Sitting to much is like sipping on poison. Sooner or later you will have to deal with the end. I have 5 sisters and I tell each one of them this at least once a month. They are all retired and living a life of leisure. However, this could turn quickly into a seriously health issue. I want my sisters to understand if they stop moving daily their bodies will age much faster. The joy of retirement will end with prolong periods of aching stiff joints, back pain and low energy. Of course I could say this a little nicer but in order for them to truly get how devastating sitting for hours can become, I prefer the latter. Some people think if you rest your body with very little activity its good for your health and longevity. Its actually the opposite. The more active you are the better. When you are aging at any age your body is losing muscle and the less you move the more muscle you lose. You probably have a relative or a friend or know someone who has aged to the point to where they can not even stand up from a chair. I remind my sisters of this every month so they never forget what happens if they stop moving. The quality of their life is affected by some very simple choices.
Fitness to me is not about how fast you run or how many big muscles you have. I tell everyone we train that fitness will effect the quality of your life. It only takes a few simple choices. My job is to inform and share my knowledge with those who will listen to the message. The 10 rules to avoid sitting to much. 1. Take a daily walk 2. Watch less television 3. Do more outdoor activities 4. Develop friendships with active people 5. Visit your neighbors more 6. At work use a standing desk for part of the day 7. Lose weight 8. Go dancing 9. Join a gym 10. Do not sit longer than 1 hour without standing and walking around.(Except in a movie)
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Good posture starts with good sitting and standing habits. Todays lifestyles makes it very challenging to keep good posture. These days we might find ourselves watching television for several hours, using our phones texting or surfing the internet, at work working at a computer most of the day, living with high levels of stress, and trapped in unhappy situations. If you spend most of your day in one or serval of these lifestyle patterns you will develop bad posture. Which can lead to back, neck, shoulder and hip pain. One good thing about the human body is that its very pliable. Which makes it possible to regain good posture. Posture is an imbalance in muscle strength and flexibility. Your back muscles should be the strongest muscle group on your upper torso but those who have bad posture, the back muscles are the weakest muscle group and the chest muscles are very tight, not necessary strong but tight. Gravity is always forcing us down to the ground but if we are leaning forward most of the time our back muscles become overstretch and weak. The muscles on the front of the body becomes short and tight. The tight muscle will not let us stand erect again, until they are stretch out and the back muscles are strengthen to where they're strong enough to hold us in and upright posture. There still is hope.
Most of us might think exercise is good for your posture. However, exercising could even make your bad posture worse. Say for instance you just started working out and you already have bad posture. If you start strengthening your muscles first you are merely re-enforcing the bad posture by strengthening tight muscles. If you are just starting to workout you should start with flexibility and mobility training to re-set your posture first. If not soon or later you will develop a pain issue in your joints, back, neck or shoulders. Exercising can create bad posture if you do not use good form when you workout also. I stress to each client that form and technique is very important. What if you exercise for years with bad form. If sitting for hours through your life watching television and you develop bad posture, than exercising for years with bad technique will do the same. Its just this simple. Here are 10 tips to have good posture: 1. Stand every hour and walk around. 2. Reduce your tv watching. 3. Only spend a designated amount of time on your phone. 4. Sit up correctly. 5. Strengthen your core and back. 6. Become more active. 7. Think positive. 8. Adjust your work station.(invest in a standing desk). 9. Stretch every morning. 10. Invest into a posture training program Bonus - If you workout. 1. Always stretch before and after your workouts for at least 10 minutes. 2. Train your back muscles 70/30 percent to the front muscles.(The posterior) - all back muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and calves should be as strong or stronger than the front muscles.(anterior), but not the reverse.) 3. Develop perfect technique to reduce injuries. 4. The T-spine should be mobile. If your T-spine is not mobile then it will be very difficult to have good posture. In every workout spend time to improve T-spine mobility. If you can reach an optimal level of mobility you will see your posture improve very quickly. Please give us feedback. If you have questions. Email Reggie Reggie Each week we are adding a specific challenge in our blog. The best way to achieve your best result is by focusing on one movement. The squat is one of the most important movements you do each day. When you lose strength to where you can not perform an adequate squat you will automatically feel 10 years older. The squat is king for those who are getting older. The squat provides great aesthetic benefits such as nice looking firm legs and butt. This squat challenge will benefit you in every aspect of your life. If you workout already or someone who hasn't worked out for years this challenge will help.
All of the challenges are very simple and highly effective. There are 2 groups we will focus on in this challenge. They are Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 are those who can not do a free squat. Group 2 are those who can perform a correct squat. Group 1 tips. You need a regular sitting chair or bench. You will sit on the chair with your feet about 12 inches apart. Then stand up and sit down.(This builds the strength in your legs for you to develop strength to execute a free squat) You will do this 5 days a week. 1st week 1st day 5 times- 1 set only 2nd day 10 times- 1 set only 3rd day 15 times- 1 set only 4th day 20 times- 1 set only 5 th day 25 times- 1 set only 2nd - 4th week 1st day 25 times- 1 set only 2nd day 25 times- 1 set only 3rd day 25 times- 1 set only 4th day 25 times- 1 set only 5 th day 25 times- 1 set only Group 2 tips Follow this challenge only if you can perform a correct free squat Stand up with your feet a little over shoulder width apart. Squat down as far as you can with a straight back.(Do your best) Then stand back up. You might need to take a break before you complete 25 squats but each week it will get better. As you get stronger focus on doing them straight through, non-stop. 1st - 4th week 1st day 25 times- 1 set only 2nd day 25 times- 1 set only 3rd day 25 times- 1 set only 4th day 25 times- 1 set only 5 th day 25 times- 1 set only After 4 weeks you have the options to repeat the challenge again or repeat 2 sets instead of 1. Good luck. Train smart. Please give us feed back, we would like to hear from you. |
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