We all know that regular exercise is good for us but just how regular? Recent research published in the British Journal of Sports Science suggests that our current confidence in thrice weekly vigorous exercise sessions may be misplaced: It is not enough to offset the damaging effects of muscular inactivity in the rest of our life. Just an hour of sitting was found to significantly increase risk of heart disease and diabetes.
My friend was told by his optician to spend only 45 minutes at a time sat at his work station. Longer would damage his eyes. Another friend was told to park and stretch every 45 minutes of driving – for the sake of his back.
So sitting for long periods is bad for us and weekly exercise habits won’t do much to limit its effects. It seems like we have a battle on our hands. How can we enjoy more frequent exercise? We have been trained to “Sit still!” from an early age. Most modern working environments require us to sit for prolonged periods. Getting about, paradoxically, requires us to sit still – in a car, train, aeroplane, sedan chair... We have “sitting rooms” in our homes.
How can we maintain muscular activity throughout our daily lives? Here are some ideas. Some are better than others.
- Sit on an animal instead of a chair. This should be an animal that is up to the job. Stables have charts displaying horse size / safe rider weight information.
- Fidget
- Develop a more physically demanding interface with your computer. Start by sellotaping your mouse to a house brick.
- Watch DVDs whilst on your rowing machine.
- Instead of sending emails around the office, buy an etch-a-sketch and throw it.
- Swap the sofa for an exercise wheel – like your hamster’s.
- Live within walking / cycling / canoeing / dog sled distance of work.
- Work within walking / cycling / canoeing / dog sled distance of home.
- Have fleas or other ectoparasites – the constant scratching will help.
- Avoid arguments by wrestling.
- Research has shown that standing is a more productive position than sitting when it comes to meetings. Next time you have a meeting, how about all skipping the same rope? Or doing the hokey kokey?
- Wear very little. Shivering is muscular activity.
- Situate the drinks machine at the top of a rope ladder.
- Drink a lot of water. This will necessitate frequent walks to the loo.
- Attach a pull-up bar above your seat in the car – then you can work on your gymnasticity during traffic queues.
- Have a work room that slowly rotates in the vertical plane.
By employing these and other tactics to ensure our musculature is constantly exercised we will be healthier, more productive, better able to thermoregulate and probably impossible to live with.
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