Regular workouts are great for improving our fitness but account for a small fraction of the 168 hours in a week. If we remain rooted to a chair for the rest of the time we are missing out on a big chunk of the benefits which regular physical activity provides.
Beyond the obvious advantage of burning more calories and controlling our weight daily doses of movement can help increase our energy, boost our mood, improve our circulation, enhance our sleep, reduce our risk of disease and the list goes on.
In The Gymless Training System I recommend increasing the number of steps you take in a day… a simple and effective way to ramp up daily activity levels but it is certainly not the only way.
Outlined below are some of my other favorites:
Take Up A Sport
Last week I spent the afternoon at a rock climbing centre. A brilliant way to get strong and agile whilst developing an awesome new skill. Definitely something I would like to do more often! Surfing, riding, tennis, hill walking, mountain biking, ultimate frisbee… there are loads of options.
Stretch (Often)
Creating a daily stretching routine is a great way to unwind, destress and improve your flexibility. Something as simple as a basic sun salutation sequence performed on a regular basis can have tremendous and long-lasting benefits.
Chuck A Ball About
Learn to juggle, practice keepy-uppys, kick a football against a wall, chuck a ball about with work colleagues. All simple and fun ways to detach from the chair.
Hang From Something
Outside my house there is tree branch at almost perfect pull up height. Whenever I feel bunched up and tight I love to go out, hang from it and feel my body decompress.
Balance On Something
Get a balance board, walk along fallen trees, practice some single leg yoga poses. All playful ways to challenge your body in different positions.
These are just ideas. There will be many more. Find whatever works for you… and keep moving!