This Active Living article discusses how to keep fit at the same time your brain — and your car — are hard at work. It offers information and resources about working physical activity into your workday:
If you happen to have the good fortune to work for an enlightened employer who recognizes that keeping employees healthy makes for happier and more productive workers and reduces employer health care costs, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT! It's a benefit to you. It's money in your pocket. It's another point on your fitness scorecard. Don't miss out if your employer offers these free or sponsored health and wellness services:
If your employer doesn't offer these programs, consider working with your human relations and benefits departments to start a fitness program. You won't see results overnight, but in the meantime, you can take steps to improve your flexibility and fitness at work.
You've heard it before, but good ideas bear repeating. Get some activity in your commute to work. You may not be able to ride a bike all the way to work, but you may be able to ride a bike or walk to the train station, bus stop, or park-and-ride lot.
Consider getting off a stop early and walking the rest of the way. If that's not a possibility, think about parking your car in the parking lot far from the building to give yourself a mini-walk to your workplace.
Take any chance at all during your workday to take a short walk:
Move whenever you have downtime. Standing is better than sitting. Walking is better than standing.
Repetitive movement injury of the wrists, hands, and arms (like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis) is the single largest category of workplace-related injuries ... a virtual epidemic! That's why it's a good idea to take a stretch break about once an hour.
The most obvious place for taking a stretch break is at your desk, but you have other opportunities, too:
Here's a brief, basic stretch routine you can do without attracting too much attention:
Can 15 minutes really contribute to your fitness program? Exercise physiologists say that activity spurts as short as 10 minutes improve aerobic ability, strength, flexibility, and blood cholesterol levels in previously inactive adults. That's quite a payback for a relatively small investment.
Here's a selection of activities you can do to accomplish your own 15-minute workout. Try them out and select the ones that work for you. Mix them up every three weeks or so, so your body doesn't get into an exercise rut.
| Select one aerobic activity | (x) | Aerobic Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes brisk walking inside | ||
| 10 minutes brisk walking outside |
| Select one lower body stretch and one upper body stretch | (x) | Lower Body Stretches |
|---|---|---|
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Stand behind a chair, holding the back of it with both hands. Bend forward from the hips, keeping your back and shoulders straight. When your upper body is parallel to the floor, hold the position for 15 seconds. |
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While sitting in a chair, lift and straighten one leg out in front (keeping the knee slightly bent). Gently rotate at the ankle in a clockwise motion for three to five rotations, and then rotate in a counter-clockwise motion for three to five rotations. Repeat with the other leg. |
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| (x) | Upper Body Stretches | |
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While standing, grab a towel in your right hand. Raise and bend your right arm, draping the towel down your back. With your left hand, reach behind your lower back and grab the bottom of the towel. Gradually move your left hand up the towel, pulling your right arm down. Continue until your hands touch or they are as close together as is comfortable for you. Reverse positions and repeat. Repeat each position three to five times. |
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While you're standing or sitting, turn your head to the left and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Turn your head to the right and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Tilt your head to the ceiling and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Tilt your head to the floor and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat each position three to five times. |
| Select three upper-body strengtheners | (x) | Upper Body Strengthener |
|---|---|---|
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One set of 10 bicep curls holding a 2-kilogram weight in each hand. How to curl: Raise the weight by contracting your biceps muscle until the weight nearly touches your chest. Slowly return to starting position. |
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One set of 10 bench presses using a 2-kilogram weight in each hand. How to press: Lie on your back holding a weight in each hand at chest level, palms facing the ceiling. Contract your chest muscles and extend both arms above the chest to keep elbows slightly bent. Slowly return to starting position. |
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One set of 10 lateral rows holding a 2-kilogram weight in each hand. How to row: Raise both arms in front of you at the same time by contracting your upper back muscles. Stop when your hands are about chin height. Slowly return to starting position. |
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One set of 10 hammer curls holding a 2-kilogram weight in each hand. How to hammer curl: Start with a weight in each hand with your arms hanging at your sides and palms facing your body. Raise the weight in your right hand by contracting your biceps muscle until the weight nearly touches your shoulder. Slowly return to starting position. Repeat on the left. Alternate right and left until you finish 10 repetitions on each side. |
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One set of 10 chest presses using an exercise band. How to press: Sit upright in a chair. Wrap the band around your back, over your shoulder blades and arms. Hold the ends of the band in your hands, which are parallel to the floor and at shoulder level. Contract your chest muscles and move your arms forward to the front of your body. Slowly return to starting position. |
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One set of 10 lateral rows using a 2-kilogram weight in each hand. How to row: Sit with your feet close together. Hold a weight in each hand with your arms hanging down at your sides and palms facing one another. Bend your upper body so it is parallel to the floor. Contract the mid- and lower-back muscles to draw both arms toward your body, turning your wrists so that your palms are facing the ceiling. Keep your elbows tight against your body and stop when your arms are chest level. Slowly return to starting position. |
You can develop and use your program before or after work. You'll get the same fitness benefit.
