We offer a wellness program as part of our employee benefits. One of the features of our wellness program is on-site education sessions at our locations. The program we had most recently featured information and content from a local personal trainer, Zack Henderson.
Zack trains folks here in Nashville and around the country in both kettlebells and power-lifting. He has a free online strength course available on his website, where weekly workouts get sent straight to your inbox.
Zack’s wellness session covered a number of topics and included interactive demonstrations. Here is a re-cap.
(Quick disclaimer – if you have pain or an injury of some sort, consult a physician.)
Breathing 101.
Everything starts with breathing. First, it’s how your muscles get Oxygen, which they need to perform their best. Second, if you’re not breathing with your belly (and diaphragm) – you are breathing up, into your shoulders, creating a micro-shrug and possibly exacerbating bad posture habits (think sitting all day, shrugged over your computer, crushed over the steering wheel, looking down at your phone).
Here is a breathing exercise you can do that will focus on belly (diaphragmatic) breathing.
Core.
Once you’ve started breathing with your belly, the next most important fitness pillar is your core. Which makes sense. Your core is your foundation. The same way Cumberland’s core values are the foundation upon which we build our business interactions, your physical core supports you whole body. When there are weaknesses in your core, you may have imbalances in your muscle groups. Pair that with bad posture habits and you may be brewing yourself an injury.
Your core is consists of your abs, back muscles and everything attached to your spine, including your shoulders, hips and rear end.
Zack suggests the following for those looking to build core strength.
Shoulders
“Posture. One of the biggest issues with anyone sitting at a desk, driving a lot or looking down at cell phone, which at this point is everyone, is the forward, hunched shoulder – which makes your musculature in the front shoulder/chest tight.” – Zack Henderson
- “Tingly” Shoulder Stretch
- Thread the Needle
- Myofascial Release (Shoulder/Chest)
- Shoulder Opener (Yoga Move)
Hips.
We spend much of our time seated (driving, couch, while eating, at a desk). Even if you’re not spending most of your time seated, limited hip mobility can impact your quality of life. Mobility (our ability to move) is part of what makes us who we are. It allows us to put our shoes on in the morning, feed ourselves, walk into the office and more. It’s something we often take for granted until we lose it. Here are a few stretches Zack recommends to keep full range of hip movement.
Wrap-Up
If you’re looking for some stretches to do at the office, here are 20!