13
Apr 2014
NEA and Intermittent Movement
NEA- It stands for Non Exercise Activity, and it is becoming more and more talked about among researchers in the health and fitness world. According to the new buzz on the topic, what you do when you are not swinging kettlebells or doing burpees is just as important to controlling and optimizing your health and wellness. And when we say that, we are really talking about longevity– feeling better and more capable, for as long as possible.
Even if you are a fit athlete who exercises regularly, you may still endanger your health simply by sitting too much. There has been a lot of chatter of this recently in the fitness world and it even has gotten some coverage in the main stream media. Over 50 percent of American men, and 60 percent of American women, never engage in any vigorous physical activity lasting more than 10 minutes per week (according to this study)
Now we know you clearly are not part of that group, but still the work day often forces us to be in a chair, and that truly can be detrimental in the long run. Researchers warn that the combination of sitting too much and exercising too little can more than double the risk of heart failure in men. However, these risk correlations held true no matter how much they exercised. Think about it, the body is an operating network of moving parts. The heart pumps blood, the brain and spine flow electricity throughout the entire body and your nervous system fires with every movement and thought you produce. In other words, your body operates best when moving. When you force that system into a stiff compromised position, those functions start to slow down and progressively stop working as well as they should.
However! That does not mean you have to go quit your day job. There are plenty of ways to get movement in during your work hours. Here are nine techniques you can implement in at the office, or in between classes.
Also check this video via Ido Portal on how to save your hips. (If you ever had a chance to catch one of Hunter’s mobility classes on the weekend, you might recognize some of these squatting movements)
Technique #1: Standing Neck-Stretch: Hold for 20 seconds on each side.
Technique #2: Shoulder Blade Squeeze: Round your shoulders, then pull them back and pull down. Repeat for 20-30 seconds.
Technique #3: Standing Hip Stretch: Holding on to your desk, cross your left leg over your right thigh and “sit down” by bending your right leg. Repeat on the other side.
Technique #4: The Windmill: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then pivot your feet to the right. Push your hip out to the left. Raising your left arm skyward, and your right arm toward the floor, lower your body toward the floor while looking up, then raise your torso back to standing position. Repeat on the other side.
Technique #5: Side Lunge: Starting with your feet together, take a medium step sideways, and bend down as if you’re about to sit. Use your arms for balance by reaching out in front of you. Return to starting position, and repeat 10-20 times. Repeat on the other side.
Technique #6: Desk Push-Up: Place hand a little wider than shoulder-width apart on your desk. Come up on your toes to make it easier to tip forward. Do 10 repetitions.
Technique #7: Squat to Chair: With your feet shoulder-width apart, sit down, reaching forward with your hands, and stand back up in quick succession. Do 15-20 repetitions.
Technique #8: Single Leg Dead Lift: Place your right hand on your desk, and place your weight on your right leg. Fold your torso forward, while simultaneously lifting your left leg backward. Do 10 repetitions on each side.
Technique #9: Mountain Climber: Get into a push-up position on the floor. Pull your right knee forward to touch your right wrist or arm, then return to push-up position. Repeat on the other side. Try to pick up the pace, and do 20 quick repetitions.
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