Friday, March 30, 2012
source for a happier and healthier life: Exercising And Stretching At Work Will Increase Yo...
source for a happier and healthier life: Exercising And Stretching At Work Will Increase Yo...: Even if you don't spend a good portion of your workday at a desk find the time to alter your normal routine to include some simple stretch...
Exercising And Stretching At Work Will Increase Your Focus and Performance
Even if you don't spend a good portion of your workday at a desk find the time to alter your normal routine to include some simple stretches, deep breathing, and muscle relaxation. It's a great thing for your body as well as a stress reducer. I'm at my desk for long stretches at a time and have an alarm set for 30 minute intervals. That's a reminder to get up and do a series of stretches and deep inhalations that take about a minute. When the alarm sounds I'm often surprised that 30 minutes have already passed.
There are many exercises, some a little more subtle than others, that can be done while sitting at a desk or done elsewhere in an office setting.
While sitting at a desk inhale deeply through your nose, and slowly exhale as you tilt your head toward one shoulder and count to 10. Inhale deeply as you come back to center and then tilt your head to the other side while exhaling to a count of 10. Do this at least 2 times.
Next, hang your arms loosely on either side of your chair. You can do this even if the chair has arms. If that's too awkward just slide forward to sit on the edge of your chair. Then, roll both shoulders backward in a circular motion. Do this 10 times forward and then 10 times backward. Do them slowly as you also inhale and exhale slowly.
A good exercise for wrists and forearms, while also helping to reduce tennis elbow pain, is to stretch one arm out in front of you with the palm down. Use the other hand to grasp the fingers and pull them down--keeping the arm straight. Hold for 5 seconds. Then, with the palm still down, use the same hand to pull the fingers back toward your shoulder, keeping the arm straight.
Next, with the same arm still straight out in front of you, roll that arm so the palm is face up. Do the same stretches using that other hand to pull the fingers toward your shoulder and then down, toward your hip. Keep the arm straight to get the full stretching effect. Then, reverse the arms.
Now, for some work on the legs and ankles. Lift one foot off the floor and straighten out the leg. The leg doesn't have to be parallel with the floor on this one. Point the toes up and back toward you. Feel the stretch in your calf. Hold for 5 seconds and then point your toes straight out in front of you and hold again for 5 seconds. Do that about 10 times and then move your foot in a circular direction both clockwise and counter clockwise. Then, do the same routine with the other foot and leg.
If you're at a copy machine for any length of time do some calf stretches by just raising up on your toes. Do these slowly while deeply inhaling and exhaling. If you're feeling adventurous you can also stretch the quad muscle, on top of the thigh. Use the copy machine as a brace with your left hand. With the right hand reach behind you as you lift the right foot off the floor and up towards your butt. Grasp the foot with your hand and pull the leg back to feel the stretch in that quadriceps. Hold that for 10 seconds and then do it with the other leg.
While seated at your desk or at a table, raise one leg straight off the floor until it's parallel with the floor. Hold that position for a count of 10. If you need to rest that foot on the floor briefly before doing the next exercise then go ahead. Next, raise the leg back to parallel and lower it slowly without touching the floor. Try to do that up and down routine for 10 times. Then, do the same exercises with the other leg.
Another way to exercise those legs is to raise both of them off the floor and cross one over the other. Press the top leg down while the bottom leg resists and pushes upward. Change legs and do those for about 5 times each.
Next, try a simple chair squat. This works if you have a chair with arms. Put a hand on each arm of the chair. Feet are flat on the floor. Then, push up with both hands so your butt comes off the chair. To get the most benefit do this slowly to at least a count of 10.
Also, while sitting at your desk you can do some isometric exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Contract those muscles by sucking in your gut. Hold for at least 7 seconds and release. Do that at least 5 times several times a day.
If you have time after lunch, go for a walk. This will start the calorie burning process and can help to keep your weight down while increasing your breathing. We breathe too shallow most of the time and need to increase lung capacity whenever we can.
If you're able to exercise a little bit each day at work and make it part of an enjoyable daily habit you are more likely to keep doing it. It will carry over into other aspects of your life. You'll be healthier, happier and more productive at work. So, stretch, flex, and breathe while on the job and you will feel the benefits.
There are many exercises, some a little more subtle than others, that can be done while sitting at a desk or done elsewhere in an office setting.
While sitting at a desk inhale deeply through your nose, and slowly exhale as you tilt your head toward one shoulder and count to 10. Inhale deeply as you come back to center and then tilt your head to the other side while exhaling to a count of 10. Do this at least 2 times.
Next, hang your arms loosely on either side of your chair. You can do this even if the chair has arms. If that's too awkward just slide forward to sit on the edge of your chair. Then, roll both shoulders backward in a circular motion. Do this 10 times forward and then 10 times backward. Do them slowly as you also inhale and exhale slowly.
A good exercise for wrists and forearms, while also helping to reduce tennis elbow pain, is to stretch one arm out in front of you with the palm down. Use the other hand to grasp the fingers and pull them down--keeping the arm straight. Hold for 5 seconds. Then, with the palm still down, use the same hand to pull the fingers back toward your shoulder, keeping the arm straight.
Next, with the same arm still straight out in front of you, roll that arm so the palm is face up. Do the same stretches using that other hand to pull the fingers toward your shoulder and then down, toward your hip. Keep the arm straight to get the full stretching effect. Then, reverse the arms.
Now, for some work on the legs and ankles. Lift one foot off the floor and straighten out the leg. The leg doesn't have to be parallel with the floor on this one. Point the toes up and back toward you. Feel the stretch in your calf. Hold for 5 seconds and then point your toes straight out in front of you and hold again for 5 seconds. Do that about 10 times and then move your foot in a circular direction both clockwise and counter clockwise. Then, do the same routine with the other foot and leg.
If you're at a copy machine for any length of time do some calf stretches by just raising up on your toes. Do these slowly while deeply inhaling and exhaling. If you're feeling adventurous you can also stretch the quad muscle, on top of the thigh. Use the copy machine as a brace with your left hand. With the right hand reach behind you as you lift the right foot off the floor and up towards your butt. Grasp the foot with your hand and pull the leg back to feel the stretch in that quadriceps. Hold that for 10 seconds and then do it with the other leg.
While seated at your desk or at a table, raise one leg straight off the floor until it's parallel with the floor. Hold that position for a count of 10. If you need to rest that foot on the floor briefly before doing the next exercise then go ahead. Next, raise the leg back to parallel and lower it slowly without touching the floor. Try to do that up and down routine for 10 times. Then, do the same exercises with the other leg.
Another way to exercise those legs is to raise both of them off the floor and cross one over the other. Press the top leg down while the bottom leg resists and pushes upward. Change legs and do those for about 5 times each.
Next, try a simple chair squat. This works if you have a chair with arms. Put a hand on each arm of the chair. Feet are flat on the floor. Then, push up with both hands so your butt comes off the chair. To get the most benefit do this slowly to at least a count of 10.
Also, while sitting at your desk you can do some isometric exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Contract those muscles by sucking in your gut. Hold for at least 7 seconds and release. Do that at least 5 times several times a day.
If you have time after lunch, go for a walk. This will start the calorie burning process and can help to keep your weight down while increasing your breathing. We breathe too shallow most of the time and need to increase lung capacity whenever we can.
If you're able to exercise a little bit each day at work and make it part of an enjoyable daily habit you are more likely to keep doing it. It will carry over into other aspects of your life. You'll be healthier, happier and more productive at work. So, stretch, flex, and breathe while on the job and you will feel the benefits.
Personal fitness, health issues, nutrition, and the connection of our mind and body are the things I've taken a great interest in for at least the last 30 years so I think I know of whence I speak.
I am not a physician, therapist, or any other kind of so-called expert and am not giving anyone any medical advice. I know what works for me and have spent a lot of time, money, and effort constantly learning as much as I could about all of those subjects. But I strongly advise anyone to consult their own physician before making any changes in their own life.
I am not a physician, therapist, or any other kind of so-called expert and am not giving anyone any medical advice. I know what works for me and have spent a lot of time, money, and effort constantly learning as much as I could about all of those subjects. But I strongly advise anyone to consult their own physician before making any changes in their own life.
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