No, you don't have to be Mr Fantastic! (the elastic superhero from Marvel's Fantastic Four movie)
Feeling caged, immobile, foggy, and heavy, after a day's of work either sitting on a chair or running around the work space?
It is not about the amount of inaction or action you had, but all about the joints! (especially the joints that we do not utilize or pay attention to on a daily basis)
By giving the different joints (joints = to include bones, muscles, veins) adequate exercise each day and in the right way, one would feel liberated and revitalized.
Bogged by a full day's of hectic schedule, most complain lack of time, energy, or the proper mood to do simple exercise.
And some are just too lazy and sneered at the torturous movements (such as the simple movement of bending down).
But what if all it takes is 20 seconds each day?
And done within very simple movements? And no big, extensive, stressful movements?
No push ups, sit ups, nor even bending down, and could be done sitting on a chair!
It is not about extensive motions, but all about small movements working the joints - the closest analogy on movement and effect would be Bruce Lee's one inch punch.
And the key is on liberating the joints, so they stay relaxed, loosed and not cramped nor tight
This 20 second regiment occurs to me one day when i was forced to warm up quickly for a tennis match- like 1 minute quick.
So i quickly focus on the essentials and surprised myself that i could get it all done within a minute.
That puts me into a brainstorming mood to shorten it further into a 20 second regiment so i revitalize myself quickly while working in the office.
The Focus is on stretching and moving the joints, all done in simple motions.
You could do this sitting on a stable chair, or standing up.
Here goes:
1.Move your head up, down, left and right to exercise the neck joint. Do this one time.
2. Stretch both arms all the way up and towards the sky, with your head stretching upwards along with both arms- this exercises the shoulder and neck joint. If you do this one standing up instead of sitting in a chair, lift your toes and stretch/feel every muscle in your body while stretching skywards - i found this exercise most liberating. Do this 2 times.
2b. With both arms extended up (not stretched) skywards, tilt slightly left 3 times and slightly right 3 times (note: do not turn hips, just tilt)- this exercise stretches the side hip muscles.
2c Stretch your right arm skywards and tilt slightly to the left. And do the same for the left arm and tilt slightly right. Do this 2 times. This exercise stretches the side muscles and veins next to your chest.
2d. Extend your right arm fully (not stretched) skywards and rotate forward clockwise slowly 2 times and anti-clockwise slowly 2 times to exercise the shoulder joints. Do the same for the left arm.
3. Hold both arms together horizontally in front of you and turn your hip slightly right 3 times and then slightly left 3 times- this exercises the hip joints.
4. Lift both arms vertically in front of body, and then bend both arms on elbow fully.
Then form 2 fists and pretend you are stretching a chest expander going wide horizontally, pulling both arms wide on the
chest - this exercises the veins and muscles on the chest. Do this 2 times.
5. hold both arms together behind your body, straighten your body, and lean slightly back 3 times - enough to feel the stretch on the shoulder and back.
5b. hold both arms in front of body, straighten your body, and lean slightly forward 3 times - enough to feel the back and chest.
6. bend each knee fully - one at a time- and bring it up to the stomach level(nothing extensive, short movement)- this exercises your knees. Do this 1 time.
6b. Stretch each leg fully either standing up or sitting down - this exercise the knee joint and the thighs. Do this 2 times.
You can skip this exercise if you do number 2 standing up.
The above program covers all the key joints - especially those neglected due to daily inaction.
And can one do all the above in 20 seconds?!
Yes you could, once you are used to the steps and gone through it a few times. You could do it fast or slow.
It is not a matter of how fast or slow you do each exercise, or how many times to do each one, but to Focus while doing it-what is important is to Feel the joints and the stretch fully each time.
By relieving the joints, one feels less tension and much more liberated.
One can do this 20 second program during some quiet spare time anywhere in private or public- while waiting for a bus, after a meal in restaurant, watching tv etc.
And one could do it 2 or 3 times a day-morning, evening, night.
Or one could expand the 20 second program into 1 or 2 minutes program - by multiplying the number of times for each movement.
So yes, all it takes is 20 seconds to feel simply fantastic.
Feeling caged, immobile, foggy, and heavy, after a day's of work either sitting on a chair or running around the work space?
It is not about the amount of inaction or action you had, but all about the joints! (especially the joints that we do not utilize or pay attention to on a daily basis)
By giving the different joints (joints = to include bones, muscles, veins) adequate exercise each day and in the right way, one would feel liberated and revitalized.
Bogged by a full day's of hectic schedule, most complain lack of time, energy, or the proper mood to do simple exercise.
And some are just too lazy and sneered at the torturous movements (such as the simple movement of bending down).
But what if all it takes is 20 seconds each day?
And done within very simple movements? And no big, extensive, stressful movements?
No push ups, sit ups, nor even bending down, and could be done sitting on a chair!
It is not about extensive motions, but all about small movements working the joints - the closest analogy on movement and effect would be Bruce Lee's one inch punch.
And the key is on liberating the joints, so they stay relaxed, loosed and not cramped nor tight
This 20 second regiment occurs to me one day when i was forced to warm up quickly for a tennis match- like 1 minute quick.
So i quickly focus on the essentials and surprised myself that i could get it all done within a minute.
That puts me into a brainstorming mood to shorten it further into a 20 second regiment so i revitalize myself quickly while working in the office.
The Focus is on stretching and moving the joints, all done in simple motions.
You could do this sitting on a stable chair, or standing up.
Here goes:
1.Move your head up, down, left and right to exercise the neck joint. Do this one time.
2. Stretch both arms all the way up and towards the sky, with your head stretching upwards along with both arms- this exercises the shoulder and neck joint. If you do this one standing up instead of sitting in a chair, lift your toes and stretch/feel every muscle in your body while stretching skywards - i found this exercise most liberating. Do this 2 times.
2b. With both arms extended up (not stretched) skywards, tilt slightly left 3 times and slightly right 3 times (note: do not turn hips, just tilt)- this exercise stretches the side hip muscles.
2c Stretch your right arm skywards and tilt slightly to the left. And do the same for the left arm and tilt slightly right. Do this 2 times. This exercise stretches the side muscles and veins next to your chest.
2d. Extend your right arm fully (not stretched) skywards and rotate forward clockwise slowly 2 times and anti-clockwise slowly 2 times to exercise the shoulder joints. Do the same for the left arm.
3. Hold both arms together horizontally in front of you and turn your hip slightly right 3 times and then slightly left 3 times- this exercises the hip joints.
4. Lift both arms vertically in front of body, and then bend both arms on elbow fully.
Then form 2 fists and pretend you are stretching a chest expander going wide horizontally, pulling both arms wide on the
chest - this exercises the veins and muscles on the chest. Do this 2 times.
5. hold both arms together behind your body, straighten your body, and lean slightly back 3 times - enough to feel the stretch on the shoulder and back.
5b. hold both arms in front of body, straighten your body, and lean slightly forward 3 times - enough to feel the back and chest.
6. bend each knee fully - one at a time- and bring it up to the stomach level(nothing extensive, short movement)- this exercises your knees. Do this 1 time.
6b. Stretch each leg fully either standing up or sitting down - this exercise the knee joint and the thighs. Do this 2 times.
You can skip this exercise if you do number 2 standing up.
The above program covers all the key joints - especially those neglected due to daily inaction.
And can one do all the above in 20 seconds?!
Yes you could, once you are used to the steps and gone through it a few times. You could do it fast or slow.
It is not a matter of how fast or slow you do each exercise, or how many times to do each one, but to Focus while doing it-what is important is to Feel the joints and the stretch fully each time.
By relieving the joints, one feels less tension and much more liberated.
One can do this 20 second program during some quiet spare time anywhere in private or public- while waiting for a bus, after a meal in restaurant, watching tv etc.
And one could do it 2 or 3 times a day-morning, evening, night.
Or one could expand the 20 second program into 1 or 2 minutes program - by multiplying the number of times for each movement.
So yes, all it takes is 20 seconds to feel simply fantastic.
