Transcript Rick DiScipio – Office Exercises

SITTING TIME BOMBS—ARE OFFICE WORKERS PREPARED?
Office workers need to get off their backsides and move around more.
Rick DiScipio, MEd, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, RSCC, NASM-PES, USAW-L1
Assistant Manager of Fitness
Boston University’s Department of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance
STATISTICS
The average office worker sits for about 10 hours, first in front of the computer
plowing through emails, making calls or writing proposals and eating lunch —
and then in front of the TV or surfing the Web at home.
Medical researchers have long warned that prolonged sitting is dangerous,
associated with a significantly higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity,
cancer and depression, as well as muscle and joint problems.
THE GOAL OF THIS PRESENTATION
Features of an Anatomically Friendly PC Station
Activity
Lying on back
Lying on side
Standing
Sitting
Standing & leaning forward
Sitting & leaning forward
Bending & lifting improperly
% of pressure on spine
25%
75%
100%
140%
150% - 220%
150% - 220
300% - 400%
Moves You Can Do Right at Your Desk
See your doctor before trying this workout if you have any injuries or a medical condition. Make sure the chair you use is stable.
Chair Squat:
Stand just in front of a chair with feet about shoulder-width apart. Slowly squat until
you sit in the chair for a second, then stand back up again. For more challenge, put
one foot in front of the other. Two sets of 12.
Leg Extension:
Sit in a chair and fully extend one leg, then the other. Two sets of 12.
Wall Push-Ups:
Stand at arm's length from the wall with your arms at shoulder height and your hands flat on the
wall. Do a standing push-up, keeping your elbows close to your sides and concentrating on
squeezing your shoulders. Two sets of 12. More challenge? Desk push-ups.
Wrist Stretch:
Hold your arm out in front, palm up, and grab your fingers with your other hand.
Gently pull them towards you, holding for 20 seconds on each side.
Hip Stretch:
Sit on the front edge of your chair, with thighs parallel to the floor and feet below knees. Place foot
(between ankle and heel) on your knee and work towards shin being parallel with the
ground. More challenge? Bend forward at the hips. Hold for 20 seconds on each side. Perform 2 sets.
Hamstring Stretch:
Place your heel on your chair, with hips square to the chair, and standing leg straight.
Keeping your back straight, lean forward from your hips toward the leg on the chair.
Hold for 20 seconds and switch legs. Perform 2 sets.
Back Stretch:
In an upright position, place hands on lower back and slowly lean back. Hold for 10
seconds. Repeat 2 sets.
HOME STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM
2 x strength training sessions a week: 2 sets to start, 12-15 reps each exercise
CORE TRAINING
4-2 point stances: 2
sets 10 reps each side
Planks: 2 sets 1030 second holds
Hip Bridges: 2 sets
12 reps. Progress to
1-leg hip lifts
Side Planks: 2 sets
10-30 second holds
NSCA
•
The British Journal of Sports Medicine earlier this year
published guidelines for sitting. A recommendation of two to
four hours of standing and light activity spread throughout the
workday.
•
Research from NASA has found that standing up for two
minutes 16 times a day while at work is an effective strategy
for maintaining bone and muscle density.
•
Stay hydrated
•
Take the stairs when possible
•
Hold standing or walking meetings
•
Walking over to a colleague's desk instead of e-mailing
•
Take a 15-20 minute walk before work, lunch or after work
•
Stretch daily
•
Do some form of movement daily
•
Take deep breaths to relax when you are under stress
•
Limit your sitting during the weekend
Standing burns one-half to one calorie more a minute than sitting.
REFERENCES
Why Sitting is Bad – Effects on Heart Disease, Obesity and Diabetes.
Dr. Jason Gill, Reader, Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences,
University of Glasgow
The Office Corner Workout: A Dozen Quickie Exercises You Can Do In Your
Cubicle, February 26, 2016
The Price We Pay for Sitting Too Much;
New formulas for how long we should spend sitting and standing in a workday,
Wall Street Journal, 2016
Role of Low Energy Expenditure and Sitting in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome,
Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes 2007 Nov; 56(11)
Health experts have figured out how much time you should sit, Chicago
Tribune; 2017
For more information, please
contact Rick at [email protected]