Sore neck because of #WFH? Try these five exercises
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Canberra, we’re trudging into Week Four of lockdown.
But hopefully, we now have better at-home workplace setups and schedules, thanks to the friendly reminders every weekday for the past 26 days.
How did you go last week with the workplace workouts? Do you have any particular workout requests?
We are stepping it up this week. More exercises, more resistance, more at-home equipment. Each day this week, we are going to encourage you to get up and move, and do the Workplace Workout (WPW) routine—five exercises, five days a week.
Proof that you can do this workout anywhere—with any equipment!
If five exercises are too much for you, and you’ve just started joining us on the WPW journey, I’d recommend trying the earlier workouts for 2-3 weeks ago which are available on the HerCanberra website (ease your way into this new routine!). Click here to find them.
Before we get started, let’s think about your home computer posture set-up (because there’s no point in committing to your WPW, then going back to a poorly set up makeshift home office).
Here are five quick tips:
- Slight tuck of the chin, to activate your deep neck flexors. “Neutral and in”
- Eyes should be forward—to encourage your neck not to “flex” for a long period of time. Maybe you need to pop a couple of thick books under your computer?
- Sit or stand with your spine tall and shoulders back and down. Once you are as tall as possible, release by 10%. This is more sustainable for a longer period.
- Hips and knees—approximately 90 degrees bend. Knees directly above your heels. Maybe you need a towel behind your pelvis? Or books under your chair?
- Feet should be flat on the floor, with weight distributed evenly.
We have a simple structure for this week’s Workplace Workout:
Monday: Neck & thoracic (today!)
Tuesday: Upper limb
Wednesday: Hips
Thursday: Back
Friday: Core
Here’s today’s workout.
Neck and Thoracic Workout
1) Isometric lumbar extension strength with resistance in standing (*if you don’t have a band, use a can of beans/soup from the cupboard, or bottle of milk/juice from the fridge)
2) Single arm bent over row with weight (*if you don’t have a weight, use a bottle of milk or juice)
3) Reverse fly on a stability ball (*if you don’t have a ball, use a chair, bed or bench)
4) Thoracic spine mobility on a foam roller—overhead reach (*if you don’t have a foam roller, you can use a firmly rolled up beach towel)
5) Segmental thoracic extension over foam roll—hands behind head
Stay home, stay safe.
Love, Rach and Kirra
