How to stretch your neck, shoulders, and hips after a long day of sitting

Sitting takes a toll on your body. The easiest way to counteract the negative effects of sitting is by stretching your neck, shoulders, and hips after a long day of sitting. Stretching improves flexibility and is an easy and quick way to improve your overall health. People who sit for long periods are at a greater risk for blood clots and chronic pain. If you work from a desk environment, many stretches can be done while sitting or working. Here are a few examples of stretches that you can do daily to improve your overall health and wellness.

Standing

Don’t forget to periodically stand up throughout your day. Some individuals prefer standing desks. While this may not offer a substantial benefit in terms of calories burned, standing up throughout your day can mean that there are slightly more calories burned throughout your day when comparing the option of sitting down. Standing is a great way to reduce your risk of developing blood clots in your legs!

Lunges

Lunges are a quick, simple way of being able to stretch your legs and lower body. Simply place one leg on the floor, and extend the other leg forward at a 90-degree angle. This exercise will allow you to gain additional mobility in your hamstring muscles. Experiment with the amount of time that you hold this position for – consider holding this position for 30 to 60 seconds initially, and gradually increase the period of time. Once you have completed this exercise for one leg, be sure to repeat it for the other leg.

Neck Stretches

Long periods of sitting create additional pressure on your spinal cord. As you may know, sitting for long periods can also lead to a stiff neck. Begin by relaxing your left shoulder. Tilt your head toward your left shoulder, and hold this position for approximately 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat this exercise for your other shoulder. This is a quick shoulder exercise that will reduce the inflammation around your shoulder muscles.

Pushups

This is not technically a stretch, however, these can have major benefits which are similar to stretching. Pushups are a great exercise for the upper body. This exercise is also a great way to improve your posture, and burn calories. These exercises are a great way to stabilize your back muscles and protect yourself from injury. They help to build your arm muscles and burn calories at the same time. Pushups are also easy to measure! Challenge yourself to do more pushups than the previous day to make it more fun.

Hand Stretches

This is the most often neglected muscle group in our bodies! Hands are useful for everything! We often forget that our hands have muscles as well, and are also prone to stress injuries. Periodically make a fist and hold it for 20-30 seconds. Making a fist can help with stretching the finger muscles to avoid hand injuries.

Sitting for a long period can result in several health risks. That’s why movement and exercise are important for your overall health. It’s very easy to add movement to your day-to-day routine, even if your daily routine involves sitting for long periods. Be creative, but be safe and find new ways to move your body throughout the day. This will help you avoid injuries and possible negative long-term health effects.

February 25, 2024 by johnc Exercise Tips Health Tips Strength Training Stretching 0

Small Steps, Big Gains: Incorporating Desk Micromovements for a Healthier Workday

If you don’t have enough time for exercise throughout the day, incorporating desk micromovements can help. Every time you tap your foot or even twiddle your thumbs, you’re burning calories! These are great examples of micromovements that can help you incorporate more physical activity throughout your day. Here are some great examples of micromovement exercises that you can incorporate into your day for more physical activity!

Tap Your Toes

One of the biggest risks to sitting for long periods of time is Deep Vein Thrombosis. Tapping your toes is a great way to increase circulation in your legs, and burn calories at the same time. Tapping your toes is a great way to help mitigate the effects of sitting for long periods of time and reduce your risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis. These small incremental activities can add up to a lot of calories burned over time!

Breathe In and Breathe Out

Simple deep breathing exercises are also great for burning calories. A study conducted at a hospital over 26 days, featuring 20 obese patients on a low-calorie diet showed improvements in exercise capacity. Comparing the experimental group with the control group, the experimental group patients performed better on a 6-minute walking assessment. Breathing does burn a tiny amount of calories. However, deep breathing exercises are very beneficial because they promote a healthier overall appearance. Deep breathing exercises are also very beneficial for your mood. A deep breathing exercise can take as little as a minute. Just take a deep breath for 20 seconds, hold it for 20 seconds, and exhale for 20 seconds.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20805830/

Shoulder Rolls

Do you feel a lot of tension in your shoulders? These are easy exercises which you can do while sitting in a stationary position. Shoulder roll exercises are designed to stretch your trapezoid muscles. If you feel a lot of tension on your back and neck, shoulder rolls are a great way to relieve some of the tension. This form of exercise can also improve your ability to lift weights or perform other more intense exercises that rely upon your back and shoulders. However, you’ll have to be very careful when performing these exercises. It’s best to avoid forward and backward motions, and strictly perform an up and down motion while doing shoulder roll exercises.

What Muscles Do Shoulder Shrugs Work? | livestrong

Shoulder Shrugs: Muscles Worked, Benefits, and How To (healthline.com)

Head Nodding

Did you know that nodding your head can have benefits to your physical health? Neck strength is an important part of your body. Head nodding can help strengthen the muscles in your neck. Head nods are cited as a potential exercise that can help alleviate neck pain. If this is something which you experience as a result of a job which requires long periods of sitting, head nodding exercises can help.

Recent Advances In Therapeutic Exercise For The Neck: Implications For Patients With Head And Neck Pain – BPhty – 2003 – Australian Endodontic Journal – Wiley Online Library

Incorporating motion and movement in your day-to-day activities is a great way to be able to improve your overall health and fitness. Although micromovement exercises may not always burn a ton of calories or lead to significant improvement in strength, these exercises have many clear benefits. Therefore, it’s a great idea to incorporate micromovements into your daily exercise routine.

August 31, 2023 by johnc Exercise Tips Health Tips Resources Stretching 0

What is a good yoga routine for beginners?

Finding a good yoga routine for beginners is very difficult, especially if you are not naturally flexible. The great thing about Yoga is that it’s an exercise that can be done without any equipment. To get started in yoga, all you need is a mat. Much of what’s important to yoga is knowledge of what to do. The challenge to yoga is that if you’re not careful, you can easily injure yourself in the process. It’s better to start off simple and gradually advance your level of difficulty over time as you grow in your skillset.

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is based on a series of poses. The idea is that you’re holding your body in a stretch position for a specific period of time. Many people do yoga because they find it to be beneficial for their flexibility. Others enjoy yoga because they like the relaxation that yoga provides. The idea is to live in union with nature.

How Long Should My Sessions Last?

Generally speaking, you should practice it for as long as you feel comfortable with doing it. Some people may only feel comfortable doing it for 20 minutes, others may be able to do yoga for an hour or more. If you begin to feel uncomfortable during your yoga session, then if you try to push yourself too hard you risk an injury. A busy schedule can also make it very difficult for you to do any form of exercise. Remember that any amount of physical exercise can have a significant benefit to your overall health and wellbeing.

Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #1 – Tadasana

The Tadasana pose is a great pose because it is simply focused on stretching your body in a standing position. It’s relaxing, and a great way to gain additional focus and relax various muscles in your body. The objective is keeping your body in alignment, and it’s relatively painless.

Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #2 – Vrikshasana

This pose is great for improving balance, although it’s slightly more difficult than the Tadasana pose. Through the Vrikshasana pose, you’re balancing your body weight on a single foot.

Good Yoga Routine For Beginners – #3 – Hasta Padasana

Hasta Padasana is a great pose because it’s a simple stretching exercise. All you need to do is to bend forward and place your hands in front of you. This one is great for improving flexibility.

Over time, you’ll find that you will be able to do more complex yoga poses. However, it’s best to start off with simpler poses and give yourself a chance to improve your skills. Yoga is a great way to relax, and is a positive stress relief tool. It’s a great outlet for your creativity, and is also an opportunity to connect with other like-minded people if you choose to join in a group setting.

August 11, 2022 by johnc Health Tips Motivation Resources Stretching Yoga 0

Has anyone rehabbed their shoulder with resistance bands?

Has anyone rehabbed their shoulder with resistance bands? I will be surprised if you haven’t heard about them. Introducing them into your workout routine help to provide extra resistance. Resistance bands help to strengthen the shoulder and also improve the tone of the rotator cuff muscles. They have two major features; portable nature and variety. Resistance bands are not your typical gym equipment which occupy much space and are relatively fixed. They are lighter and can be transported easily. They also come in different varieties. Resistance bands occur in different resistance levels as well as different colors. It follows that lighter-colored bands provide much lighter resistance. The benefits associated with the use of resistance bands explain the rise in their popularity.

What are Resistance Bands?

They are flat or tubular bands used as fitness tools for developing mobility, strength, and stability. Their use in exercise routines began in the 1990s. Originally made from surgical tubing, resistance bands are used as supports in heavyweights exercises. They also provide the same effectiveness as exercising with free weights. The different variants of resistance make it possible to use the right resistance requirement for an exercise. Resistance bands maintain tension during workouts. The added resistance that they provide makes the routine more challenging. Resistance bands are used essentially for rehabilitation. They are majorly used to restore mobility, flexibility, and functional strength of muscle groups post-injury.

How Do Resistance Bands Work?

Resistance bands work by introducing additional resistance, which correlates to the difficulty level of the exercise. The extra resistance is provided without the use of additional weight. In an exercise, the resistance force provided by the resistance band is counterbalanced by the force of your body weight which is the opposing force. Therefore when fitted in place, you are able to either push or pull against resistance. This way, you build up flexibility and strength without stressing the joints. The elastic nature of the bands allows you to focus and improve specific body parts. Therefore isolated muscle groups can be exercised without the risk of further injury. Blood supply is also improved. In a nutshell, resistance bands hasten the rehabilitation process.

Benefits of Resistance Bands

The alternate stretch of the resistance bands and muscle contraction help to improve tone. The tension created by the stretched band initiates muscle contraction. More stretch, more resistance, and the tougher the exercise becomes. In the long run, your endurance builds up. Resistance bands provide resistance independent of the force of gravity. This means all movements pertaining to an exercise can be performed. Regardless of your age and level of fitness, resistance bands are highly effective. Using resistance bands, many workout routines can be done while seated.

Final Word

Has anyone rehabbed their shoulder with resistance bands? Resistance bands are the most effective and highly recommended rehabilitation aid. Unlike weights, they exert no pressure on your joints. They restore muscle tone and functional strength. A return to full fitness post-injury occurs much faster using resistance bands.

July 20, 2022 by johnc Exercise Tips Stretching 0

Yoga to increase brain power – What is yoga in the eastern sense and how does relate to mindfulness

what is yoga in the eastern sense and how does it relate to mindfulness

Writings on Yoga date back to the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu text dating back to 400 BCE. It calls Yoga a union and a pureness of soul. Yoga is a state where the body and head are held immovable. It’s a very relaxed state of peace and relaxation. The benefits of it are not immedate. Yoga is an activity which has its benefits in the long run with regular practice.

Yoga Writings

Later in 400 CE, Patanjali wrote 195 Yoga Sutras which is a 4-part text designed to describe the practice of Yoga. It begins with instructing one on the value of clearing the mind, and offers an explanation of forms of knowledge, sleep, memory and thought. It instructs one that the voice of god is Om, and that repetition of om can be used in order to clear the mind. Furthermore, distractions of the mind are major obstacles to obtaining a state of relaxation.

Overall, the trend of the ancient texts is that mindfulness is a state of having a clear mind. It’s a state of being fully present in what you are doing. Yoga in the eastern sense was originally developed as a means of allowing people to clear their minds for prayer.

How Is Yoga Able To Increase Brain Power

Modern times are often chaotic, stressful and confusing. That is why many people are looking to the wisdom from the past for reducing their stress levels. There is well-documented research which indicates that Yoga is positive for the brain. Yoga has led to an increase in the amount of Grey matter found in brain MRI scans. Grey matter impacts self-control, decision-making and speech.

If you decide to practice yoga over the years, you’ll find that your brain will improve as you age. You’ll have more self-control and greater decision making ability.

June 27, 2022 by johnc Health Tips Stretching Yoga 0

How does stretching make the body more loose and flexible over time?

Stretching has major benefits for your body’s overall flexibility.

However, it takes time for you to see the results of the effort that you are putting in.

You’ll be surprised to realize that even a little bit of stretching goes a long way to improving your muscle flexibility. Researchers indicated that over an 8-week period, even 15 to 30 seconds per day of stretching a single muscle can improve its range of motion.

Stretching has a huge payoff for the small amount of time required. This is great to remember if you’re ever busy, or you just don’t have enough time to get exercise in the day. If you do a little bit of stretching each day, at a minimum you are able to do something which will improve your flexibility.

Stretching repeatedly (over time) extends a muscle outward. Not only does that help to strengthen the muscle that you’re stretching, you’re helping to expand the muscle.

There are two ways to stretch. The first way is to extend the muscle fully out and hold for the desired period of time. The second is to repeatedly extend the muscle out and pull it back in.

In case you haven’t thought about it, give stretching a try!

March 31, 2022 by johnc Stretching 0

Sit-Ups Harmful For Your Back – Don’t Waste Your Time With Sit-Ups

Sit-ups are harmful for your spinal cocrd — Sit-ups are harmful for your spinal cord.

Let’s face it: Sit-ups are harmful instead of helpful. One of the most common misconceptions about home exercise that people hold is that Sit-Ups help them gain abdominal strength.

However, this is not entirely true. Many bodies of research have concluded that sit-ups are not beneficial for your core strength and overall health.

Sit-Ups Do Provide Core Strength

Sit-ups are able to strengthen your body’s core. However, they do not provide any additional benefits to any other muscle groups. As you do more of these, what is likely to happen is that you’ll develop a lot of unbalanced muscle mass.

Harmful For Your Back

Aside from being unbalanced, sit-ups can also be harmful for your back. You’re placing a lot of repetitive motion on your spinal cord as you perform these. You’re putting a lot of pressure on your back as you continually press your spinal cord up against a hard, flat surface. Over time, your back will possibly begin to hurt as you

Try Planking or Stretching

Instead of the repetitive motion which comes with performing a lot of sit-ups, consider planking exercises instead. These are designed to use more of your body’s muscle groups, providing a more widely distributed core strength. Aside from that, you’re also not putting a lot of repetitive strain on your back. This means, that in the long run, your body will thank you with less aches and pains.

Even The Military Is Switching

As part of their physical fitness standards, the US Marine Corps is well-known for using sit-ups to assess their personnel. Acknowledging the risk of injury, they have made the decision to replace these sit-ups with planks. The reason is that they see the increased amount of hip flexor muscle strain which is required for the sit-ups to be performed successfully.

February 19, 2022 by johnc Health Tips Strength Training Stretching 0

No Room For Bulky Gym Equipment – Use Exercise Stretch Bands Instead

Photo by **Angela Roma** from **Pexels** – Women Using Exercise Stretch Bands

An exercise stretch band is a medium between lifting weights and stretching. These are perfect for those whom don’t have the space or budget for gym equipment at home. Consider using these to make the most of every workout.

Why Use Exercise Stretch Bands

Explained in simple terms, you will get a much better workout after using them. You could stretch as you normally would, but this won’t have the same impact as using a stretch band. The bands place tension on your muscle, while stretching the muscle at the same time.

Stretch bands are a part of a whole body workout, especially if you are exercising at home. Here are some suggestions for using exercise stretch bands based on the targeted muscle group.

1. Legs and Hamstrings

Legs and hamstrings can benefit from stretching by resistance stretch bands. The typical exercises using stretch bands are where people walk with the band attached to their feet, or squat with the bands wrapped around their knees. Either exercise is able to promote the extension of the leg and hamstring muscles.

2. Arms and Upper Body

Resistance bands are also perfect for upper body exercises. Just hold each end of the resistance band in your hand, and open and close your arms in a butterfly motion. This will put a little bit of additional pressure on your biceps, allowing you to stretch this muscle group out further.

3. Whole Body

Resistance bands can also be used as a great whole body exercise. Just loop the bands around a steady object, hold on to each end of the band, and twist your torso while using the resistance bands to support your weight. This is a great “whole body” workout.

Resistance bands are a great item to have because they are portable, easy to use, and affordable. They are also fantastic because they allow you to be able to get more exercise than you would be able to without using similar equipment.

October 1, 2021 by johnc Health Tips Resources Strength Training Stretching 0

Back Stretches For Back Pain – 5 Stretches To Reduce Lower Back Pain

Got Back Pain? Worried about the possibility of developing it? It’s like a nuisance which never goes away. It can be debilitating, and fortunately for you, there are plenty of back stretches for back pain that can provide some relief. Lower back pain and back pain in general is a common complaint among both young and old, so here are a few stretches which can help.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/1106098

Trunk Strengthening is a great exercise which has shown evidence of being more effective in treating lower back pain than no exercise. The great thing about these stretches is that they are simple and easy to do.

Planks

Get onto the floor as if you are going to do a push up. Using your forearms, push your body weight up using your elbows while keeping your back straight and knees off the floor. You can hold this position for a period of time once per day of a minute or less. You may need to build your tolerance up to this exercise. This is an exercise which is designed to add strength to your lower back muscles. This will be difficult to do in the beginning, but you will gradually be able to build your tolerance up to this form of exercise over time.

Crunches

Crunches are a great strength exercise for your lower back, and are simple to do. While keeping your feet on the floor, raise your upper back while only using your back and intestinal muscles. This can be done over the course of several repetitions.

Leg Ups

This one is a bit tricky, especially if you are a beginner. Begin by laying down flat on the floor, with your arms flat on the floor as well. Lift your legs up from the floor, while using your arms for stability and keeping your back flat. Some people rotate their legs in a circular motion, and others just do repetitions of this exercise multiple times.

Torso Rotation

This is something that you can do while you are sitting in a desk chair. For this exercise, all you need to do is to rotate your torso from side to side (using your shoulders) periodically during the day. This can take a bit of the pressure of sitting off your back.

Squatting

Squats are a great exercise because they allow you to extend your back in a downward motion and can be done while standing upright. Keep your feet flat on the floor, extend your arms outward, and move your torso in a downward motion. Stretching your torso downward is able to help you strengthen your back.

March 13, 2021 by johnc Stretching 1

Home Exercises At Home – Top 5 At Home Stretching TIps

Stretching is important and vital for preventing tissue injuries and soreness after exercising. Here are some tips for stretching at home before you begin to exercise, allowing the experience to be a better one.

After using your muscles repetitively for a long period of time, you’ll feel that inability to move around after you’re done. Furthermore, stretching is designed to move the muscle to the point at which it cannot move any more (range of motion).

Hold and Relax

Stretch the muscle for 10 seconds to its full range of motion and relax it after you’re done stretching. This is able to help you release some of the pressure which you feel on the muscle, making sure that you are able to extend the muscle to it’s full length. But, on the other hand, remember that it’s critical to exercise in moderation.

Don’t Stretch Too Vigorously

In some cases, people often use a series of rapid motions in place of a standard hold and relax stretch. These repetitive motions are very likely to cause injury, which additionally puts a lot of strain and tension on the muscle. A general rule of thumb for stretching is that a stretch should not be too painful.

Focus Your Efforts

Some parts of your body may require more attention than others while stretching. Focus on the parts of your body which you move the most on a daily basis. Legs are important, along with your hips. You may also want to adjust your stretching based on the sport which you are engaging in. More importantly, remember the 80/20 rule: 80% of your results will come from 20% of your efforts.

Stretch Often

If you are sitting for extended periods, it’s a very bad idea to not stretch. The reason is that sitting makes your body weaker. Muscles shorten as you sit, so even some very basic stretches which can be performed at a desk. A neck roll or even a simple seated stretch can go a long way to help move your muscles around. Stretching also gives you more energy and ability to focus.

5 Stretches to Help Counteract the Effects of Sitting

A Little Bit Is Better Than Nothing

Even 30 seconds per day of stretching can help to lengthen your muscles over a month. You can certainly find a bit of time throughout a busy day in order to stretch, which will have a significant positive impact on your musculoskeletal strength.

March 6, 2021 by johnc Stretching 1

Stretching