There is an unassembled standing desk to the right of me. I thought I should have a standing desk, because I read an article online that said sitting for long hours is worse than smoking. I don’t believe that, because monks sit all the time and they live virtually forever. But I do believe sitting in the capacity that I am sitting (writing tediously for hours on end, and occasionally scratching my leg) is not so good.
But I do neat little things to break it up, and I’d like to share a few of them with you so if you’d like to try them for yourself, you can. These are strategies—or movements, really—you can do here and there or at home or in the office, to add mobility and vigor, and energy of spirit and excitement of mind back into your day to day, and to break up the dull monotonous, humdrum routine of life as we know it.
Let’s begin…
Tall kneeling hip flexor stretch
I write from a tall kneeling hip flexor stretch every ten minutes or so. My sitting desk (soon to be replaced and sent to the abyss) is at the exact height for me to write just as badly from a lunge as I do from a chair and without any positive effects on my prose, thank the heavens.
Remember: The tall kneeling hip flexor stretch should be a hard, active push into the front of your hip. Squeeze your butt, and tilt your pelvic bowl upward as you drive your hip straight ahead (not down). Hit it for 8 seconds, relax, and then switch sides.
Kettlebell Swings
Bring a kettlebell into your office and set it somewhere obtrusive, then avow never to leave your office/cubicle/room/ whatever without first a set of 10 or 15 swings.
Squat
Get into a deep squat and sit there for 60 seconds five times an hour. Or, try this drill:
Naked Get Ups
Do one of these on each side, naked, every hour, as slow as you can. A “naked” get up, by the way, is a get up done without weight—I just thought I should clarify that.
Finger and Wrist Mobility
Strong ON!
– Pat
PS – I am working on something cool for the New Year. Do you have, like, 10-seconds to answer a quick question for me HERE? I’d really appreciate it!