Working hard? Slaving over that keyboard to get the latest figures out for the takeover report? Working late and then having to finish off that spreadsheet at home? You are not alone. There are thousands of people just like you working long hours, punishing our bodies and minds. The result is a potential workforce burn out, with no energy. Stiff joints, spurious aches and pains, headaches, eyestrain - the list goes on. The downside is, you seem to be living to work and not working to live. Your job may be mentally exhausting, but the physical toll on your body could get progressively worse.
The Chinese exercise regularly before, during and after work. You may have seen footage of Chinese workers performing slow strange moves all in time with each other. This is Tai Chi. A gentle way of improving posture, body strength and overall health. The Chinese believe Tai Chi also aids longevity. You may have noticed that there are lots of elderly workers performing these exercises, which sort of reinforces their longevity claims.
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Now I am not saying that you should be thinking of working well into your old age. That is purely your choice. But would it not be nice to give yourself that choice, by keeping mind and body healthy. You can achieve that goal through exercise.
Time can be a decisive factor in deciding to exercise or not. There seems to be more pressure than ever to keep working and earn a few pounds extra to pay for those luxuries. Time with the family is precious to you I know, so what can you do to keep yourself just a little more comfortable and supple during those long hours sat at your office desk, and keep work and leisure time well balanced?
The usual things like going for a short regular walk, focussing your eyes on distant objects for a while all help of course, but what about your shoulders, back and neck. What about your joints? The answer is to do some stretches. These will ready your body for work, warming up muscles and filling the protective pads between bones in your joints with blood. Stretching and readying tendons. Of course athletes perform stretches before their training to ready their bodies for the tougher challenges ahead. If they have a break in activity, athletes will warm their bodies up again ready for the next challenge. It's exactly the same for those of us working marathon days in an office chair. To stop our bodies seizing up we need to stretch and loosen off those stiff joints. Give our minds a mini break from the daily grind.
In my spare time I have trained in Jujitsu and I teach when I can. There are several stretches I have used to warm up that I would like to share with you and most of them can be performed whilst sitting in your office chair.
A Word of Warning
Do not perform any stretch if you suffer from any form of pain or discomfort in the corresponding areas. Rotate gently all joints before stretching to increase blood flow and ready the muscles and joints for the following stretches. If you are intending to do all of these stretches start at the top and work down the body, that way you will get used to the routine more easily. You can of course pick and choose which ones you prefer, or do them individually, the choice is yours.
Stretches for neck
Rotate your head from left to right in slow movements as far as you can. Repeat five or six times. DO NOT roll your head and neck in a circular motion.
Stretches for shoulders
Extend left arm in front, thumb upwards, move the arm across parallel to your shoulders as best you can and place the other hand in a fist up and over you left bicep and gently pull the arm around to stretch the should muscles, holding for 10-15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Roll your shoulders gently in both directions for 5 seconds to cool the muscles off.
Reach over your left shoulder with your left hand and try to touch your left shoulder blade. Your left elbow should be somewhere above your left ear now. Place your right palm on the elbow and increase the backwards pressure a little, holding for 10-15 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Roll your shoulders gently in both directions for 5 seconds to cool the muscles off.
With your left arm by your side, move the arm slowly up to the horizontal and then vertical position, carry on the rotation smoothly behind you and eventually back to your side in a windmill-like fashion. Do not over do it. Reverse the rotation of the arm 4-5 times then repeat on the other side. Roll your shoulders gently in both directions for 5 seconds to cool the muscles off.
Stretches for Your Wrists and Arms
Wrist Stretch: Extend arm in front, palm up and grab the fingers with other hand. Gently pull the fingers underneath the hand towards you to stretch the forearm, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Wrist & Forearm: Press hands together in front of chest, elbows bent and parallel to the floor. Gently bend wrists to the right and left for 10 reps.
Lower Back Stretches
Sit tall and place the left arm behind left hip. Gently twist to the left, using the right hand to deepen the stretch, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Twist the shoulders to the left as far as you can, hold for a few seconds, and then rotate to the right as far as you can, hold for a few seconds, repeat around five times.
Now if you are remaining seated at your office desk move to the foot exercises, if not stand up to perform the hip and knee rotations.
Hip rotations
Stand up with feet together, hands on hips. Push hips forward and then in a circular motion to the left, behind and all the way back to the front. Reverse direction and repeat five times
Knee rotations
Stand up and put your feet together, hands on knees with knees slightly bent. Push knees forward and then in a circular motion to the left, behind and all the way back to the front in a wide circle. Reverse direction and repeat five times.
Foot rotations - sitting or standing
Rotate your left foot slowly in a wide circle from the ankle. Reverse direction and repeat five times. Stretch your left leg out and point your toes away from you body, hold for five seconds. Raise your toes towards your shin and hold for five seconds. Point your toes away again to repeat the exercise five times. Wriggle your toes for five seconds. Repeat on the other foot.
There are many other exercises to do with the thighs and biceps etc. and this guide is by no means a full exercise regime. But these will certainly help you to keep relaxed and supple during your working day and keep healthy whilst sat on your office chair. Enjoy.
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