Fashionclick^® Well-Being

The Internet Surfer's Workout

As an Internet surfer, or simply as a computer user, it's quite likely that you spend many hours sitting in front of it. This is often a silent tension builder. In this installment, we'll go through a series of exercises to help you chill out and get rid of the tension that builds up in our bodies, especially when we maintain the same position for hours. Don't worry, you won't need to get out of your seat and do a disco dance routine. I've kept things simple and have also designed the full program to take only about ten minutes.

First, let's work on that tension on the neck and the back. These are places where we usually accumulate stress to the point of it being a frequent cause of headaches. 

Move your head slowly, as if you were nodding. Do so smoothly through the full range of motion. Repeat five times. Then, turn the head from one side to the other (as if you were saying no). As before, do so through the full range of motion, without forcing it. I recommend you do this exercise three times a day.

Let's move on to the arms. You should try this exercise (see image on the right) three times a day for 20 seconds with each arm. Place one hand behind the head with the elbow pointing at the ceiling and, with the other one, push it down neither bouncing nor forcing the movement.

Now it's the turn of the abdominal muscles. Remaining seated, bring the shoulders towards the waist solely by contracting the abdominal (stomach)

muscles, in such a way that the back arches slightly. To make sure you're doing this exercise correctly, verify you are tensing the abs by placing one hand on your stomach. And don't forget to breathe out when tensing the muscles and expire when relaxing them. Do three sets of five reps.

Next, let's work the quadriceps, the muscles that run down the front part of the thighs. It's probably a good idea for you to move back away from the screen, or to one side, so as to have enough room for this exercise. Still seated, extend and flex each knee, alternating both, for a total of 15 reps.

Finally, to conclude our head-to-toe workout, we'll exercise the calves. Lift your heels so as to stand on your tiptoes, (but without getting up off your chair). Do so 15 times simultaneously with both legs.

Very Good! If you have been following these easy exercises step-by-step, you'll definitely be feeling better. You should also be feeling more relaxed and refreshed. In fact, this is probably as close as one can get to a vacation getaway while in front of the screen (well, OK, maybe it's an overstatement, but you get the point). 

Finally, remember, for best results do this program every day (at about the same time of day if possible). In this way, your Internet surfing, or daily routine in front of the computer, besides being more "interactive", will also - hopefully - be more enjoyable.