Excessive sitting is a serious health risk (Hamilton et al 2008). Higher sitting time leads to an increasingly higher risk of mortality from all causes (Katzmarzyk 2009).
Tip:
Break your sitting regularly, about every 30 to 60 minutes, and move so that your pulse gets to about 110 beats per minute.
You can do the following exercises throughout the day and use them to break up your sedentary activities as often as possible.
You can also do circuit training for 10-20 minutes of the exercises 2 times a week. Recent research has shown that high-intensity interval training and resistance training is safe for adults, including older people, and has been shown to have favourable outcomes for cardiometabolic risk factors (Winett, Ogletree 2019).
Stop the exercise if pain occurs. Pay attention to the correct posture during the exercises and have fun.
Plank / Forearm Support
Photo 1
For this exercise, get into forearm support, i.e. first lie down on the floor and position your elbows under your shoulders. Then push yourself up so that only your forearms and feet are in contact with the floor. The body should remain parallel to the floor (do not go into a hollow back), but tense the abdominal and gluteal muscles. The feet remain together.
Hold this position for 20 seconds and then lie down for 10 seconds. Repeat this process for 2 minutes.
At the same time 10 deep breaths can be taken and then in exhalation hold the air for as long as possible. Do this breathing independently of the exercise sequence until the end of the exercise.
Push-up
Photo 2,3
For this exercise, get into the push-up position, i.e. lie on the floor and position your hands under your shoulders. Then push yourself up so that only your hands and feet are in contact with the floor. The elbows are extended. The body should remain parallel to the floor (do not go into a hollow back), but tense the abdominal and gluteal muscles. The feet remain together.
If necessary, you can also change the lying position by placing your hands on the desk or a window sill. This is easier.
Bend your arms in a controlled way until your chest touches the floor. Then push yourself up again.
Option1: Repeat until exhausted.
Option 2: Repeat this 10 times quickly. Then hold the position for one minute. Then repeat the movement 10 times slowly.
Alternative: If you can't do push-ups, use your knees instead of your feet as a contact surface with the floor.
Spider
Photo 4
For this exercise, get into the push-up position, i.e. lie on the floor and position your hands under your shoulders. Then push yourself up so that only your hands and feet are in contact with the floor. The elbows are extended. The body should remain parallel to the floor (do not go into a hollow back), but tense the abdominal and gluteal muscles. The feet remain together.
For 20 seconds, alternate bringing the inner thighs to the elbow on the same side. Then pause for 10 seconds. Repeat this process for 2 minutes.
At the same time 10 deep breaths can be taken and then in exhalation hold the air for as long as possible. Do this breathing independently of the exercise sequence until the end of the exercise.
Mountaineer
Photo 5
Overhead squat
Photo 6,7
Climbing stairs
Photo 8
For this exercise, find a stairwell.
Now go up and down as fast as you can. Do this for 2 minutes without a break.
Alternative: If this is not strenuous, you can only use every second or third step.
Large arm circles
Photo 9
Small quick arm movements vertically and horizontally
Photo 10,11
For this exercise stand with your back against the wall, feet parallel to each other and about hip-width apart. Now bend your hips and knees 90°.
Take 10 deep breaths and then hold your breath for as long as possible after exhaling. Repeat this process for 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, move your arms - alternating 20 seconds vertically and 20 seconds horizontally. Perform quick, short movements.
Crunches / abdominal muscles
Photo 12
For this exercise, lie on the floor with your legs straight.
Raise the upper body until it is vertical to the floor. Then lie down again. Repeat for 20 seconds. Then take a break for 10 seconds. Repeat this process for 4 minutes.
Finally, lift the legs 4 times stretched out and press the back into the floor.
Dips
Photo 13,14,15
For this exercise, stand between 2 parallel bars that are about shoulder width apart. Grasp the bars at the same height and jump up a little. You should now only be above the bars on your outstretched arms. Alternatively, you can use the inner corner of a wall or a kitchen counter.
The legs are stretched or, if necessary, the legs can also be bent.
Bend your arms as far as you feel comfortable but at least 90°. Then push yourself up again. Actively pull the shoulders back and down the whole time. Repeat this process until you are exhausted.
Jumping jack
Photo 16
For this exercise they stand parallel. The feet point forward and touch each other. The arms hang loosely beside the body
Jump with the feet up to twice the width of the hips apart. At the same time bring the arms together beside the body above the head. Then jump back to the starting position. Do this for 2 minutes as quickly as possible without becoming sloppy in execution.
Rope skipping
Photo 17
For this exercise, stand with both feet on a skipping rope. The handles in your hands should be at about waist height. Now step in front of the rope with both feet.
Circle the rope above your head with arms outstretched. When the rope is just in front of your feet, jump up. Keep turning with the rope. Do this exercise for 2 to 5 minutes.
Chair
Photo 18
For this exercise, stand with your back against a wall.
Now take small steps away from the wall, keeping your back against the wall. Walk forward until your hips and knees are bent 90°. Hold this position as long as you can (2 min).
Low stand
Photo 19
For this exercise place your feet about hip-width apart and parallel. Bend your hips and knees about 90°. Keep the upper body as upright as possible. Press the palms of the hands together.
Option 1: Hold this position as long as possible and move your arms forward alternately.
Option 2: Hold this position as long as possible. Meanwhile, take 10 deep breaths and then hold the breath on the exhalation. In addition, concentrate on the sensation in your feet.
Strengthening the anterior muscle chain
Photo 20, 21, 22
Take a chair and place the back of both feet on the bench - feet flat. The legs are stretched out. The hands are under the shoulders. Now straighten the elbows. The body is parallel to the floor, keep the body and legs straight. Be careful not to twist. Remain in this position for about 1 minute. Then, for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, first raise one leg about 10 cm straight up and then the other leg.
You can also do the exercise on the elbows.
Strengthening the posterior muscle chain
Photo 23, 24, 25
Take a chair and place the heels of both feet on the bench. The legs are stretched out. The hands are at about the level of the shoulders. Now straighten the elbows. The body is parallel to the floor, keep the body and legs straight. Be careful not to twist. The toes are pointed upwards, the feet are not turned. Remain in this position for about 1 minute. Then, for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, first raise one leg about 10 cm straight up into the air and then the other leg.
You can also do the exercise on the elbows.
Strengthening the posterior stabilisation line
Photo 26, 27, 28
Take a chair and place the heels of both feet on the bench. Bend your legs and knees about 90°. Your hands are about level with your shoulders. Now straighten your elbows. Keep the body straight. Make sure that you do not twist. The toes are pointed upwards, the feet are not turned. Remain in this position for about 1 minute. Then, for 10 to 30 seconds at a time, first bend one leg about 10 cm and then lift the other leg.
You can also do the exercise on the elbows.
Strengthening the lateral muscle chain
Photo 29, 30, 31
Take a chair and place both legs stretched sideways on the chair. The legs are stretched out. The hand underneath is at about shoulder height. Now extend the elbow. The other arm rests on the side of the body. The body is roughly parallel to the floor, keep the body and legs straight. Be careful not to twist. Remain in this position for about 30 seconds. Then, for 10 to 30 seconds, raise one leg about 10 cm straight in the air.
Then change the page.
You can also do the exercise on the elbows.
Strengthening the inner muscle chain
Photo 32
Take a chair and lie down sideways. Place the top leg stretched out sideways on the chair. The lower leg touches the lower edge of the chair. Both legs are extended. The hand on the bottom is at about shoulder height. Now straighten the elbow. The other arm rests on the side of the body. The body is roughly parallel to the floor. Be careful not to twist by keeping the head, shoulders in line with the rest of the body. Remain in this position for about 10-30 seconds.
Then change the page.
You can also do the exercise on the elbows.
Bonus exercise
Find a room where you are alone. Choose music that you like.
Dance as freely as you can for 5 minutes. Relax and have fun.
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