Did you know that sitting for too long is bad for your health? Poor posture, increased risk of blood clots such as DVT's, cardiovascular disease, obesity and colon cancer are amoungst some the risks associated with sitting for too long. Scary right? So how can you reduce these risks? The answer is simple, sit less & move more!
Every 55 minutes Take 5 Minutes!
Try these simple exercises to break up your sitting time. They will improve your posture, increase your range of movement and get your blood pumping again!
Calf Raises: Standing with your feet under your hips, rise up on to your toes, keeping your heels in line with your toes, try not to let your heels turn out or inwards, lower back down and repeat, try 10!
Trunk Rotations: stand with your feet hip width apart, with your arms by your side, rotate your trunk from left to right, gradually trying to increase the amount you can rotate. Try 5 each side!
Windmill Arms: Standing with your feet out wide, tip over from your hips keeping your back flat, take your left hand and touch your right toes, then rotate your trunk to take your right hand to your left toes, continue alternating side to side, like a windmill! Try 5 each side!
Shoulder Rolls: Take your shoulders up towards your ears, push them back behind you, and drop them down, opening up across your chest and squeezing between your shoulder blades. Try 10!
Head & Neck Circles: Tuck your chin to your chest, then to your left shoulder and upwards, like you are drawing a big circle with your nose, down to your right shoulder and back to your chest. Try 5 each direction!
Arm Rotations: Standing with your feet hip width apart, core engaged, arms by your side, take your arms up back behind you then up over in a forwards direction. You will feel your shoulder joint working in its range of movement, don't force it just work with what you have! Try 5 forwards, 5 backwards and then test your coordination and try one arm forwards and the other backwards at the same time!
Hamstring swings: Standing on one leg, holding onto a chair or wall for balance, swing your leg like a pendulum backwards and forwards, feeling your hip moving through its range of movement, then try sweeping your leg across your body in a side to side movment. Try 5 of each on each leg, 20 all up!
Side Lunges: Stand tall with your feet under your hips, toes facing forwards, step your right foot out wide, bending your right knee in line with your toes, keeping the left leg straight, step back in and repeat with the left leg. Try 5 each side alternating left to right.
Forward Folds: Standing with your feet hip-width apart, reach your arms up over your head, take a deep breath in, as you breathe out fold your body forwards, stretching through your hamstrings to touch your toes or as far as you can. Hold the stretch for a couple of slow deep breaths. Roll your spine back up, vertebrae by vertebrae, and repeat, try 10!
Hip Flexor Stretch: Your hip flexors are the name for a group of muscles that sit on the top part of your thigh, they are reouned for being tight especially when we spend long periods of time sitting. To stretch them out, start in a kneeling position. Put one foot out in front of you directly under your knee, then lean your body forwards allowing the kneeling leg to lengthen. Hold the stretch for at least 20 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
The Australian Heart Foundation have a great range of information and renounces to keep you and your loved ones active.
For more information go to: www.heartfoundation.org.au
Oh and check out this great little video perfect for the whole family! https://youtu.be/QMs5g-rmt_o