Best Foot Under

I’ve read all the reports about how all this sitting we do in front of our computers is going to mess up our health, and … well, I get it. It’s not a particularly healthy thing to do, to just sit around all day.

Which is why it’s often suggested that we get up from our computers and move around a bit. My strategy for this is to work a lot of walking into my coffee shop runs, as well as to do regular physical activities like mow the lawn.

But given that all our work is located on our computers, it might be a good idea to have some way to integrate a little physical activity into your sitting-down routine. That’s something I was thinking about for a while when I was offered the chance to take a look at the Mysuntown Under Desk Elliptical. At a starting price of $199 (with periodic discounts, including a 50% coupon for Tedium readers if you use this link, or the discount code 50L1YL3Q), it’s a basic machine, but it works like this: You put your feet on a pair of pedals and roll them like a bike. (The pedals are moved back and forth with what, to my eyes, appear to be the wheels from a pair of inline skates.) You can either do it plugged in, using a set of different automated settings, or you can roll the elliptical yourself with your own foot power, while working in some basic resistance training from the included resistance bands. It’s not complicated, but it does the job just fine.

If your desk is tall enough to support your feet pedaling under it, using one of these is not a terrible idea!

That said, there are a couple of considerations worth keeping in mind when using something like this:

• This ain’t a standing desk tool. The instructions for this thing specifically state that this is not to be used for standing, which is probably a good thing, because you don’t want to break your neck just to boost your circulation. (That said, if you are in the market for something that can be used while standing, an under-desk treadmill is a pretty good option for that.)
• Your desk needs to be a certain height to make it work, or you’re just going to be bumping your knees up against the bottom of the desk. (Ask me how I know this fact.) I fortunately have a secondary desk, made of milk crates and a pair of old doors, that is perfect for this approach.
• It can take some getting used to. If you’re the kind of person who can’t listen to music when they’re trying to work, you may find it tough to exercise and ideate at the same time. Plus there’s also the posture factor. You want to use something like this sitting up, without slouching forward.

But that said, if you’re sitting down and want to use a device that gives your legs something to do rather than just sit there, this is an excellent choice. It’s not a workout-replacer, but rather a way to work some motion into a part of the routine that discourages movement at all.

This thing isn’t perfect. It comes with a remote to turn it on or off as necessary, but that approach is naturally awkward because you have to point the thing at your feet, which can be difficult to do with an infrared remote. (An app might have been a nice idea for this, but on the other hand, one less random single-use app to put on your phone.) And while it comes with straps, they’re not incredibly easy to put on, and I often found myself using the machine in manual mode without them.

I think I would have preferred a rubberized or soft-touch cover for the foot pedals, in part because you may not be necessarily wearing shoes or even socks while you’re using this. But having plastic grips under your feet isn’t the end of the world, that said.

But it’s nice and ultimately does the job well. I have some latent ADHD-esque symptoms, and with that in mind, I’ve kind of treated it as a fidget device of sorts, using it in bursts of a couple of minutes, rather than massive sustained workouts. If I’m for some reason feeling distracted, it gives me something to focus on that isn’t a computer. That, to me, is useful, and a pleasant way to work a few short bursts of cardio into my routine.

In a way, I think the area where this really shines, even more than under a desk, is when you’re doing something fully passive, such as watching TV. On a YouTube binge? Turn this thing on. It’s a good alternative to laying back on the couch, and it is just enough physical activity to get you moving, while not being taxing.

To be clear, this is not going to replace a good walk around the neighborhood, and definitely not a full-body workout.

But if you’re in an office or someone who works remote like me, it can be a way to work some quick physical activity into something that is generally quite devoid of it.

Anyway, if this sounds like the kind of thing that could help you out, give it a try. Here’s a discount code.