Whether you are now working from home or simply spending more of your days indoors, chances are that your hips, back, and neck are starting to feel a little structural wear and tear – even with the best ergonomically designed chair, standing desk, or mobile computer set-up. For what it’s worth, I’m currently hunched over my laptop on a coffee table as I write this… probably like most of you.
The unfortunate truth is that we adapt just as quickly to negative stressors (like my current poor posture and body position), as we do to positive stressors (like exercise). From circulation to hormone production, poor body positioning on a regular basis affects much more than how we “look” as this Coronavirus quarantine passes by.
But the upside is that a postural reset – a few gentle mobility movements requiring no additional equipment – takes only a few, intentional moments during your day. We’ll start with 3 basic moves this week and build upon these in next week’s newsletter!
Box Breathing
What it does:
Conscious breathing is the basis for almost all meditation and relaxation techniques and has been shown to boast benefits such as stress reduction, lowered blood pressure, and improved immune system response. So, before you move, bend, or stretch, start by doing the following:
To perform the stretch:
Close your eyes. Breathe in through your nose while counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs and fill your belly.
Hold your breath inside while counting slowly to four. Try not to clamp your mouth or nose shut. Simply avoid air entering or leaving the body for 4 seconds.
Slowly exhale for 4 seconds.
Repeat steps 1 to 3 three to five times.
P.S. Check out “The Jed Talks” on RallySport’s Instagram for video instruction! This entire process can be shorted to a 2 or 3-count rhythm if needed to start.
Standing Shoulder Rolls
What it does:
Sometimes the simplest movements are in fact, the most effective. A standing shoulder roll works to not only reestablish length in the chest and shoulders but also strengthens the mid- and upper-back musculature.
To perform the stretch:
Stand tall and shrug your shoulders up and back, retracting your shoulder blades as you go in a full circle. Gently roll your head from side to side between each shoulder roll to loosen the muscles around your neck and jaw. Complete 3-5 rolls slowly.
Standing Door Frame Chest Stretch
What it does:
To help find more breathing room (literally!), a standing door frame stretch is a great step toward reopening a ribcage and diaphragm that may have become compressed from too much sitting. It also reestablishes length in our chest and shoulder musculature from the nearly unavoidable phone and/or laptop hunch.
To perform the stretch:
Put both arms at or close to a 90-degree angle on a door frame and stagger one leg in front of the other. Tighten your core and slowly lean into the forward leg to initiate the stretch. You’ll complete 3-5 leans per leg.