Dangers of sitting and staying idle too long

The COVID-19 Pandemic brought the world to a standstill, where every nation needed to use all possible measures, like physical distancing and work-from-home, to protect people’s lives from the virus.

If you have a desk job and currently working from home sitting behind a desk and facing a computer or laptop, then there isn’t really much of a difference in your situation other than being in the comfort of your own home.

A study said that there’s a link between prolonged sitting and health concerns such as heart disease, cancer, depression, diabetes, and obesity. Despite, being in the comfort of our own homes we can still endanger ourselves for sitting or staying idle for long hours.

Other than chronic diseases, sitting for too long can also cause some joint and muscle pains like stiff neck and shoulders, since you’re likely hunched over your keyboard endlessly typing. Hip and back pain are also common since sitting can cause your hip flexor muscle to shorten and a poor sitting posture can put tension on your spine.

John Joseph Ogacion, a Strength & Conditioning Coach, Physical Therapist and Certified Sports Nutritionist, from Sante Fitness Labs (SFL), a premier fitness center that offers holistic training programs, suggests that you find ways to move more often at home like having movement breaks, doing stretching, and finding hobbies or past time activities just to keep yourself moving.

Ogacion also suggests these workouts that you can do if you sitting for countless hours,

1. Dead Bug — Lie on your back with your arms at shoulder level raised toward the ceiling. Bring your legs up into tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). Slowly extend your right leg out straight, while simultaneously dropping your left arm overhead. Keep both a few inches from the ground. Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position. Repeat on the other side, extending your left leg and your right arm. That's one rep. Continue alternating for 20 reps total.

2. Planking — Get on all fours with your toes on the ground shoulder-width apart. Place your forearms flat on the floor in front of you with your elbows directly below your shoulders. Keep your core tight so your body is in a straight line from head to toe. Squeeze your thighs and butt. Keep your neck and spine in a comfortable, neutral position. Hold for 30 seconds.

3. Single-Leg Bridges — Lie flat on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor about a foot or so away from your butt. Rest your arms at your sides on the floor. Lift your right leg in the air toward the ceiling, keeping your foot flexed. Push through your left foot to lift your glutes, hips, and back off the ground. Slowly lower back down, keeping your right leg in the air. Repeat for 12 reps, then switch legs.

4. Bodyweight Squats — Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Holding a kettlebell with both hands at your chest (you can also use a dumbbell). Bend at your knees and hips to lower your butt toward the ground, as if you're sitting in a chair. Go as low as you can, then push through heels to stand back up. Make sure your knees don't go past your ankles. Repeat for 15 reps.

SFL is a premier fitness and sports performance training center that offers holistic training programs, as well as innovative recovery and sports rehabilitation. They are at par with the country’s premium fitness brands with its complete top of the line equipment for cardio, strength, speed, and agility. But unlike other gyms, the difference is in their expert programming and coaching. 

SFL is living up to their tagline, “Home of Champions” as they provide only the best programs to help their customers achieve the best versions of themselves- to be Champions in Sports, an In Life. The same expert on-site services are now available online - Personal Training Program, Lifestyle and Sports Nutrition and Physical Therapy.

Through SFL’s distinct programming system where baseline assessment and progress monitoring are critical and scientific principles and methods are applied by coaches, you can be assured that you can achieve your goals safely and effectively as everything is well thought of and planned for, whether it’s for jumpstarting your fitness, weight loss, recovering from an injury or training for your sports.

To know more about Santé Fitness Lab, its training programs, facilities, and other upcoming events, follow: 

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