You are probably well aware of the fact that sitting all day won’t do anything good to your health, but yet modern lifestyle requires sitting for a long period during the day. So, people don’t think much about the impact on their health because they must work and accept this as part of their lives.
It Doesn’t Have To Be Like That
The fact is that you don’t have to live with a constant feeling of back pain and stiffness caused by sitting. If this pain is ignored for a long period, you won’t be able to get involved in physical activities, run, and exercise, and finally, your health will be in danger.
Undoing the Damage of Sitting
The good news is that even people who have been sitting most of their days for years can remove the effects of a sedentary life by performing a few simple and easy exercises regularly.
If you decide to perform these seven stretches you can recover your mobility and flexibility, feel less tense, and protect yourself from pain in the lower back and knees. You will also feel much more energized.
See also: 1 Minute VIDEO Exercises To Ease the Sciatic Nerve Pain
1. Stretching On The Couch
This exercise might look difficult for beginners, but it is worth the effort and what is interesting is that you can do it while watching TV.
Place one of your legs on the ground and place the other one on the couch in a way that will make your knee touch the back. After that, stretch your abdominal muscles and gently rise your torso to reach a standing position. Keep this position for 5 minutes and after that perform this exercise with the other leg.
If you want to get even better results, you can place your foot on the ground up to the seat located on the couch and try to move up your torso to the same position as before. Remember that this exercise will be difficult in the beginning, but the effects are amazing.
2. Glute Bridges
Position your body on the floor with your back down and knees bent. After that, raise your hips and butt to form a straight line with your body. Next, slowly lower yourself down. This is one repetition. Perform three sets of ten reps. If you feel that you do more reps, use some weight placed on your thighs.
This particular exercise is excellent for your glutes and hips and over time your abs will be affected too.
3. Grok Squat
This is a very simple exercise that requires getting into a squatting position with the feet placed firmly on the ground while the back remains straight and the butt lowered as much as you can. This is a position similar to a baseball catcher position. Once you are in this position you will feel the stretch inside your groin, back, and legs.
4. Table Pigeon Pose
In case you’ve practiced yoga, you probably know what a pigeon pose is. This exercise is almost the same, except for the fact that you will have to use the table as support.
In this way it’s easier to perform this exercise and your muscles will be stretched in different positions. Simply put your leg on the tabletop (don’t forget that you can use your bed too) at a right angle. Put one of your hands on the table and the other on your foot to get additional support.
After that, lean forward and hold this position for 90 seconds.
Next, lean right to the two o’clock position for 90 seconds, and finally lean left to the ten o’clock position and stay in this position for 90 seconds. Repeat this exercise on the other leg too.
In case you experience knee problems, put a pillow under the knee. Try to perform two pigeon poses per day.
5. Leg Swings
You have likely seen someone performing this exercise at the gym, but you were puzzled by the purpose of this exercise. Well, they were simply loosening up.
This exercise requires holding something to get balance and after that, you can start swinging one of your legs forth and back as much as you can (try to stretch it as high as you can). Keep in mind that you can also move your leg from side to side. Perform 20 swings of each type.
6. Clamshells
Caution: Once you start performing this exercise you will feel a little bit funny. However, this exercise has proven to be very efficient when it comes to the activation of the glutes. If you feel uncomfortable performing this exercise in the gym, do it at your home before you visit the gym.
Lay on your left side with your knees and hips bent at about 45 degrees. The position resembles a schoolgirl talking with her friends about her crush, but believe us – it works! Raise your upper knee as high as possible, but don’t move your pelvis, and keep your feet together all the time.
Don’t let your lower leg move from the ground. Keep this position for a few seconds and slowly return to the initial position.
Perform 20 repetitions on one side and 20 reps on the other side.
7. Fire hydrants
This exercise has a very fun name and the explanation of the name is even funnier.
When you perform this exercise you will look like a doggie that urinates on a fire hydrant.
To perform this exercise, get down on your knees and elbows and raise one of your legs out to the side as high as possible, but keep it bent.
After that, slowly get it down. This is one repetition. If you’ve done it right you will feel progress in your butt and hips.
It would be perfect if you could walk around every 30 minutes, but only a small number of people can do that. So, if you must sit for hours every day, perform this exercise at the end of the day.
Learn more about The Art of Manliness.