MOVE OF THE MONTH DECEMBER 2012

The Over Head Reach ‘Micro break’
The human body is designed for movement. Holding any one posture for a prolonged period of time increases stiffness and tension. As a result, sitting is a common cause of low back and neck pain. As a general rule you should avoid sitting for longer than 20 minutes without getting up. Sitting for longer than that you begin to accumulate stiffness in your tissues that will have to be paid???. The exercise shown below is a ‘micro-break’ which you can perform to erase that stiffness. Getting up every 20–30 minutes will reduce the amount of time you take for a long ‘micro-break’.

THE MOVE

overhead-reachStart with with your feet shoulder width apart. Gently raise your arms overhead. Take a deep breath in, through your nose, and hold the breath. Reach your arms up to the ceiling as high as possible without letting your breath go. Make sure to keep your elbows as straight as possible. Then let the breath go as you drop your arms. Do 2-3 reps, every 30 minutes.

Once you make this stretch as part of your regular routine, you will be ready to progress to next step. While reaching for the ceiling with both arms, alternate each arm by reaching further inch by inch. Elbows should be straight. Movement should only be taking place at the shoulder. Torso is elongated in an upright posture. Keep alternating the reaches with each arm for 30 seconds. Do 2-3 sets.

Practice this 30 second move a few times a day to relieve your back and neck stiffness.

Download Overhead Reach