Col. Jason Barber, MS, PA-C, has served in the U.S. Army for the past 34 years. He has spent time on active duty, in the Army National Guard and is currently in the U.S. Army Reserve.
He holds advanced degrees in exercise science and physician assistant studies, as well as multiple strength and conditioning and sports medicine fields certifications.
He is currently activated to assist with the implementation of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) system at the 81st Readiness Division at Fort Jackson, SC. In his role, he spearheads the U.S. Army’s H2F system, an initiative to enhance soldier readiness across physical, mental, nutritional, sleep and spiritual health.
Barber is also a high-performance coordinator for the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), where he helps soldier-athletes prepare and qualify for international competition, most recently the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
