Find that you've no time for the gym? Here are 9 things to fit into your everyday your body will thank you for:

1. Posture. Keep your chin slightly tucked in so your ears are in line with your shoulders. Try to avoid excessive forward head carriage especially when at your desk, driving and looking at mobile devices. This can cause big issues to your spine, cause headaches and a lot more.

2. Balance. Stand on one leg. Use a wall or chair for support if needed. This is a skill which is commonly lost as we age if not practiced. Falls in the elderly are very common and this is usually a result of poor balance.

3. Breathing. We often don’t breathe correctly. Deep breathing using your diaphragm is not only a great way to correct your posture and better utilise an additional energy system but it’s also the quickest and most effective way to reduce stress! While breathing through your mouth let your belly rise out as you inhale and then the belly draws back in as you exhale.

4. Stretch. Try to use “dead time” more effectively. This could be waiting for a bus, sitting on a plane, standing in a queue, being left on hold during a phone call, waiting for a friend etc. This is the perfect time to stretch. It can be as simple as just stretching with your arms above your head, your calves on a step a wall, your fingers using your other hand or a wall, sitting and rotating your spine, leaning your head to the side to stretch out your neck and so on.

5. Switch on. Just by activating your lower abdominals, the chances are it will probably make you adjust your posture for the better as well as strengthening the abs.

6. Switch off. If you do get a spare 5 minutes in your day for whatever reason, don’t feel you have to use it to get things done. Switching off just for 5 minutes can help reboot you so it’s not wasted time!

7. Sit on the floor. If you’re on the floor you’re less likely to stay in the same position for hours and it’s the perfect time to sit cross legged if you can or sitting upright with your legs out in front of you, or laying on your belly, sitting on your ankles etc. This helps reduce chair time, can help create a stretch (if not it may incentivise you to do a stretch while you’re there) or lay on a foam roller. This can all be done while watching your favourite TV programmes.

8. Just choose one thing. If you know your day’s running away from you, just do one thing to make you feel better. That could be deep breathing, a quick blitz of squats to blow out some cobwebs, some static stretching, a yoga pose, laying on a foam roller to stretch out your pecs. Pick what’s right for you at that time.

9. Get outside and move. We all spend way too much time indoors and sitting. A walk around the block will increase your vitamin D levels, reawaken your systems and help clear your mind!

Thanks for reading, see you next time.

Thanks for reading!
Rich.

Multi-tasking but In a good way!