IF YOU SIT A LOT - READ ON!
On the whole, compared to human movement and lifestyles a few centuries ago, people lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle today. With lots of time spent sitting down at desks, or sofas, or even behind the wheel of a vehicle, we suffer from ailments and weaknesses that weren’t an issue in the past.
Repeated sitting causes a lot of compression. Health issues that can ensue include; weak cores, weak glutes, poor posture, stifled breathing, kyphosis and forward hunching, stooping, contracted muscles, imbalances in the body, stiffness, aches and pains….the list goes on!!!
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Sitting for extended periods of time causes some muscles to become tight and stiff (such as hip flexors, quadriceps, neck and shoulders) and the opposing muscle groups become weak and limp (for example, glutes, core and hamstrings.)
For people that spend a lot of time sitting, (whether it be students, office workers or drivers for example), it’s fantastic if they can incorporate some yoga type movement, some stretching and some pilates into their weekly routing to balance out the body, correct imbalances, improve posture and breathing and strengthen weaker areas that are more impacted by the repeated compression of sitting. Both Yoga and Pilates are fabulous forms of exercise if you sit a lot.
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Pilates will successfully strengthen and lengthen the muscles simultaneously through precisely controlled movements in accordance with the breath. Pilates will also help strengthen the core and the glutes which weaken significantly with prolonged sitting. It will also help to alleviate or ward off lower back pain.
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Regular yoga and or stretching will lengthen out stiff and tight muscles and joints such as hip flexors and quadriceps. There benefits of regular yoga or stretching include: improved range of movement and flexibility, hence less stiffness; less aches and pains; improved circulation and blood blow; enhanced posture and hence improved breathing; more ‘joie doe vivre’ ie zest for life and you generally start to feel better about yourself and life in general; improved mental health is a knock on affect and a healthier more aligned body.
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Recharge Plus is available for corporate Pilates, Stretch and Yoga sessions both offered in office and via zoom.
Recharge Plus On Demand offers heaps of options to strengthen and lengthen your body. Have a quiz at : https://www.rechargeplus.com.au/on-demand