Cubii Pro Under Desk Elliptical

I believe in movement throughout the day to help negate the bad effects of sitting. After all, they say motionless sitting is the new cancer. So I hop around to different work stations in my office. Until now, I really didn’t have anything I liked for movement while sitting. Looking at that perspective, the Cubii is designed to ergonomically initiate motion while sitting. If you like herman miller chairs and all that, this might suite your needs perfectly. The Cubii is cool looking piece of fitness equipment. I liked the Noir as it suited my office theme. I went ahead and attached the pedals (takes maybe 2-3 minutes) as it’s just 2 screws on each pedal. Pretty straight forward. Using the Cubii is unique. I haven’t really experience anything like it. As elliptical are only meant for use while standing, this has been specifically designed to be used while sitting. (Clearly says don’t stand and try to use). Sitting and trying the motion is smooth and most of all – discreet. Not only to others but the exercise motion itself doesn’t disturb you. Once you are in the motion, it just goes. There is a little bit of lower core movement if you’re going fast but over time I believe that will stabilize. I felt pretty good after 15 minutes of use on the higher resistance setting for the first time, and noticed some exercise soreness (very slight). Now that this is under my desk I like to use this throughout the day especially when I know I have work to do but can’t leave to exercise or even walk around. I’ll find myself using it as a movable footrest when I’m not using it as I usually like to move my feet around while sitting. Using it while checking notifications on my phone is pretty sweet as well. That feeling of not having to get up to have exercise movement is ironic but great. The main thing to notice is the knees don’t have to move much and that prevents my fear of banging my knees on the desk. You still need 3-4 inches to be clear but that’s pretty attainable on most standard desks. The app is also cool, it syncs to android (or iPhone) and tracks the distance, speed, calories, etc and if my main goal was say calories, I could probably use this thing 2-4 hours day and lose weight. My favorite part of the app is it will remind be active after being stationary for a bit. That’s the best feature that even my Fitbit doesn’t have. Speaking of which, it also syncs data with the Fitbit or Jawbone so that’s another plus. After a few days of using it, I like that I can use this while on a call, and while writing or doing office work that requires thinking. Albeit, due to habit, I need to be stationary when doing my most important work, but that’s maybe once a day. Adding the Cubii to my office routine has been a solid improvement as I don’t have to sacrifice sitting and can work pretty close to my normal routine. I do rotate around with the following items, each having its pros and cons, but for the least distraction and compromise, I think this is going to have a permanent place under the desk. Have to love technology and its new advancements! Here are the Pros and Cons of the other workspaces in my office: Standing Desk The standing desk is a favorite of many, and I like going to this position throughout the day for 20-45 minutes. After that it just is too tiring. There are reports that mention standing desks are the best to do 6-8 hours a day as it strenuous on the body. But what else can we do to reverse sitting, besides using an inversion table or living in space like that astronaut who gained 2” in height from staying up there for 2 years! I like to stand on a mat or a slight balancing ball while using this and it’s great for conference calls as there is no noise. Some people say this is 100% the way to go, but I like using it in moderation. Treadmill Desk Probably the most fun of them all. Walk and work. This is great in the morning first thing as you get in a bit of teeny bit of cardio exercise and stretch everything before sitting for the next few hours. Granted I went ahead and used an old treadmill and an Ikea standing desk so it’s not the most elegant, but it does the trick. Once you get into analysis work or things that require thinking, I find it hard to utilize. Great for rainy days, but too much noise and movement to really get work done. Forget about being on the phone with this. I’ll also use this if I want to watch (w/ headphones) something but I haven’t gone out to exercise (cold or rainy or just lazy). Laying Down Desk I was able to create a desk that let me lay down and do work while looking up. Think of a Zero-Gravity Chair with a monitor angled downward. This is probably the most relaxing way to watch something, but it’s tough to do say excel sheets. Sometimes in the middle of the day before lunch, I’ll lay down and go through emails or browse the web to ship, or just do errands. A great way to remove yourself from sitting upward but is a bit strange to work in. Later on in the afternoon, I find myself falling asleep while on this, so that’s also something to consider. Don’t even think about trying this in the evening unless you can’t sleep. Desk Bike Pedal I like using this when watching TV (or using headphones to watch something) though it makes a bit of noise. It’s essentially a super economical spin bike. If you have a real spin bike with an iPad you’d be better off. As for it being under a desk it’s way too loud, and requires 5 to 7” of knee clearance. It also gets hot when in use for too long. It’s a nice way to keep moving, but you rarely feel a burn of any sort. So in conclusion, I like the Cubii for when I want to work quietly in a sitting position. It’s certainly an option out there for those ergonomic / fitness enthusiasts that take the art of sitting seriously. My philosophy has been to do everything moderation and change it up constantly. That works best for me, but that may not be the best for you. If you’re looking for discreet machine to put in your office, this might be the way to go. It fits under your desk and you can technically carry it to your car (though a bit heavy but think of it as a dumbbell Ha!)