Sitting will kill us.

This is not new information nor something we have not heard before. 

So, how do we combat the negative effects of sitting? The main negative effects we are taking about are low back pain and tightness, but there is also poor posture, lack of shoulder mobility, tight neck muscles and much more, which we will leave for another day!

The easy solution? Don’t sit!

Haha…if only that were realistic for most of our jobs, right?

Instead, try these 3 things:

Stand up at least once an hour.

Whether that means going to the bathroom, filling up your water cup or chatting with a colleague. This will not only help your body and back but it will also give you eyes a break from your screens!

Stretch daily.

Most times low back pain stems from a tight anterior chain (e.g., tight hips, quads etc) because when you sit you are in a position where these muscles are constantly flexed. So, choose the best time for you to stretch, but do it AT LEAST once per day and spend at least 30-60s in each position. Some of our favourite stretches are: (1) the couch stretch; (2) pigeon; and (3) Spiderman lunges.

Build more core strength & practice engaging it when working out.

In addition to a tight anterior chain, sitting also makes our muscles lazy, specifically the core muscles, so when we try to add in weights our default is usually to dump the load into our backs (usually unknowingly). First and foremost, prioritize building a strong core with various core exercises (sit ups, hollow holds, leg lifts are great options!). Afterwards and in addition, practice engaging your core before lifting any weight and maintaining this position while doing the movement. To properly engage your core, think about squeezing so you could brace a punch. You should be able to maintain this position while carrying on a conversation. Practice now (while sitting, standing, showering etc. – muscle memory is gold!)!

Full disclosure, low back pain is not the same for everyone. So these tips may not necessarily work for you. Nonetheless, these are based upon what we generally see in the gym, so they are a good place to start and good things to work on no matter who you are. That means even if you do not have any low back discomfort at this time, you should still consider the above to PREVENT low back pain and tightness in the future!

Want other tips to combat sitting? Email us at info@6sfitness.ca and let’s chat!

Cheers to living long & prosperous lives!