Deskercises to rejuvenate your wellness resolutions

Deskercises

It’s 11 weeks into 2017 — how are those exercise resolutions coming along?  Whether you’re sticking to your plan or you’ve slipped back into old sedentary habits, you still know the importance of moving more. But, it can be tough to motivate yourself especially if you work from home; it’s just you and your willpower! Certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor Debra Kirsch is here to help.

Recently, Debra brought her 18 years of fitness expertise to the Felicity team. She explained that,“stretching during the day at your desk is so important, because over the day we are so focused on our work we forget that our bodies are stagnant. Stretching gives our bodies a chance to get the blood flowing, wakes up our muscles and takes the stiffness away. It also takes our minds off our work and gives us a mental break.”

This wellness session really resonated with the Felicity team. Said Felicity digital strategy and technology solutions architect David Pisarek, “As Debra came into the room, it was obvious that she was warm and friendly. Her ability to engage the Felicity crew in an active and fun series of deskercises was fantastic. I found her to be knowledgeable and energetic, and thought it was a great way to introduce stretching into the daily office routine.”

Here is a fast and effective deskercise routine to incorporate into your workday:

1. Shoulder Roll

Roll your shoulders back and around 5 to 6 times and then reverse the movement. Shoulders have a lot going on — muscles, bone, tendons — and this roll helps smooth everything out.

2. Shoulder Shrugs

Lift your shoulders towards your ears and back down 10-12 times. Think “tension up/relaxation down”. This exercise loosens up all the stress we carry on our shoulders, back and neck.

3. Upper Back Stretch

While sitting in a chair, extend your arms forward, hold your hands and reach far forward. Hint —  for an even deeper stretch, hold onto the far end of your desk and push yourself backwards.

4. Chest Stretch

Draw your hands behind your back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

You should feel a nice opening in your chest and shoulders. Remember keep your shoulders down and your collarbone long.

5. Hip Stretch

Place your right ankle on top of your left knee, and gently push down on your knee. You should feel a nice opening in the hips and inner thigh. Repeat on the opposite side.

6. Spinal Stretch (saving the best for last, in Debra’s opinion)

While sitting tall in your chair, draw the left hand to the right knee and gently turn your head over your shoulder to right. Repeat on the opposite side. Now breathing is key here. Breathe in to turn and exhale to twist.

Take a few minutes right now and try these stretches. Your body — and mind — will thank you.

Posted on: March 9th, 2017 by

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