Exercise in the office for 5 minutes: 20 simple exercises while sitting on a chair for everyone

Man is created for movement. But the achievements of civilization have made their own adjustments - a person of the 21st century no longer needs to make physical efforts to feed himself and his family. The whole world sat down at computers and the era of a stationary lifestyle began. A person sits at work, and when he comes home, he sits down at the computer or TV to relax, playing computer games, communicating on social networks or watching his favorite shows. Many internal organs and systems of the human body suffer from this lifestyle, but, as a rule, the musculoskeletal system is the first to fail. A person who always doesn’t have enough time to devote a few minutes to a simple warm-up at work subsequently spends months, or even years, of his life on treating his spine.

According to research conducted by WHO, modern office workers (that is, more than half of the adult population of large cities) spend more than three quarters of their lives sitting - at work at the computer, at home on the couch, sitting in transport, cafes and restaurants, in queues and cinemas. . The lack of movement has become a real threat to the existence of humanity.

What can happen to a sedentary lifestyle?

A sedentary lifestyle has a detrimental effect on the entire body, leading to a number of serious illnesses and even premature death. Here are just some of its consequences:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including joints and spine;
• metabolic disorders leading to obesity and a host of other unpleasant consequences;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system, a sharp increase in the risk of strokes and heart attacks;
• hormonal disorders;
• constant feeling of fatigue, depression, poor appetite, headaches;
• diabetes;
• the risk of tumors, including malignant ones.

Hidden gymnastics

In fact, inactivity is a pressing problem. Use special exercises, so-called hidden (or isometric) gymnastics .

These movements (or exercises) can be performed anytime and anywhere without attracting the attention of others.

The method of “constant hidden training and physical impact on the body,” or more simply, “gymnastics for the lazy,” is an excellent alternative to traditional physical education classes.

The main task of this method is to compensate for the lack of physical activity that most residents of large cities experience.

The effectiveness of classes depends on their frequency and regularity.

Any exercise is performed either until fatigue sets in, or as long as there is a desire and opportunity.

You can perform the exercises statically or dynamically - this does not affect the effectiveness of the training. If no one can see you, both options are good.

If you need to make the training invisible, use the static option.

What is the best way to start introducing a healthy lifestyle? Why do you need a spinal warm-up?

What to do? The answer seems to suggest itself: move more in the workplace, do not use transport when moving around the city, walk more often, do exercises in the morning, relax actively, and not in front of the TV and computer, sign up for a swimming pool or gym. Of course, by following all these rules, any of us will quickly forget about all the negative consequences of physical inactivity. However, it's not that simple. Unfortunately, following all of the above recommendations requires time, willpower, very strong motivation, and in the case of gyms, also money.

Not everyone can boast of having all these qualities. More often, their complete absence is observed. After reading such a list, a person plunges into deep thought, realizing the enormity of the tasks facing him in introducing a healthy lifestyle. Then, with a sigh, he simply returns to the couch and watches the TV.

Conclusion one: don’t set yourself grandiose goals. Conclusion two: try to start with something very small, which practically does not require significant time, effort, or money, but do it conscientiously and regularly. Conclusion three: it’s time to stop meditating on the topic “how to change your life?” and start doing something.

For this purpose, light industrial gymnastics in the form of a warm-up for all parts of the spine is best suited. One of the ancients said that all our diseases come from a diseased spine. And he was right.

Who does varicose veins choose?

A study from McMaster University (Ontario, Canada) found that leg swelling as a manifestation of venous insufficiency is common in both women and men. But women have significantly more risk factors that provoke the development of the disease.

In men, the main causes of edema are:

• excess weight – observed in 69%;
• long periods of standing or sitting – 67%.
• In women, the causes of varicose veins are usually:
• overweight – 77%;
• smoking – 61%;
• long standing, sitting – 60%;
• wearing shoes that are too narrow – 15%;
• use of hormonal contraceptives – 43%;
• high heels – 14%.

Interestingly, in men there was no clear connection between smoking and edema. In addition, it turned out that the prevention of edema is mainly carried out by those whose lives they have already greatly poisoned. And those for whom these symptoms appear sporadically and do not cause noticeable discomfort practically do not pay any attention to their feet. But in vain.

Warm up the spine

There are a great variety of exercises for the spine, including exercises in the workplace. You don't have to try to do them all. It is ideal if, to warm up, you have the opportunity to take regular short breaks, get up, and walk around the room. But if this is not possible, it doesn’t matter. There are exercises that you can do without leaving your desk. Choose for yourself a set of dozens of exercises that are right for you, and try to do them every day for 5 minutes every 3 hours.

The only thing you don’t need to do is try to select exercises for a sore spine yourself. Treatment of intervertebral hernia and other diseases is a matter for the doctor. Attempts to self-medicate may result in disability. If everything is fine with your spine, you can safely start warming up, remembering a few rules:

• try to ensure that your complex covers all parts of the spine;
• Warm-up should be done starting from the upper sections, gradually lowering down;
• You need to start warming up with the simplest exercises, gradually complicating them and increasing the number;
• stop warming up as soon as you feel that you are doing the exercises with all your strength - working hard and setting sports records is not your goal.

What are the dangers of cerebral circulatory disorders?

I'll tell you a story from my life. This was several years ago. Every day I had a severe headache. It started at about 9-10 in the morning and until 20 in the evening. The rest of the time she was also sick, but less. I had tests done and they were relatively normal. But there was high blood pressure. This lasted for about half a year, no less. With each trip to the doctor, I was prescribed more and more pills, but nothing changed.

The doctor was diligent, responsible, and approached treatment meticulously. He prescribed medications for blood pressure, I took them, it dropped below the required level, and I almost fell over it myself. Then something else was prescribed, and my blood pressure jumped high, I almost fell again, this time from something else. He didn't even have enough time to really listen to me. He kept inventing schemes for feeding me pills.

At the appointment I told him: “Doctor, my head still hurts,” he says: “Uh-huh,” and writes something further on the card. I told him again: “What should I do? I’m already climbing the walls!” He says, “uh-huh,” and then writes. I tell him the same thing for the third time. And he silently looks at me, with his hands and face, points to the recipe, like, don’t interfere, I’m just writing you a new recipe.

It already contained 12 different types of tablets: some are taken in 2 pieces. four times a day before meals, others one three times after meals, others half a tablet, four times a day. It came down to quarters. And then I finally realized that saving drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves. I stopped drinking all this nonsense. I saved myself from headaches with citramone. Stronger painkillers did not help.

And somehow it so happened that very soon life brought me to one person who advised me to use a breathing simulator. And I grabbed onto it. And a month later I already looked at life much more cheerfully. And after a couple of months I began to forget about the headaches.

Not only oxygen is dissolved in our blood, but also carbon dioxide, which is involved in metabolism in the body. And if the carbon dioxide content in the blood is below normal, then the blood cannot give the cells all the oxygen that is dissolved in it. And with age, carbon dioxide in the blood becomes less and less.

And this simulator helps to increase the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, first by force, and then the body begins to produce the norm itself, to enter the regime prescribed to it from birth. All that remains is to periodically “remind” him of this, breathing through it for 20-30 minutes several times a week. You can do it more often, it won’t get worse. But that is another story.

Simple exercises for the neck, arms and thoracic spine

• Sitting on a chair, we tilt our head alternately to the right and left, trying to touch the shoulder.
• Slowly rotate your head clockwise and counterclockwise.
• Clasping your hands behind your back, bend your back as much as possible, throwing your head back.
• We alternately try to reach the shoulder blades with our right and left hands, and hold ourselves by the elbow with the other hand.
• We shrug our shoulders energetically, trying to raise them as high as possible.
• Putting your hands to your shoulders, alternately rotate them forward and backward.
• Having clasped our hands in front of us, we bend forward, lowering our head as low as possible.
• With our hands behind our heads, we turn left and right.
• With our hands behind our heads, we lean to the right and left.
• Clasping your hands above your head, we stretch upward.

Exercises you can do without attracting attention

1. For example, when you wash your face, you can stand with your bare feet on a rubber mat with a lumpy surface - this is a good tonic procedure, since there are many biologically active points on the soles of the feet associated with internal organs. Thanks to the unevenness of the mat, a natural massage of these nerve formations occurs and the body receives an additional charge of vigor.
2. When leaning over the sink, do not hunch over or bend your knees - this helps increase muscle tone.
3. Walk as much as possible, do not stand passively on the escalator in the subway, but, if possible, go up and down the stairs.
4. When you walk, don't slouch . Learn to walk easily and naturally, then you will get less tired.
5. pull in your stomach with all your might , as if you want it to touch your spine. Count to six and relax . Do this as often as possible and you will get rid of excess fat around your waist and belly. But this exercise cannot be done immediately after eating.
6. tighten your buttock muscles as much as possible . Count to six and relax. The more often you do this exercise, the faster and more graceful your silhouette will be.
7. When doing household chores or walking along the work corridor, while no one is looking, alternately take four steps on your toes and four normal ones . Then four heel steps, then four regular ones . You can try it - it strengthens the ankle joint.

Exercises for the lower back, buttocks and legs

For most of these exercises you will have to move away from the table and even get up from the chair:

• Sitting on a chair, we try to fold in half, placing our hands and head on our knees.
• Sitting on the edge of a chair, we hold our hands behind our backs, feet shoulder-width apart. We lean forward, trying to bring our head as close to the floor as possible.
• Sitting on a chair, we do a “bicycle”.
• Sitting on the edge of a chair, we alternately try to reach the toe of either the left or right foot with both hands.
• We get up from the chair and try to do push-ups from the table.
• Holding the back of the chair, we move away and bend our back. Keep your head straight, feet shoulder-width apart.
• While standing, raise your right arm and bend to the left. The second hand is pressed to the body. We repeat the same with the left hand.
• We approach the table with our backs and, holding it with our hands from behind, do squats.
• While standing, we put our feet together, rise on tiptoes and lower ourselves.

We start all exercises 2-3 times, gradually increasing the number to 10.

Alternate lunges from plank position

Assume a plank position with your arms straight. Lunge one leg forward and land with your foot next to your palm. Return to the starting position. Now lunge with your other leg. This is one repetition. Timed exercise.

Levels:

• Beginner: 15 seconds.
• Medium: 30 seconds.
• Advanced: 45 seconds.

Causes of scoliosis in adults

Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine in the lateral direction with rotation around a vertical axis. Scoliosis in adults occurs due to incorrect posture in childhood or in adulthood for several reasons:

• Unilateral injuries, for example, a sprain in an arm or leg, which causes tissue tension;
• Inflammation as a consequence of pneumonia, appendicitis;
• Asymmetry of the limbs due to fractures;
• Compression-type spinal fracture, which is accompanied by herniated intervertebral discs;
• Osteoporosis, in which the vertebrae soften and the spine deviates to the side;
• Neuromuscular diseases;
• Neoplasms.

But even if a person does not have any of the listed pathologies, he is not at all immune from scoliosis. The cause of spinal curvature may well be a not very healthy lifestyle, as well as office work.

Exercise equipment for the office from the Panatta brand

The Italian manufacturer Panatta offers several series of professional simulators. Among them there are cardio and strength equipment:

• Within the Fit Evo, Sec, Monolith, Inside, XP Lux series, you can select all the necessary equipment for the office: exercise machines with free weights, load-bearing equipment, racks and benches. With their help, the muscles of the whole body are trained.
• Treadmills, elliptical bicycles, and exercise bikes from the Bora, Fenix, and Pininfarina collections will provide the opportunity to conduct a full-fledged cardio workout.

Advantages of sports equipment: functionality thought out to the smallest detail, multimedia capabilities of cardio equipment (training can be combined with watching a movie, communicating on social networks, listening to music). Strength trainers have ideal biomechanics, that is, when performing an exercise, a natural trajectory is created for the joints and the risk of injury is eliminated.

The manufacturer pays great attention to the design of the equipment. Office owners can order strength training equipment, the soft elements of which are made in corporate colors. These and other selection details are discussed by Fitness Project specialists at the initial stages of cooperation.

Tags: Gym equipment / professional strength training equipment / block weight training equipment / abdominal exercise equipment / professional cardio equipment / treadmills for fitness clubs / professional elliptical trainers / multifunctional strength training equipment

Useful gadgets for your health

But scoliosis exercises are not the only way to combat “office syndrome.” Special gadgets that can (and should) be used at work will help prevent spinal diseases, soreness and a constant feeling of fatigue:

• The Beurer PC 100 PostureControl posture monitoring device is easily attached to clothing using a special clip. The device gently vibrates to remind you that you have not changed your position for too long, as well as the need to do special exercises. The device is controlled through a special 8sense application and stores data for 14 days. With it you will definitely not forget that your back needs care;

• Electric myostimulator Beurer EM 38 myostimulator - works using TENS technology, relieves back and lower back pain, accelerates lymph flow and improves blood circulation. The device is made in the form of a belt with Velcro, so it can also be used at work, for example, during a lunch break. The myostimulator allows you to select the optimal intensity from 20 levels, as well as one of 4 training programs;

• The Beurer DM 20 fluid intake monitoring device allows you to maintain a drinking regime, which is very important for general well-being and the normal functioning of all organs and systems. The compact device does not take up much space and is perfect for office use. By synchronizing the device with the Beurer HealthManager app, you can control the amount of water you drink per day and create an individual drinking plan.

In addition to all these measures, it is worth periodically doing eye exercises: changing the object of focus, describing a circle with your eyeballs clockwise and counterclockwise.

Stepper Gamersize PC Sport

At first glance it may seem that nothing distinguishes this stepper from its counterparts, but appearances are deceiving. This mini machine will make you sweat even while working in Excel. As soon as the workout pace drops, the stepper will turn off the mouse and keyboard. In addition to all this, the device allows you to track progress from workout to workout.

Cost: $187

Walkstation

Harmless sitting on the buttocks in the long term can easily turn into a health risk. One way to avoid trading in an office chair for a medical one is to spend your working hours on a treadmill. The Walkstation project solves this problem by simply combining a treadmill with an office desk. Moreover, the functionality of the track allows you to track a whole series of parameters: distance, speed and number of calories burned.

Cost: $4,199

How to sit at the computer correctly?

Understanding the causes of scoliosis, it is not difficult to figure out how to correct your posture. This is quite possible to do as an adult, but it cannot be done without some effort. And the first thing you need to learn is how to sit at the computer correctly. Surprisingly, most office workers do not know the simplest rules, and if they do know, they most often ignore them.

For proper seating, three conditions are required: the presence of a computer desk, a chair with a reclining back, and the desire to protect your back. To avoid causing back problems, you need to:

• Maintain the bend angle of the elbows, hip joints, and knees at 90° or slightly more;
• Place your entire foot on the floor (if the chair is not high enough, you will have to use a stand);
• Do not cross your legs, do not throw them one on top of the other, so as not to impair blood circulation;
• Place your hands in a straight line with your elbow;
• Do not hunch, do not throw your head back or tilt it forward;
• Sit in a relaxed and comfortable position, leaning back in a chair;
• Place the monitor so that it is at arm's length and its upper third is at eye level;

Another nuance is lighting. Its source must be located at right angles to the monitor, otherwise glare will appear and you will automatically take the wrong posture to view the information on the screen.

Champ Sofa

The concept of this sofa was invented by designer Tobias Frenzel and will definitely be appreciated by those who want to let off steam after 8 hours of painstaking work. At the right moment, the back of the sofa rises and turns into a punching bag. Well, as soon as the training is over, the boxing rig can be turned into a sofa again.

Cost: 7,500 euros

Deltoid muscle trainer

Your seating position is important for proper operation of this machine.

: The lower back must be pressed against the back of the seat.
only the deltoid muscles
should work .

If full extension of your arms in the shoulder joints is painful, move them as far as comfortable and hold them in this position for five to ten seconds.

By the way, when working on a simulator for deltoid muscles, you can find out how synchronously both arms work. If they rise to different heights and with different forces, it's not just the difference

muscle fitness. There may be problems with the shoulder joints.

Why is “office syndrome” dangerous?

Recently, doctors are increasingly mentioning the so-called “office syndrome”. This disease cannot yet be included in medical reference books, but it has every chance of ending up there, since more and more people are suffering from this pathology. Symptoms of this phenomenon include pain in the neck, back and lower back, and the consequence is often scoliosis.

The main reason is a combination of insufficient physical activity with incorrect posture of an office worker. Typically, an employee who works in an office sits on a chair at the beginning of the day and practically does not change his position until lunch. But even during the lunch break, many people remain at work, because this is the right time to check personal mail, read the news, and browse social networks.

So it turns out that a person does not move for almost the whole day, and often also sits in the wrong position. As a result:

• The lumbar deflection becomes less pronounced;
• Pressure on the front of the spinal discs increases;
• The back of the vertebrae is stretched;
• Muscle tone is impaired.

Let's add to this a hunched back, especially at the end of the working day, and excess weight, which is actively developing due to constant snacking right at the table. Even the healthiest spine cannot withstand such an attitude. Over time, it becomes bent, twisted, pain and a host of other unpleasant and even dangerous symptoms arise.