Chair Exercise
With so many of us working from home in less-than-ideal ergonomics and many feeling a sense of stress and anxiety due to Covid-19, a quick and easy movement routine that you can do at your desk can be a life-changer.
This 10-minute plan can help minimize aches and pains, reduce tightness, improve circulation, get your blood flowing, reduce stress and calm your mind.
Perform this routine mid-way through your day or whenever you are feeling tight and/or stressed. Focus on slow, deep breathing while performing each movement. You will instantly start to feel better.
Chair Squats
Contract your abdominals, keep your spine elongated, knees pointing forward and slowly stand up. Slowly return to the seated position. Continue for 30 seconds.
Leg Swings
Stand by your chair and lightly hold for balance. Stand tall on one leg with abdominals contracted while you swing one leg forward and backward. Continue for 30 seconds each leg.
Calve Raises
Stand tall and lift onto your toes contracting your calves and then return to the starting position. Continue for 30 seconds.
Back Rotation
Stand tall facing away from your chair. Maintain upright posture and abdominals contracted. Now slowly rotate in one direction to reach towards the chair behind you. Repeat to the other side and continue for 30 seconds.
Hip-Flexor Stretch
Face away from your chair and position your right leg up on the seat. Stand with good posture as you slowly press the right hip forwards. At the same time reach your right arm up and towards the mid-line of your body. Hold for 30 seconds each leg.
Back Stretch
Place your hands behind your body and clasp your hands together. Slowly bend backwards looking up towards the ceiling as you stretch your arms back and down. Hold for 30 seconds.
Calve Stretch
Stand facing your desk with one leg in front of the other. Press the heel of the back leg into the floor until you can feel a stretch in your calf. Hold each leg for 30 seconds.
Hamstring Stretch
Have a seat in your chair and place one leg straight in front of you. Slowly bend forwards at the hip while keeping your back in a neutral position. Hold the stretch for a 30 second and repeat on the other leg.
Hip Stretch
Sit on your chair with one leg bent over the other so one ankle rests on the opposite thigh. Now slowly hinge your upper body forward and press downwards on the bent leg until you feel a light stretch on the outside edge of your hip. Hold for 30 seconds each leg.
One of the most important things you can do for the health of your back is to avoid sitting for extended periods of time without moving. Setting a timer on your computer to stand up and move every hour will definitely make you feel better and increase your energy levels.
Yours in health & fitness,
Sherri McMillan
Note: As an avid Columbian reader, you can redeem a complimentary initial in person or virtual personal training appointment to help get you started. Email us for more details.
We Are Open!
Northwest Personal Training is NOW OPEN! We are SO EXCITED to see you! For Private Training, you’ll have the option to continue doing virtual training, outdoor training or training at the studio. For Group Fitness classes, you will be able to continue doing virtual online classes (live or saved) and we are also going to host some outdoor programming.
We specific safety precautions that we have in place so please watch this video where I explain everything we are doing to keep you safe.
Here is a link to our Reopening Protocol in detail so you can review closely.
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Sherri McMillan
Sherri McMillan, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and has been inspiring the world to adopt a fitness lifestyle for more than 33 years. She has received numerous industry awards including 2010 CanFitPro International Presenter of the Year, 2006 IDEA Fitness Director of the Year, 1998 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, 1998 CanFitPro Fitness Presenter of the Year and 2005/2006 ACE Fitness Educator of the Year - Runner up. She is a fitness trainer, fitness columnist for various magazines and newspapers, author of five books and manuals including "Go For Fit - the Winning Way to Fat Loss" and "Fit over Forty" and the featured presenter in various fitness DVDs. She has presented hundreds of workshops to thousands of fitness leaders throughout Canada, Australia, Mexico, Jamaica, New Zealand, Germany, England, Spain, South America, Asia and the U.S. She is the owner of Northwest Personal Training in downtown Vancouver, the founder of WHY Racing Events & WHY Community, participates in various community fundraisers and can be found running, biking, or hiking around the community. Find more information at nwpersonaltraining.com.