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Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery?
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My work is doing a shuffle and I'll be relocating my desk to another part of the building. This gives me the opportunity to convert my desk into a standing type desk.

I am worried, however, that the standing desk will reduce recovery and impact the cycling training load/quality workouts.

Does anyone have experience with using a standing desk and how it impacted training (especially HIT or quality sessions)? If I give it a reasonable transition period am I worrying about nothing?
Last edited by: Pantelones: Sep 30, 14 14:55
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Re: Standing desk and training [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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what desk are you considering?
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Re: Standing desk and training [OakCliffTri] [ In reply to ]
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As I have no budget for this it will be a DIY retrofit of my current desk to raise the work top to an appropriate height. My chair can accommodate sitting at an elevated desk.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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I can't stand sitting for long periods. My buttcheeks literally start hurting. I've tried using an inflatable balance ball, a kneeling desk chair and none of them really help.

So, I just got a big box in my office, set it up on top of my desk and placed my laptop on top. I know stand 90% of the time and haven't felt any impact at all to my training. Some things I do if I start getting a little tired is to lean on the edge of my desk for a bit or shift from one leg to the other or using a small stool to stand on with one leg (like you can do in bars).

My office chair is always there though, so I can also take short sitting breaks.

Try it, you won't go back to sitting.
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Re: Standing desk and training [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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Pantelones wrote:
As I have no budget for this it will be a DIY retrofit of my current desk to raise the work top to an appropriate height. My chair can accommodate sitting at an elevated desk.

At my old job I had my cube reconfigured like you are saying when moved locations. The only cost to them was the new chair, which was bar-stool height.

I found that I sat way more than I anticipated I would. Partly because I am a female and wear heels almost daily, but even with an ergonomic standing power mat and taking my shoes off (ew, I know) it just wasn't comfortable to stand for more than an hour or so at a time. I did love the option though.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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I just bought a standing desk a few months ago. It's a Varidesk, so I can raise it or lower it if I want. For years I've noticed after a hard workout(s) when I got to work I'd plop in the chair, lose my posture and just sit like a blob. I also noticed that the climb up the parking garage stairs after work seemed ridiculously tiring (considering how fit my legs are). So far, I'm noticing a change. If I stand at work (after my tough workout mornings) my legs feel pretty darn good the rest of the day and my posture is better too. Also, the stairs at the end of the day are essentially a moot point now. For years I didn't know how to fix these issues and I'm thankful this "revolution" of sorts came about because I'm feeling the difference. The desk wasn't cheap ($350) but hopefully it's worth it in the long run.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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Varidesk - relatively inexpensive and excellent quality. Had one for about six months now - no (perceivable) impact on training or recovery.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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I've had a NextDesk for about a year. I do about 50/50 standing sitting. I generally stand before I go training and also when I finish. I have found no impact on my recovery, or - perhaps - a positive impact. Certainly no detriment.

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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As others have mentioned, standing is great, but I wouldn't shoot for 100% standing. Had a stool for a while and that worked great. My company then got everyone electronic desks that raise and lower (fancy!).

Standing is great for doing some light email and I love it for talking on the phone, but for excel work and serious computer stuff sitting down is tough to beat.

I don't see a ton of correlation to training volume and standing time.

/kj

http://kjmcawesome.tumblr.com/
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Rappstar] [ In reply to ]
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I use an ergotron standing desk, converted everyone in my office to their stand/sit desks. I waited for them to ask, then it caught fire, even the most sedentary of the bunch wanted them, and they use it. Myself, I rotate between sitting on an exercise ball, standing or using an office chair since my desk can go up and down with simply hitting a paddle and lifting/pushing. Its a small desk, but the side benefit has been simplification and reduction of mess. The cost was about $700 on amazon.com with my free prime shipping. If you are a cubester they have one that clamps to your desk and slides up and down.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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My company provided a variable desk for me this summer. Check out juststand.org, I have been quite pleased with it. Mine is the Workfit-S with laptop adaptor.

I am not really OCD about using it. On normal days I will stand for 2-3 hours in the morning and 1-2 hours after lunch. It seems to work out that way regardless of morning, lunchtime or evening workouts.

I notice three things:
1) after solid runs, I do not get the rigor mortis tightening in my lower legs and feet if I stand for an hour or so afterward.
2) I appreciate the chair now when I take my sitting breaks.
3) I don't notice the stairs as much late in the day when my legs are used to standing.

I keep a couple foot massagers (tennis ball, spiky ball, lacrosse ball and small roll) nearby and use them occasionally. They seem to work better standing than sitting.

My old homemade plywood calf ramp still sees regular use now that I am standing. It feels pretty good to have some options to vary my stance.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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UPDATE: Three days after this post I crashed out of a road race with four broken vertebrae. Wasn't able to implement my stand up desk till mid June of this year due to the injury and other work related factors.

Five months of a standup desk hasn't affected my training or recovery as far as I can tell anecdotaly. On the other side I can't say it has helped my cycling, although I am making more power across all time duration this season (I attribute this mostly to polarized training and doing consecutive three hard interval days during the week T-Th).

I've noted two key benefits from the stand up desk. No more lower back ache from extended standing or walking. I no longer get the afternoon drowsies either. Can't say if my productivity has increased any.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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What type of intervals are you doing three days in a row? I find I can do one hard day and then have to go easy the next unless the hard day is super short.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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I moved over to a standing desk a year ago due to sitting issues. I don't find it makes recovery longer. I stand about 95% of the day. i occasionally sit down for 5 minutes here or there, but stand most of the time. I will say it took a solid 6-8 weeks before my legs weren't completely exhausted at the end of the day and that's with a cushion standing mat at my desk. Once your legs get adjusted, you will find that your legs are stronger, and more apt to training loads with bigger volume and intensity. I have even tested it. Similar training weeks...one where I sat the day of of heavy training that morning. The other day is a day of standing after heavy training load that morning. I was intensely sore the days after when I sat. I had very little soreness on the days when I was standing.

It was the best decision I ever made and will never return to sitting for hours on end. I set PR's across the board in my races this year.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [tctritexan] [ In reply to ]
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Interesting, I have a variable desk and kind of flip flop based on how lazy I feel. I typically sit for a bit in the mornings but stand almost all afternoon. Biggest benefit I've noticed is reduced drowsiness after lunch when standing.

I have not noticed any real tangible differences in my fitness but I tend to sit longer in the mornings after a pre-work run. I'll probably double down and make a bigger commitment to standing and see if I notice anything more substantial.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [SWoo] [ In reply to ]
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I cycle only, due to knee injury. so the interval days are a little easier to recover from compared to triathletes or runners.

M-EZ or off depending on the weekend.
T- Vo2max 5x5 or 30on/15off for 9min x2-3. OR 16km time trial with local club, balls out hard
Wed - 2x20 at 95% up local climb or 3x20 at 90-95% (note my rest intervals on these are 7-8min to descend the climb, so the the workout is easier than traditional 2x20 at 2-5min rest)
Thursday - 10-14 x 1 min with 1 min recovery at ~150%, 4x15s sprints with 5min recovery. This is new addition to training this season, kind of a no mans land workout between aerobic and anerobic to help with specific race weaknesses.
Fri - off, travel, or EZ
Sat - Race or long EZ/mtb
Sun - Long EZ/mtb or Race.

Note: all week rides are EZ warmup and EZ finish to make 2-2.5hrs. EZ is EZ, L1-L2.
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Re: Will a standing desk affect training load and recovery? [Pantelones] [ In reply to ]
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I have been doing the standing desk for over 2 yrs now. It took me about 3 weeks to transition full time to standing. I'm training for IM Boulder at about 10 hrs a week right now and don't see any negative affects from standing. I feel the opposite in fact. I feel that it's helping to train my muscles being upright for an extended period of time. I also found that I was able to keep off an additional 2lbs in comparison to sitting. I think it burns an extra 130-300 calories more per 7hr work day. Get yourself a box under the desk to prop a foot on to change it up too. There are only positive improvements that can happen so I endorse it 100%.

Instagram or twitter me softly @xatefrogg
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