FitSugar

Put Your Mouse Down: Neck Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 13:00:00 PST

We all need a little break from computing to remember we have a body.

So put your mouse down...and watch this video. Do the neck stretch while you watch.

If you want more on desk stretching and personalized reminders check out MacBreakZ.

Put your mouse down and...Arch over your chair

FitSugar — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 16:33:42 PST

No, really.
PUT.
YOUR.
MOUSE.
DOWN...

and arch over your chair.

If you are a serious computer user you should really take time, right now, to arch back over your chair. It might feel like a Flashdance moment, but this will give your tight chest a much needed release. Try to get your shoulder blades over the top of the seat. Rotate your arms away from you so your palms are facing out. This is the ultimate anti-computer move.

Mistakes You're Making on the Pilates Mat

Susi May — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:51:53 PST

Mat classes are the most affordable way to reap the benefits of Pilates. Taught across the country at gyms and private studios, group classes mean you don't have an instructor cuing and correcting your every move. Make the most of your time on the mat and be mindful of these common mistakes I've seen in classes over the years.

Not Going Deep
There are many benefits to Pilates, but getting in touch with the deep abs, aka the transverse abdominals, is, to me, the most important. If the deep abs are working, then all four layers of ab muscles will be working right along with it, making for a very stable torso. In class, use every exhale as opportunity to reengage your abs and pull them into your spine with a little lift up. If the abs are pooching outward, you're only working the top layer of the abs and training them to pull away from the spine - the opposite effect of what you want.

Momentum Is Not Your Friend
Deliberate pauses are built into the choreography of many Pilates exercises to prevent momentum from taking over the motion. The Pilates method was originally named Contrology (the study of control) to emphasize this very concept. Going slowly is key. Jayme Boyle, the group fitness coordinator and Pillates mat instructor at the SF Equinox, explains the importance of forgoing momentum like this: "Slower pace means you’re turning on stabilizing muscles and you’re creating more isometric contractions." And I have to agree. Pilates is not a race.

Keep reading for more common Pilates mat class mistakes.

5 Healthy Breaks to Take Every Workday

Leta Shy — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:43:48 PST

If you're prone to sitting down most of the day at work, chances are you're often in need of a break. Here are five ways to keep your body feeling healthy and happy during those eight hours in your chair.

Rest your eyes: Those pupils need a rest. Reduce eye strain by closing your eyes or looking away from your screen for a few seconds every 15 minutes. Here are more tips for keeping your eyes healthy when using a computer.
Do some desk stretches: Chair stretches energize and relieve tension. Get in the habit of stretching when you feel tense or notice your posture is failing. We've got lots of stretches you can do at your desk to relieve neck and shoulder tension.
Exercise with a purpose: Being deskbound for so long can make us forget that we should be moving more. Try taking a five-minute walking break every hour or so when you need to get things done - take the longer route to the kitchen or bathroom, or go up and down a few flights of stairs while you're brainstorming. It's a good way to combat the dangerous effects of sitting down for so long.
Take a noncoffee break: Warm up with a cup of green tea; it'll help fill up your stomach to curb cravings, and you'll be getting a lot more disease-fighting antioxidants than if you reach for the coffee pot.
Relax the wrists: If you've been feeling twinges of pain, cramps, or other discomfort while you type away, be sure to regularly stretch your wrists. Here are five stretches to do to help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

4 Desk Stretches to Relieve Neck and Shoulder Tension

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:25:41 PST

Sitting at a desk for hours on end, staring at your computer screen, and scrunching your shoulders as you type can create a stiff neck and tense shoulders, or even a headache. Take a break and do these four stretches at your desk to offer some stress relief.

Behind the Back Neck Stretch: offers a deep stretch in the sides of your neck

Sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair, reach both hands behind your pelvis, and hold onto your left wrist with your right hand. Use your right hand to gently straighten your left arm and pull it away from you slightly. To increase the stretch in your neck, slowly lower your right ear toward your shoulder.
Stay here for 30 seconds and then switch sides.

Keep reading to learn how to do three more tension-relieving stretches at your desk.

Easy Ways to Relax Your Stiff Neck at Your Desk

Susi May — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:17:35 PDT

Work can be a pain in the neck! Staring at a computer screen for eight-plus hours, steering through traffic to get to the office, and even sleeping in a odd position the night before, can all make for a stiff, tense neck. Creating an ergonomically correct work station can help, but in the meantime here are some simple ways to loosen up a stiff neck when you're stuck behind a desk.

Reduce Shoulder Tension
Tight shoulders often translate into a tight neck. One particular culprit in this equation is the trapezius muscle (learn more about the trapezius here). This muscle covers a triangle-shaped area in the upper back starting at the bottom of the shoulder blade, running out to the shoulder joint, then narrowing to climb the side of your neck. When the upper part of the trapezius is tight, your spine can feel compressed. A quick, desk-friendly remedy to release built-up tension is shrugging your shoulders in an exaggerated fashion: inhale and raise your shoulders to your ears and exhale letting them fall - really give into gravity and let your shoulders drop. Repeat this action four to five times. Follow it up with a self-massage: use your opposite hand to squeeze this muscle just like you would a wet sponge. Imagine you're wringing out the tension with each squeeze.

Create Some Motion
Stiff necks crave a little motion. I'm not suggesting headbanging to your fave Iron Maiden jam, but doing subtle neck stretches will certainly help. Swaying your head slowly from side to side can help ease tension through your neck. Make a half circle with your skull by bringing your right ear to your right shoulder, then roll the head forward bringing your chin to your chest, continue to the left bringing the left ear to your left shoulder. Reverse directions, dropping your chin and rolling your head to the right. Repeat a few times in each directions. I suggest doing this stretch throughout the day to prevent stiffness before it starts.

Learn one more way to relax your neck when you keep reading.

10 Sneaky Toning Moves You Can Do at Work

Self — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 04:30:38 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Your office nemesis isn't that know-it-all in the cubicle over, it's lurking right beneath you: your chair!

The more you're sitting, the less calories you're burning... not the ideal bikini body plan.

Picture this: when sitting, your activity in your muscles drops and the calorie-burning rate decreases to just about one per minute. And, women who spent more than six hours per day of sitting (less than a full day of work!) had a 37 percent higher death rate, according to a study from the American Cancer Society. It's scary stuff.

Since I haven't quite mastered the art of jogging while responding to emails, I asked creator of the MELT Method Sue Hitzmann and creator of FitKit Office Amie Hoff to share tips for combating the effects of being chair-bound. And since turning your office into a pseudo-gym can garner a few strange looks, they've kept their exercises as sneaky as possible. Just tell your bosses what's good for your health is good for their bottom line, and try to convince them to bring these healthy vending machines to the break room!

Check out these easy moves after the break!

De-Stress Out With These Five Tips

FitSugar — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:09:38 PDT

Stress makes the body and the mind tense and can inspire a flood of unhealthy decisions. While exercising definitely helps alleviate stress, we've pulled together five more ways to help you cool your jets.

Tackle the To-Do List
The more we put off the items on our to-do list, the longer the list grows, and the more it contributes to elevated stress levels. Schedule a “Blitz Day” to knock out all those items you’ve been avoiding. Rise early in the morning and spend the entire day knocking out the items on your list. Your stress will be lower as you cross items off, but more importantly, you’ll realize just how effective and industrious you can be when you apply the full force of your will to accomplish things.

Turn Off After Work
Turning off electronics gives you more time to be active and also gives you more time to focus on the relationships in your life. To make this more of a priority, when work is over for the day, turn the computer off. Leave your phone at home when you are out with friends for the night. And even though it may sound crazy in this day and age, you'll find it liberating.

See more ways to tackle stress.

6 Moves to Say Goodbye to Lower-Back Pain

Self — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 05:37:54 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Self here on FitSugar!

We know planks and dead-lifts are great, but the real question is, how can they help relieve your aching back?

Back pain affects about 8 out of 10 people, according to the National Institutes of Health, and is one of the most common medical problems. It's costly too - in 2004, a team from Duke University found that treatment for back pain was estimated to cost nearly $26 billion annually.

A recent study from the University of Nevada found that those would walked backwards on the treadmill for 15 minutes three times a week reported less low back pain. But walking on the treadmill isn't the only option for relief; I asked Ian Hart, CSCS, co-creator of Back Pain Relief4Life and owner of EarthFIT fitness studio for simple at-home exercises that will strengthen the lower back, ease pain and help prevent injury in the long run.

Find out Ian's recommendation's after the break.

Time Out For Mac Reminds You to Take a Break

Leta Shy — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:05:51 PST

Many of us spend all day sitting at an office desk, and we know how unhealthy that can potentially be. If you find yourself forgetting to do those important desk exercises or even getting out of your office chair altogether, you'll want to check out the Time Out download from the Mac App Store.

Time Out is a free app for your Mac computer that fades out your screen after a specified interval so you can stretch, rest your eyes, or grab a glass of water. Time Out offers two types of breaks: a micro break to remind you to quickly combat tension and a normal break so you can relax and get moving. The time limits come preset at every 10 minutes for a 15-second micro break and every 50 minutes for a normal 10-minute break. If you find these are too intrusive, too frequent, or not long enough, changing preferences, from opacity and color of the screen lockout to length and frequency of breaks, is simple to do.

Find out what I thought about the app and if it helped me during my daily office grind after the break.