Where it started to go wrong……..
Isn’t it funny how often “the solution” becomes “the problem” in our society.
In health this is not any different.
People started doing more sedentary jobs so the “gym” became an option.
But it wasn’t quite like the gym that our ancestors would have done.
There were no rope climbs, heavy lifting and full body movements.
A lot of the gym equipment as it looks now in your typical station based gym, largely machines dominated.
What they essentially did was looked at joints and designed a machine to mimic those joints in isolation. ISOLATION…seldom do we do that!
Doesn’t seem that bad at first glance.
After all they are solving the problems of people not using the muscles.
BUT
What they failed with was to acknowledge that human movement is far more dynamic than any fixed resistance machine could facilitate.
Essentially all that is happening is that people are just ending up sitting for longer.
DOHHHHH!
Here’s how this sedentary lifestyle can easily become the norm.
Out of bed from lying down
(Sit on bike at gym, sit on machine at gym )
Sit at breakfast table
Sit on toilet
Sit in car
Sit at desk
Sit at table for lunch
Sit at desk
Sit in car
SIT AT GYM (really???)
sit at table for tea
Sit on sofa
Lie on back sleep
Please take a look at this article I previously wrote about the effect of sitting down and why sit ups make it worse for most people. This was actually written specifically for horse riders, coz’ they sit down a lot right!
Sitting down is a stress on the body, not just physiologically but also psychologically.
But any way….. You get my point above right, it’s too easy for us to spend a day sat down, then you do this 5 days a week and things get difficult, painful and very frustrating.
If you are a parent or run your own business, then I am sure you would often feel like you would love to be able to sit down.
BUT you really are quite lucky that you don’t have too.
5 things you can do to help reduce the negative effects of sitting.
1. Do not sit down at the gym
2. Pelvic tilts
3. Mobility circuits like this
4. Stretching
5. Foam rolling
Hope this helps you.
Matt ” off my laptop now” Luxton
p.s. Part 2 of this I will uncover the “convenience” of the food industry and how the solution to fast food is crippling our health ☹
