Never Let Your Body Stay Dormant! Yup, Workout Junkies Are No the Exception!

How many hours a day do you sit in a chair or stay inactive? Kooky question, right? If you say you are miserable because your occupation would not allow you to sit and relax throughout the day, do NOT feel unhappy anymore. It is widely said that sitting is a new smoking today. The chiropractor and physiotherapist A.J. Gregg (Arizona’s High Performance Sport Center) says remaining stagnant “in the same fixed position –especially in a seated-in-a-chair position- is the health hazard.” He goes on to claim that your body is designed to keep moving. Well, well, well….alright, duly noted! Then, how about gym rats or dedicated runners on the road or on the treadmill? What about workout instructors who teach excruciating physical classes on a daily basis? They might be exempt from running on fumes, right? Experts and doctors say the answer is no. It is because when your body is parked in the same position for a long time (e.g., sitting at the computer or watching TV in your couch the whole day), the major muscles in your lower body (e.g., low back muscles, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus in your hips) will get tightened and dormant. Thus, no matter how active or inactive you are, it is a “must” to be in motion most of the time. Otherwise, the motionless hours will lead up to a variety of injuries of your major muscle groups. One good news is that the motions do not necessarily have to be hard workouts or gnarly physical sessions that make your skin feel salty or fingers even pruney in sweat at all. All we need to do is just get up and move our butt! ;-)   The year of 2017 will keep us in perpetual motion.

Here’s some tips from biomechanist Katy Bowman (source from Runner’s World Jan/Feb 2017):

1.   If you have a sedentary job that keeps you chair-bound, sit at the edge of your seat to roll your pelvis forward.  Remind yourself to a couple of minutes’ break every 30 minutes to stand up and stretch your body.

2.   Use stairways instead of elevators.

3.   Even on a long-run day, use your foam roller to soothe your tight or pulled leg muscles and try hip-opening yoga poses. (e.g., pigeon pose or happy baby pose)

4.   While watching TV, do side planks and squats, which will keep your metabolism fast throughout the day.

Expressions

-          kooky question: bizarre/ crazy/ offbeat question

-          Duly noted!: I understand!/ I got it!

-          to run on fumes: someone has used all their energy on something, but must continue, they are running on fumes

-          gluteus maximus: muscle is located in the buttocks and is regarded as one of the strongest muscles in the human body, which is connected to the tailbone

-          gnarly: difficult/ dangerous/ challenging/hard

-          pruney: all wrinkled up (due to loss of moisture)