DAILY FITNESS

Have you ever considered how fit or strong you are on a daily basis to be able to cope with the daily demands of work or leisure activities? The strength and postural control that is needed by our bodies to perform healthily and efficiently is attained from functional fitness. Pilates was the first exercise form to introduce and teach this sort of exercise regime. This means that the exercises within this type of form of fitness will help us specifically strengthen the postural muscles in the body and keep the joints mobile. Lets us and consider how we can allow our bodies to flow naturally through the day instead of just surviving and returning home with tight and weak muscles.

Are you fit to sit?

If you start your day by sitting in a car, either passenger or driver, then you arrive at work and face being seated at your desk for long periods, then drive home, then slump in the armchair before any other activities - you can definitely call yourself a professional sitter! This routine combined with incorrect posture, low badly shaped uncomfortable seats, non-existent rest breaks and tired weak muscles can certainly be the cause of a lifetime of pain, discomfort and stress.

Whenever you sit, you should always aim to set up the correct posture for your body. As a general rule, any seat should allow you to have your pelvis or hipbones to be slightly higher than the knee. The pelvis should not be tilting forwards or back and the spine should be able to lengthen upward maintaining the three natural spinal curves that we have. The head should be balanced on top of the spine with the shoulders slightly released down and back.

Seating in cars should allow you to maintain the natural curves in the spine. The hip joint should not be lower than the knee as this can pull the pelvis out of position and cause tight leg muscles, lower back and hip pain. If necessary invest in a seat support or lumbar support to correct your posture whilst driving. The legs should not be too bent or cramped as this can overwork and strain your leg muscles, which can also affect the muscles in the hip and lower back. Avoid pushing your chin forwards, keep the neck lengthened.

When you arrive at work although you may feel rushed, give yourself time to gently stretch the neck and release the shoulders. Be aware that you are breathing more deeply and slower than you normally do. Gently drawing in the stomach muscles or navel towards the spine (about half the amount that is your maximum to pull in ) will give your spine extra support as you do these movements. Sit upright with the chest area slightly lifted to avoid the shoulders rounding forwards and gently let your head turn toward s the right shoulder and then across to the left side, repeat this again and return your head to the middle. Next gently lift both shoulders up towards the ears and smoothly release them back down , repeat five times. Follow this by letting your chin nod inwards, then releasing the shoulders forwards, relax your arms, bending your torso forwards from the waist let your spine stretch and lengthen. Breath in and out twice as you hold there and then use your stomach muscles to help you curl back up to the seated position. Do three of these spine curls and each time you lift the spine upwards imagine your spine is gaining an inch in length. As you return upright, maintain posture but allow your arms to hang down by the side of the chair. Imagine you are holding a weight in your hand and that is sinking your right arm towards the floor (you should feel a stretch in your waist on your left side). Lift your body back to the middle and use your left side to do the same movement. Repeat this twice each side.

You have now prepared your body to sit!

In some offices it has become popular to sit onto a Swiss ball. This is a good teaching aid to help make the body hold posture, but avoid using only this to sit on for long periods as it could be cause your muscles fatigue and then your body is unable to maintain the correct positioning.
When you are working on a computer, if possible adjust the height of the monitor to about eye level so your neck and upper back does not take the strain. Also avoid always twisting to one side only whilst at your desk. If you can have work positioned both sides of you, then you will avoid muscle imbalances and strain on one side of the body more than the other.
Remember to schedule in some exercise revive breaks throughout your working day. If you are at all worried about the manager seeing you stop work or if you are the manager, it has been proven that the body and the brain will function more efficiently with regular breaks. Also the exercises and breathing more deeply will help to increase blood flow and productivity.