10. Consider standing- if your workplace can support it, ask if you can have a standing desk or one that has the option to convert to a standing position. Potentially spend the morning seated, the afternoon standing, or break day your day in to 60minute blocks of each. If you spend long periods on the telephone at work, consider using a portable headset and move around whilst using the phone.
11. Set a timer- use a timer to set out blocks of time for work. When the timer sounds off it’s a cue for you to get up and move around for 2/5/10minutes and then return to your station. This tactic takes the ‘I should do that, but I just don’t get around to it’ out of the equation. When you hear the buzzer- MOVE!
12. Car seat settings- next time you flop in to your driver’s seat take a moment to reflect on the settings. Has it ended up a little closer, a little more reclined over the years…? If so, give it a reset- bring the back more upright, maybe take the seat a little further back and see how you feel. Don’t forget- if you adjust the seat, you might need to adjust your mirrors too!
13. Public Transport- elect to stand up if you’re taking a short journey on the bus or train- and get squeezing your Glutes!
14. Walk instead of driving- if you can walk, and the weather suits, leave the car at home and walk. Get upright, moving and burning some more calories. Chances are you’ll also notice more about the journey than you would if you were cooped up in a car.
15. Remember to pull the rope taught- whilst working, shopping, walking, almost anything- imagine a rope, running down through the centre of your body, from top to bottom. The rope runs from the top of your head, down through your torso. Whilst we’re seated, and due to being seated, we can find this rope is loose/on slack, causing our posture to slouch and round. Instead, be conscious of your rope and, whether sitting or standing, pull it taught each time it comes to mind.
At the gym…
16. Stand up for Resistance Training- Lat Pull Down, Seated Row, Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Pec Fly, Preacher Curl, Seated Shrugs….all can be productive and valuable exercises. However, if you’re seated at home/college/work and your entire workout is comprised of movements that are seated…your body is soon going to get pi$$ed off with being folded up all day.
17. Stand up for Cardio- think back do you default to sitting down for CV? Has the Upright Bike become your go-to for cardio work? If so, it could be time to rethink your choices and get on to a piece of kit that has you standing instead. Not only will standing CV likely burn more calories, due to the requirement to support your own weight, but it will also get you off your butt!
18. Attend a mobility/stretching/yoga/Pilates class- upskill your knowledge in this vital area. Regular attendance works best, but even if you only attend a handful of times, you’ll still pick up some important knowledge of movements and strategies to perform independently, at home or in the gym.
19. Factor in mobility work prior to each session- take 3-10minutes, ideally after a warm-up/pulse raiser, to move through an appropriate set of mobilising movements. Not only will this better prepare you for the workout ahead, it will also support ‘un-doing’ time spent sitting.
20. Consider how you structure your training volume- if your week contains a significant bias, in volume/frequency/intensity, towards pressing work it may be having a detrimental effect on your posture and exacerbating the negative impact of the time you spend seated. Using a professional (or even just take pictures with your phone) assess your posture and reflect if you would benefit from reducing your pressing work and increasing the volume/frequency/intensity of your pulling work.
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