Back to School, Back to Awful Mobility

It’s back to school time which means it’s time to sit at a desk for long periods of time shortening your hip flexors and putting yourself into a kyphotic posture; ever so slightly changing you into Quasimodo. This is mainly for my high school kids who think that this unnatural posture is an inevitability rather than something they can fix. I’m reminded of the weirdness of Steve Reed when I think about sitting for long periods of time. For those of you who don’t know, and sorry Stevo for putting you on blast, but Steve does the majority of office work at a local coffee shop. Steve has set a reminder on his computer that lets him know when he has been sitting for too long. Once this reminder goes off he proceeds to do a series of exercises to counteract his kyphotic upper back position and his shortened hip flexor position, think band pullaparts and spider-mans with overhead reaches. I remember when Stevo first told me he did this and I thought what a weirdo. But is it really that weird? Or is it weirder that we are forced to be in this unnatural position all day long? Is the sky really blue or do we just perceive it to be that way? What if reality is a dream and our dreams are reality? Whoa, sorry about that; my inner Mike Boyle came out of me on that one. Anyways back to my point, I think Stevo is on to something here and I think it’s something our high school kids should consider, embrace the weirdness in between periods. Do these same type of exercises in between your periods throughout the day in order to stay long and strong. In fact because I’m so generous I’ll give you a workout you can do twice a day. Do the following workout after your first period of the day and then one more time after another period of your choice.

A1) No Money’s against Locker

1-2x6, hold 2 seconds

A2) Half-kneeling Hip Flexor Mob

1-2x5/side, hold 3 seconds

A3) Standing Y’s (thumbs face away)

1-2x8

A4) Spiderman with OH Reach

1-2x3/side

There you go something quick and easy to counteract the horrible posture of the day.  As a side note to this don’t be “that guy/girl” and cause a big scene when you do this.  The last thing I want or need is for an administrator to call me and tell me you all made a big spectacle out of yourself between 5th and 6th period.  And let this be a lesson to all of us, just when you think Stevo is being weird for the sake of being weird he’s actually just being smart!