You probably spend 8-10 hours sitting per day- eating, working, driving, etc. All of that sitting tightens up your abdominals, chest, & hip flexors.
You may exercise, but not all exercise helps offset the adverse effects of prolonged sitting.
Running, biking & rowing are popular exercises that contribute to tightening up, if not supplemented with a stretching or total body movement program like yoga or martial arts.
If you’re stiff & want to improve your mobility, let me give you a few tips to get started.
Try to limit periods of prolonged sitting with standing, walking & stretching. Look for ways to get more movement in during the day. Stand & walk for phone calls, take a walk during your lunch break, etc.
Commit at least 30 minutes to stretching/day. 30 minutes may sound like a lot, but it will be worth it. It often takes years of sitting to tighten up, so you can’t realistically expect to loosen up with just a few minutes of stretching per day. Breaking up that 30 minutes into 2 or 3 shorter sessions can be just as effective as one longer session.
Add a movement class to your exercise routine. You want something that will get you moving through your body’s full range of motion. Choose a workout class, yoga, pilates, dance, martial arts or barre. Work that’s fun gets done, so pick something you enjoy!
Schedule a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) with a personal trainer or PT. This screen helps prioritize areas of stiffness so you focus your stretching to get the most bang for your buck. I am FMS certified as are the personal trainers at Lightcap Fitness Studio.
Perform regular foam rolling & stretching to help improve spinal extension & rotation.
If you want to achieve improved mobility as quickly as possible, schedule a Movement Tune-up with me. I will identify your most restricted areas & give you a plan to restore your optimal mobility. Hands-on treatment of tight areas followed by custom-tailored corrective exercise accelerates your progress!
Please contact me with any comments or questions.
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