Wakeout pack — 12 exercises
Arms Only
Desk-friendly upper body exercises that promote blood flow and energy while you work.
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30-second preview
Full routine on YouTube
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The whole routine in one video, 3:21 start to finish. Turn it up and follow along.
Reach for this when…
You're stuck on a call with your legs parked, but your arms and shoulders are begging for a little blood flow and room to move.
Why this happens
Six hours of keyboard work leaves the upper body in a predictable shape: shoulders rolled forward, pectorals shortened, mid-back overstretched and weak, and the cervical paraspinals carrying a head that's drifted inches ahead of where it belongs. The circulatory cost is real too — static arm position at a keyboard slows venous return through the subclavian vein, which is part of why your hands feel cold and your forearms feel thick by mid-afternoon. This pack is built for the exact moment you're trapped on a Zoom call and can't stand up, but need to get blood and range back into the upper body. Every movement is strictly arms and shoulders, seated, and invisible from the chest up on video. Arm raises, rotations, and punches drive blood through the deltoids and forearms; the bows and hugs lengthen the pectorals that desk posture spends all day shortening.
About this routine
Best for desk workers stuck on calls, long flights, or anywhere the lower body must stay still. All movements are seated and stay within the envelope of a standard chair. Skip the punches and sky reaches if you have acute rotator cuff pain or recent shoulder surgery — pick the slower rotations and arm raises instead. Not for anyone with an active shoulder impingement; full overhead reach can pinch the supraspinatus. None of this replaces physical therapy for diagnosed shoulder injury.
Use this pack when you need to…
Built for these moments
Boost Energy
High-energy moves you can do seated or standing, like seated boxing and kicks, right at your desk when you need a lift.
Why this pack: Sky Punches, Uppercuts and Mini Punches go from gentle to intense right from your chair, giving you a fun jolt of energy mid-workday.
Loosen Neck & Shoulders
Moves aimed at your neck and shoulders, plus arm-only work and push-ups or desk pumps where your arms hold you up.
Why this pack: Arm Raises, Rotations, Elbow Turns and desk pumps work your shoulders and arms at your desk, so your upper body stays loose and limber.
Gain Mental Clarity
Cardio moves like punches, kicks, jumps and desk pumps that send oxygen through your blood and leave your head feeling clearer.
Why this pack: Intense upper body moves like Diver and World Hugger get your blood flowing and your energy up, a cardio-style break that helps clear your head.
Frequently asked
What people ask about arms only
Why do my arms and shoulders feel stiff after hours of typing?
Typing holds the shoulders in sustained internal rotation with the pectorals shortened and the rhomboids stretched, which is the opposite of the position they're designed to rest in. Blood flow through the static muscle drops, metabolic waste accumulates, and the small stabilizers around the scapula fatigue from prolonged isometric work. The stiff, achy feeling is cumulative ischemia plus postural loading. Brief movement reverses most of it by restoring circulation and briefly unloading the shortened tissues.
Can I really do these without anyone noticing on a video call?
The seated arm raises, rotations, and small punches stay at or below desk level and register as normal posture shifts on camera. Anything involving overhead reach or cross-body hugs is visible and best saved for between calls. The pack is designed with the webcam framing of a typical laptop in mind — head and shoulders visible, forearms and hands mostly below the frame. If you're genuinely stuck on-camera, stick to the slower rotation-based movements.
Will this help with mouse arm or typing-related pain?
Yes, for tension-pattern discomfort — the aching that shows up after long days but settles overnight. Brief upper-body movement every 60 to 90 minutes counters the static-loading pattern that drives most desk-related arm pain. If the pain is sharp, involves numbness or tingling into the fingers, or wakes you at night, that points to nerve involvement (cubital or carpal tunnel) and warrants evaluation rather than exercise. Consider Hand for more targeted wrist-and-forearm work.
How is this different from shoulder stretches?
This pack prioritizes circulation and activation over deep stretching — short-range, frequent movement designed to keep blood moving through muscles the desk position starves. Classic shoulder stretches lengthen specific tissues but usually require more time and space than a work interruption allows. For targeted tension in the shoulder complex specifically, Shoulder Stretch is the better tool. Use this pack when staying functional at the desk matters more than deep release.
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Want the full routine?
Three minutes, guided by audio, in the iOS app. Or add Wakeout to Chrome — every new tab becomes a tiny movement break.