Tom Holland
Tom Holland, exercise physiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist based in Darien, Connecticut. He is author of Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets—Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag, TeamHolland.com.
If so many of us are always busy, why are our bodies getting weaker and weaker? It’s mainly because we spend so much time sitting! The less we move, the more muscle mass we lose, leaving us vulnerable to injury—not to mention increased risk for obesity, diabetes and stroke. But all is not lost.
Bottom Line Health turned to exercise physiologist Tom Holland, MS, CPT, who shared his four favorite exercises for people who are stuck in their chairs…*
EXERCISE #1: No-Hand Get-Ups. When we sit for prolonged periods, our powerful butt muscles or “glutes” (gluteus maximus and gluteus medius) begin to atrophy. Weak glutes can affect posture and movement, which can translate into knee injuries and hip problems as other muscles try to compensate for our deconditioned glutes.
What to do: Start from a seated position. Then…
EXERCISE #2: Butt-Pain Stretch. When people complain of a mysterious pain in their backside, the cause is often due to overuse of the piriformis, a muscle deep inside the glute that extends from the pelvis to the outer hip. Because the piriformis is a major part of our lower-body infrastructure, that “pain in the butt” is a warning that additional pains (including hip pain and low-back pain) are yet to come if this one is ignored.
What to do: To get a good piriformis stretch and eliminate the pain…
EXERCISE #3: Chair Crunches. This simple exercise works your abdominal core muscles to help prevent low-back pain and other sore muscles and joints.
What to do: To build your core, lean slightly back in your chair. Then…
EXERCISE #4: Twist Stretch. This back stretch sounds more complicated than it is…and once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever got through a day without it.
What to do: To get started, sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor. Then…
Repeat the cycle (turning once on each side) a total of three times. If you sit for long periods (especially in a confined space, such as an airline seat), try to do this stretch at least once every 15 to 30 minutes.
*If you are wearing shoes with a heel greater than one inch, take them off before doing these exercises.