Take More Breaks from Sitting!

Most of our clients are habitual, chronic chair sitters.  They work at computers, desks, even canvases for 8 or more hours a day.  Point is, these poor folks are stuck sitting for hours!  Sitting for that long can feel awful and have profoundly negative effects on the body.  For example, tight hips, sore backs, tense shoulder muscles, stiff neck muscles, and painful wrists.

We have always advocated that people take as many breaks as one possibly can while working.  Even if it means just getting up to go to the bathroom  One of Kim’s favorite tips for office workers is to drink TONS of water.  (Actually, if you really want to know how much check out this post!)  Not only will you be adequately hydrated, but you will be sure to make many stops for the restroom.  Anything you can do to break up the monotony of sitting is fantastic!

One of my favorite tips is take a break and do a plank, forearm is my preferred form as that gives hands and wrists a break.  Hear me out!  I know that is not practical for most people in office settings.  But…if you have a bit of privacy or room then you can take a break and plop right down into forearm plank.  Why would I recommend something so ridiculous sounding?

Spending long hours sitting, particularly at the computer will exhaust every muscle in the body responsible for good posture.  In essence, you will lose touch with your core and start to “schlump,” which rounds the shoulder, collapses the chest, strains  the neck, diminishes your ability to breathe, could even affect your digestion, you low back gets stressed, hips tighten up…got my point?  Doing a plank (with proper form) will release your buttocks, ease your back, force you to find your core, and strengthen your posture, undoing every awful side affect I just described.