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How to Get Your Bike “Road Ready” For Spring

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , on May 15, 2010| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Aside from the Solar Schools Ride, there are many great bike paths in the Chicago area just waiting for you to get your bike out on the open “road.”  Aside from the crowded Lake Michigan Lakefront, Chicago has a number of bike paths in area forest preserves, on suburban streets and even along some of the main roads in the city of Chicago proper. But before you take your bike out on a long bicycle ride, it’s a good idea to tune it up!

Marin MTB
Image via Wikipedia

You can either take your bike into one of the area bike stores like Kozy’s, Village Cycle or Richard’s Bikes in the suburbs.

Or you can Do-It-Yourself, using the simple steps outlined below. Read this excerpt from Spark People, “7 Steps to Tune Up Your Bike for Spring,” By Glenn Kent, Ph.D., Certified Personal Trainer for seven steps to tune up your bicycle this Spring.

Tune-up task #1: Clean your bike.
A clean bike extends the life of all its components, just as a clean car lasts longer.

What to do: Use a basic biodegradable cleaner such as Simple Green, a towel and an old toothbrush to clean everything: the frame, chain, chain rings, cassette, derailleurs, pedals, brakes, and seat. Make an effort to use as little water as possible. Also, remove the seat post (the tube connected to your seat that slides into the frame) and after cleaning it, and add a small amount of bicycle grease before reattaching it. This grease will last longer than oil, which dries out faster, and will also act as a barrier against rust in the seat tube.

Tune-up task #2: Inspect your brake system.
Brakes are a vital component of all bikes because they provide control over the speed you travel. Controlling speed reduces the likelihood of being in an accident. Brakes also permit the cyclist to maneuver while turning, riding up and down hills and avoiding debris or other obstacles.

What to do: First, check the brake pads, the rectangular rubberized component that actually rubs against the metal tire rim. Just like the brakes in your car, bicycle brakes wear down over time and need to be replaced. Use a flashlight to assess if the pads are wearing evenly. If you notice a ridge or other uneven wear pattern, you may need to have your brakes adjusted. Replace the pads if they show excessive wear. Next, squeeze the brake lever on your handlebars and watch the brake pads. They should hit the rim at the same time. If they don’t, you can adjust your brakes with the brake arm tension screw, which is located on one of the brake lever arms near the tire. If you notice too much slack in the cable when pulling your brakes, roll out the barrel adjuster at the end of the lever (where the cable enters the housing) to add tension to the brake cable, thereby making the brakes react more quickly.

Tune-up task #3: Watch your wheels.
Wheels (rims) hold your tires in place and provide stability and smoothness while riding. Your bike would not move without rims because they allow consistent contact between the tires and road surface.

What to do: Clean the wheels with rubbing alcohol and a clean, dry cloth. Inspect the rims for nicks, scrapes, dents or other damage. Next, elevate one end of the bike and spin the wheel. The wheel should move smoothly, without wobbling. Repeat for the other wheel.

Tune-up task #4: Inspect the drivetrain.
A bike’s drivetrain includes the pedals, chain, chainring, derailleur (the device that moves the chain to make riding easier or harder) and rear wheel cassette (all the little teeth in the center of the rear wheel). The drivetrain is important because it transfers the power generated by the rider’s legs to the rear wheel. This transfer of power provides the force that moves the bike.

What to do: You will need a partner or bike stand to assist with this part of the tune-up. Raise the rear wheel and spin as you did when checking the wheels (task #3 above). This time, shift through all the gears. Shifting should be smooth and easy to perform. Inspect the chain, chainrings, derailleur and cassette for damage (excessive wear, missing teeth, dents, scrapes, etc.). Note that small chainrings wear out sooner than large chainrings and that chains are the most frequently replaced component of the drivetrain.

If shifting is not smooth, take your bike to a repair shop to adjust the derailleur. Doing this yourself can lead to more problems if you do not know what you’re doing. Again, chains are usually the first component to go in the drivetrain and should be replaced every 2,000-3,000 miles. Replacement cost is generally between $20 and $50. Waiting too long to replace a chain will wear down the other drivetrain components faster.

Tune-up task #5: Check the tires.
Tires fit around the wheels (rims) to protect them and improve their function. Tires offer a source of friction (i.e., traction) with the ground, permitting travel over a variety of surfaces, including pavement, dirt and gravel. In addition, they form a flexible cushion with the ground, which smoothes out shock, making for a more comfortable ride.

What to do: Check your tires for splits, cracks or tears, especially along the sides (where the tire does not touch the ground). You will also want to check the tread for uneven or excessive wear. If the brake pads were out of alignment (task #2 above), make sure they have not damaged the tires.

Tune-up task #6: Check the cables.
Cables are made of tightly coiled metal wire surrounded in plastic housing. Cables connect the shifters and brakes on the handlebars to the derailleur and brake pads. Cables connected to the shifters assist with moving the chain from one gear to another via the derailleur, while those connected to the brakes aid in stopping the bike when the lever on the handlebars is used.

What to do: Inspect the cable and surrounding rubber housing for cracks, crimps, rust, dirt and looseness.

New cables make shifting and braking smooth, which increases bike performance. If you notice damaged or worn out cables, get t hem replaced at your local bike shop. Unless you’re well-trained in this task, changing bike cables can be tricky and time-consuming. Schedule replacement of cables every 2-5 years based on use. If you ride your bike year-round, consider replacing your cables yearly.

Tune-up task #7: Add lubricant.
Oil lubricant coats the chain and other components of the drivetrain, helping them last longer and work more efficiently. Lube also reduces accumulation of dirt and grime, which helps increase performance of the moving parts.

What to do: Apply lubricant evenly to the chain while slowly rotating the pedals in a counterclockwise direction. Also, remember to lube moving parts on the derailleur, the pivot point on the brake levers and any exposed cable wire. Remember to wipe off any excess oil with a clean, dry rag, especially on the chain.

Source list:
Downs, Todd. 2005. Bicycling Magazine’s Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

How to Repair a Bicycle, from the Editors of Consumers Guide

Rules of the Road, from the League of American Bicyclists

Read the entire article at Spark People here.

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Saturday, May 15 is the Chicago Solar Schools Ride!

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , on May 14, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Tomorrow morning I will be joining many health and climate conscious people will be riding out from the Chicago Yacht Club/DuSable Harbor area to raise money for Solar Panels for Chicago area schools.  The ride combines many of my passions: bicycle riding and fitness, love of the outdoors (I hope the weather is nice!) and giving to a good cause that benefits children AND the environment. I will be riding the 10 mile ride as I just finished Final Exams from a very difficult school term and I don’t want to push myself too hard. (I have to be a good role model, exercising but knowing my limitations and not overdoing it! That’s also why I haven’t posted much lately–Final exams.)

My first post about the ride is here.

The Working Well Massage Team has only raised $350 so far and we need to raise at least $500!  Donations are accepted until mid July but don’t let that stop you from donating today by simply clicking this link and going to our secure donation page. Its’ easy–You can use your credit card!

If you don’t want to donate but may consider riding yourself, you can still register to ride the day of the event, tomorrow, May 15. Details here.

Want to Help Out But Not Ride? Sponsor Me!

Sponsor me for the Climate Cycle Ride on May 15th! OR, register for the ride yourself and join me in fitness, fun and raising money for a good cause!

Climate Cycle web page is here.

Registration and start location for the 4, 10 and 20 mile routes

WHERE: DuSable Harbor – Randolph and Lake Shore Drive

The site is only a few minutes walk or bike from the Metra Millennium Station, several bus routes and the following CTA stations:

Red Line – State/Lake
Blue Line – Washington
All Other Lines – Wabash/Randolph

If you are renting a bike from Bobby’s Bike Hikes, the event grounds are easily accessible via the Lakefront Trail.

WHEN: Saturday, May 15th

Ride registration begins at 9:30 am.

The ride starts at 10:30 am DuSable Harbor.

The post ride celebration is from 10:30 am – 2 pm at DuSable Harbor.

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Map Your Hiking Trail With Your Phone With EveryTrail.com

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , on May 6, 2010| 1 Comment »

EveryTrail iPhone app
Image by chdot via Flickr

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

As you may have realized by now, I am a big promoter of hiking and exercising in the great outdoors. In 2010, technology and nature collide (and I am not taking about the oil spill, that’s a whole other story). Now smart phones like the Android, Blackberry and iPhone allow you to map your hiking and backpacking trails using GPS and geotagging.

How Everytrail Works

  • Map a trip route with your phone or GPS
  • Add trip photos to your map instantly
  • Add maps & photos to your blog or website
  • Explore and share in the EveryTrail community
  • Free app for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile

Cool Examples of Trails Taken on Every Trail.com

• Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim click here.
• Half Moon Bay Coastal trail, CA click here.
• Kayaking Around Pennisula State Park’s pennisula in Door County Wisconsin click here.
• Backpacking North Country Trail, Brule River State Forest, Drummand, WI click here.
• Danada Forest Preserve and Heron Rookery, Wheaton, IL USA click here.
• Busse Woods Bike Trail – Illinois, click here.
• Chicago City Walk vs The Field Museum – Illinois click here.

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Move Over IPhone, Android Has Great Health and Fitness apps too!

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on May 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I have to come clean and admit it, I am an Android user. Although I love Mac products overall, the iPhone’s marriage with AT&T did not sway me away from the clearer phone connections and fewer dropped calls I get from Verizon. (And, no, Verison is not paying me to say this!  I used to use Cingular (now AT&T) and had to switch to Verizon to save my business when I dropped a client call 4 times using Cingular.)

I know some of my clients do have iPhones so a while ago, I posted about Iphone apps that help you get healthy here. But what about us Android users? Mashable.com, a top social media guide, has a great list of the top 8 Android Apps for health and fitness. Here’s a brief summary of their list. Go to the original blog post to read more here including info on cost of the apps and screen shots of each app.

Cardio Trainer Screen Shot

CardioTrainer + Racing–combining two apps to help motivate you to run a better race. Cardio Trainer can be combined with a weight loss app as well.

Fast Food Calorie Counter-let’s you find the healthiest choices from among Fast food options. This app provides calories, fat grams, fiber, carbs and protein for 72 fast food restaurants. Watch the video review here.

Endomondo Sports Tracker–tracks time, distance, speed and altitude. it also gives you a history of your workouts. This app also integrates with Googlemaps making it a great resource for runners, hikers and those out for a fitness adventure!

Calorie Counter by FatSecret–this app provides calorie and nutrition facts. It incorporates a bar code scanner to help you find the healthiest food options and calculates the recommended daily intake to help you achieve your fitness and weight goals.

AllSport GPS– this app lets you track your routes, distance covered, time your speed and even the calories you burn when running or hiking. The app also provides you with maps, virtual races, down loadable routes and elevation info.

Beer Gut Fitness–this app tells you how many calories you consume with each beer or glass of wine and how much exercise and what type of exercise to do to burn those calories!

Absolute Fitness–an app that combines the best of all apps and lets you track your food intake, exercise routine and monitor your fitness goals.

and finally, my favorite app:

Backpacker GPS Trails–this app acts as a hand held trip database and personal navigation gizmo. use it to track your own hikes, geotag photos and videos, share your trips with others. it provides you with download maps to find trails that include thousands of trips taken by Backpacker magazine.

Read the entire list with screen shot pics, pricing and app size info at Mashable.com here.

For 101 Great Android Apps, go here.

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Just 5 Minutes a Day in Nature Improves Mood and Mental Health

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , on May 2, 2010| 1 Comment »

walk_in_park
Image by rosemaryann11 via Flickr

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I wonder sometimes if my readers get sick of me writing about exercising in nature! Some of my friends say they hate bugs and humidity. Some people may not have much experience in nature (especially if they grow up in an urban environment) and may be hesitant to try hiking or outdoor fitness routines. I was fortunate to have a father that was a nature lover. We spent every summer vacation camping, usually in Wisconsin. And many weekends were spent in nearby forest preserves or parks. In each home we lived in we had an outdoor garden.  My Dad introduced us to canoeing, pontoon boating, downhill skiing, cross country skiing, hiking, bicycling, paddle boating, berry picking,  swimming in the Great Lakes and smaller lakes,  and watching ducks fly south from Horicon Marsh. He was also a former gymnist and bodybuilder and taught us how to lift weights and run on treadmills in the winter. We weren’t “rich” monetarily, but we were rich in family time, the ability to spend time in nature and in fresh air, and good cardiovascular workouts!

As an adult I’ve enjoyed time spent in the gym, but I tend to gravitate towards nature. Now years later, more and more more research is showing that my natural inclination and my father’s tendency to get us outdoors is actually better for your health. Read the excerpt below from the University of Essex about a study  that shows even a 5 minute walk or time spent gardening can have immediate positive effects on your health. That’s right bug haters–it only takes 5 minutes to have a benefit! So grab the Off or Citronella and get outside!

A Walk A Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Just a small ‘dose’ of nature every day will benefit people’s mood, self-esteem and mental health, a new study by the University of Essex has shown. Surprisingly the research found that just five minutes of green exercise produced the largest positive effect.

Previous studies by the researchers had confirmed the links between nature, exercise in green environments, and health benefits. But this study is the first to quantify the health benefits in terms of the best ‘dose’ of nature.

The research by Dr Jo Barton and Professor Jules Pretty is published online (and in print on 15 May) in the American journal, Environmental Science and Technology.

Their analysis of 1,252 people (of different ages, gender and mental health status) drawn from ten existing studies in the UK, showed that activity in the presence of nature (green exercise) led to mental and physical health improvements. The activities analysed were walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming.

‘For the first time in the scientific literature, we have been able to show dose-response relationships for the positive effects of nature on human mental health’, said Professor Pretty. The researchers concluded that green exercise should be developed for therapy purposes (green care), that planners and architects should improve access to green space (green design), and that children’s learning should include working in outdoor settings (green education).

‘A walk a day should help to keep the doctor away – and help to save the country money,’ said Dr Barton. ‘There is a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to ‘self-medicate’ more with green exercise.’
Some of the substantial mental health challenges facing society and physical challenges arising from modern diets and sedentary lifestyles (such as the alarming growth in obesity) could be addressed by increased forms of activity in natural places, the authors argue.

All natural environments were beneficial (including urban green); although the presence of water generated greater effects. A blue and green environment seems even better for health, the authors stated.

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Check Out The Energy Training Center–A Personal Training Gym

Posted in Fitness, tagged , , , on April 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellnenss Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

ETC in First Floor of Kendall Collage Building

In the past few years I’ve noticed  a trend in personal training: Gyms or centers that ONLY provide personal training. I recently spent some time in a really interesting such facility in Chicago– ETC (Energy Training Center). It’s a private, exclusive personal training facility geared towards personal trainers who are passionate about wellness. It’s not a gym or a fitness club. ETC is a personal trainers only center: You can only workout there with a personal trainer, not on your own. The advantage to this is: higher quality trainers and a clean, less crowded workout space!

One of my massage therapist/personal trainers led me through a few sessions at ETC to show me his trainer methods. I really enjoyed not only his training style but the center itself. It’s a but pricey (You pay for each session versus a monthly membership), but for those that can afford it, ETC is a nice alternative to packed gyms.

The concept here is simple: ETC wants its customers to achieve the best they can in health and wellness and wants the customers to work personally with experts to achieve these goals. ETC owners describes the center as “a facility for personal trainers and their clients, who desire a positive environment, first class amenities and service, high standards of fitness, education, and most of all results.”

ETC

Located on the first floor of the same building that houses Kendall College (On Halsted just North of Chicago), ETC offers a number of services and amenities:

  • A state-of-the-art 7,000 sq. ft. training facility equipped with bio-mechanically correct equipment featuring LifeFitness, Hammer Strength, IronGrip and Stairmaster.

    • Inside Energy Training Center

    ETC has ample cardio equipment for your warmup!

  • Complimentary unlimited secure parking
  • Complimentary towel and filtered water system
  • Full shower amenities in locker room including cable television and courtesy phones

    • Woman's locker room at ETC

  • Locker rooms and training floor sanitized daily
  • Open floor area for functional training and other sport specific movements

    • Great view of the river at ETC while you workout!

  • Fitness evaluation room
  • Complimentary coffee/tea service
  • Outdoor riverside training area available
  • Also available: massage therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapists, and MAT specialists

    • Massage Room at ETC-Before or after your workout

Interested in learning more? Visit their Facebook page, visit them or contact them directly:

900 N. Branch St.
Chicago, IL 60622

(312) 377-4170
EnergyTC@aol.com

Front door of Energy Training Center


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Dare To Hike Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin

Posted in Fitness, Nature and Stress, tagged , , , , , , on April 18, 2010| 1 Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Hiking up the rocky "steps" is a great workout

A few weeks ago I had the good fortune to spend a few warm summer-like days in Wisconsin at the Wisconsin Dells. When I was  a child, my family used to take me and my brother to the

Dells and I have fond memories of lakes, hiking, go carts, haunted houses and, of course, Tommy Barlett’s water show with water skiers skiing in human pyramids.  Visiting again now so many years later, “the Dells,” as they are known to the initiated, are now a haven for water parks and other amusements. However, my man and I are always up for a bit of nature and hiking so we soon grew tired of the amusement park strip and headed to Devil’s Lake to hike up and down what we think of as a mini Yosemite, Devil’s Lake. Like much of Wisconsin, this region was created by glacial formations and so has a lot of very rocky terrain and tall cliffs to hike and rock climb.

The day we were at the lake, March 31, the weather was warm, about 75 degrees F, and we saw kayakers out on the lake as well! Many families and couples were out that day. We hiked from about noon to 6pm and at sundown the views of the lake from high on the cliffs were spectacular. I’m sharing some of our pics from that day’s hike to help entice you to make your own journey to this beautiful natural park, unusually hilly (I’d say Mini-mountains is more like it) for the Midwest.  You don’t have to go far to find cliffs and rocks and lakes–Devils’ Lake is just about 3 hours Northwest of Chicago, about 30 minutes North of Madison, WI.

For info on Devils’ Lake, click here.

For directions, click here. Devil’s Lake State Park address: S5975 Park Rd., Baraboo WI 53913-9299 Phone (608) 356-8301

Fees

For an out-of state resident, a one day pass is $7. For an out-of-state annual pass, it’s $35. Camping is available at Devils Lake as well, click here.

View of Devil's Lake from East Bluff nearly at the top of the cliff

As we started our hike, we met one of the Park’s “rangers” as he and his companion started off on a kayaking trip around the lake.

What a great job! Manage the Park and go kayaking at lunch!

The water was cold, but soon will be a great place to swim!

The day we went was a pretty windy day, so you mostly hear wind instead of the relaxing waves lapping at the shore, but this short video gives you a nice view of the lake from the water’s edge.

While we were hiking, we passed several groups of people practicing their rock climbing skills on walls of rock.

Rock climbers taking a break

We spent 6 hours hiking up and down different areas of the East Bluff Trail. The hike was fairly strenuous in parts because we choose routes that took up up and down the rocks to really challenge our cardiovascular systems and of course our calves! (Which were good and sore the next day)

No, this is not Yosemite, California, it’s Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin!

Sundown at Devil's Lake, WI

And at the end of our long day hiking, instead of relaxing in a nice jacuzzi, we decided to head over to the indoor waterpark Mount Olympus at Hotel Rome where we were staying. We spent two more hours climbing up and down stairs so we could slide down long winding water slides. In one day we gave our bodies and our minds a lot to enjoy!

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Get Moving With Easy Exercise Videos

Posted in Fitness, tagged , , , , , on April 15, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Check out these Easy Exercise videos for women who are beginners, baby boomers and seniors from Mirabai! Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health and Fitness industry. She Specializes in Easy Exercise Videos and Medical Exercise Videos for Women. She has: Easy Exercise videos for beginners, Easy Exercise videos for Baby Boomers, Easy Exercise videos for Seniors, and Easy Medical Exercise videos. Mirabai uses her Moving Free® Easy Exercise Technique on all her videos. Moving Free® with Mirabai doesn’t feel like work!Watch Video

Who is Mirabi and Why Should We Check Out her Videos?

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the health & Fitness Industry and a public health activist who specializes in preventive and rehabilitative exercise. She is the creator of the Skeletal Fitness by Mirabai Holland®: A Workout For Your Bones, Fabulous Forever® Easy Aerobics, and Fabulous Forever® Easy Stretch: Flexibility and Stress Reduction home exercise videos.

New York Magazine once called her the “best aerobics teacher in New York City”. Mirabai has made numerous TV appearances as a Health & fitness expert including the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Nightly News, and a Nationally Syndicated Women’s Health Series produced by ABC. As a free-lance journalist for the New York Times, American Health, First For Women, and trade magazines like IDEA Today, Metro Sports, Club Industry and Fitness Management, Holland’s writing has reached over 20 million readers.

About MirabaiHer Moving Free® approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work. Virtually anyone can ease into the best shape of their life by simply Moving Free® along with Mirabai.

She is an active volunteer of the American Heart Association and has been on their committee on Preventive Cardiology and the Women’s Heart Initiative.

As a consultant for Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, she designed the Women’s heart exercise protocol for their Cardiac Rehabilitation Phase II Program. She also designed the exercise program for Rutgers University College of Nursing entitled ” A Culturally Attuned Exercise Intervention for Coronary Heart Disease At-Risk Minority Women and Children.

Mirabai is a Contributor to the National Arthritis Foundation’s PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise) manual. She served four years as chairperson of the American Council On Exercise (ACE) Exercise Instructor Examination Committee.

She has been a speaker at major health and fitness organizations and corporations including Forbes, Time Warner, American Heart Association, Education Coalition of the NJ Interagency Council on Osteoporosis, National Wellness Association, NJ Foundation of Aging, National Arthritis Foundation, NIKE Women’s’ Symposium, The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine, Metro Sports, HIRSA, Club Industry, IDEA, East Coast Alliance, AAHPERD, Mind Body & Medicine and Women’s Health Symposium and the 92nd Street Y in New York City.

She is certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the Aquatic Exercise Association, holds 2 certifications by the American College of Sports Medicine (A.C.S.M.), and a Medical Exercise Specialist certification from the American Academy of Health and Fitness Professionals.

Currently, she is Director of Fitness and Wellness Programs at the 92nd Street Y, in New York City.

Note: Neither I, Sue Shekut, nor Working Well Massage is affiliated with Mirabai or her videos in  any way. I just found her info and thought I’d share it with my loyal readers! Enjoy!

Check out Mirabai’s Videos:

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Simple Workday Stretches

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Uncategorized, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , , , , , , on April 13, 2010| 1 Comment »

Stretching throughout the workday is essential for good health.

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ASCM Personal Trainer

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you’ve been sitting at a computer for an extended period of time.  Did you know that sitting still for a long time can cause serious health damage? OSHA says that maintaining static postures, such as viewing the monitor, for a prolonged period of time without taking a break can fatigue the muscles of the neck and shoulder that support the head. Additionally, OSHA recommends that repetitive tasks or jobs that require long periods of static posture incorporate several, short rest breaks (micro breaks or rest pauses). During these breaks you should stand, stretch, and move around. This provides rest and allows the muscles enough time to recover. Read the excerpt from Susan Seliger”s article “Stretching Exercises at Your Desk: 12 Simple Tips” at WebMD for a few of the stretches you can easily perform in your workplace to keep limber throughout the day.

Stretching Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk

  1. Just stand up and sit down — no hands
    • You might have gotten a gold star in preschool for sitting still, but it just goes to show you (best sellers notwithstanding) that not all of us learned everything we need to know in kindergarten. “If you stand up and sit down (over and over) — without using your hands — it can be a challenge,” says Smith. It’s like doing mini-squats!
  2. Substitute exercise for sitting — while you work
    • Get rid of your desk chair and substitute an exercise ball, suggests Smith. “I used it for a while when I was having low-back problems; it was great,” Smith says. “All day you are engaging all the muscles in the back, legs, butt, everything, to stay balanced.”
  3. Shrug your shoulders — to release the neck and shoulders
    • Inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders, lifting them high up to your ears. Hold. Release and drop. Repeat three times.
    • Shake your head slowly, yes and no.
  4. Loosen the hands with air circles
    • Clench both fists, stretching both hands out in front of you.
    • Make circles in the air, first in one direction, to the count of ten.
    • Then reverse the circles.
    • Shake out the hands.
  5. Point your fingers — good for hands, wrist, and forearms
    • Stretch your left hand out in front of you, pointing fingers toward the floor. Use your right hand to increase the stretch, pushing your fingers down and toward the body. Be gentle.
    • Do the same with the other hand.
    • Now stretch your left hand out straight in front, wrist bent, with fingers pointing skyward. Use your right hand to increase the stretch, pulling the fingers back toward your body.
    • Do the same on the other side.
  6. Release the upper body with a torso twist
    • Inhale and as you exhale, turn to the right and grab the back of your chair with your right hand, and grab the arm of the chair with your left.
    • With eyes level, use your grasp on the chair to help twist your torso around as far to the back of the room as possible. Hold the twist and let your eyes continue the stretch — see how far around the room you can peer.
    • Slowly come back to facing forward.
    • Repeat on the other side.
  7. Do leg extensions — work the abs and legs
    • Grab the seat of your chair to brace yourself and extend your legs straight out in front of you so they are parallel to the floor.
    • Flex and point your toes five times. Release.
    • Repeat.
  8. Stretch your back with a “big hug”
    • Hug your body, placing the right hand on your left shoulder and the left hand on your right shoulder.
    • Breathe in and out, releasing the area between your shoulder blades.
  9. Cross your arms — for the shoulders and upper back
    • Extend one arm out straight in front of you. With the other hand, grab the elbow of the outstretched arm and pull it across your chest, stretching your shoulder and upper back muscles.
    • Hold. Release.
    • Stretch out the other arm in front of you — repeat.
  10. Stretch your back and shoulders with a “leg hug”
    • Sit on the edge of your chair (if it has wheels, wedge the chair against the desk or wall to make sure it does not roll). Put your feet together, flat on the floor.
    • Lean over, chest to knees, letting your arms dangle loosely to the floor. Release your neck.
    • Now bring your hands behind your legs, right hand grasping left wrist, forearm (or elbow if you can reach that far), left hand grasping the right. Feel the stretch in your back, shoulders and neck. Hold.
    • Release your hands to the floor again.
    • Repeat three times or as often as it feels good.
  11. Look up to release upper body
    • Sit up tall in your chair, or stand up. Stretch your arms overhead and interlock your fingers.
    • Turn the palms to the ceiling as you lift your chin up, tilt your head back, and gaze up at the ceiling, too.
    • Inhale, exhale, release.
  12. Substitute walks for email — and don’t eat at your desk
    • Instead of emailing a colleague “and copying 25 people who don’t want to be copied anyway,” Smith says, “walk over to the colleague you really want to talk to.”

    Read the rest of the article at WebMD.

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Ride or Sponsor–Do Your Part for Climate Cycle

Posted in Fitness, Stress Management, tagged , , , , on April 12, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I first wrote about Climate Cycle’s upcoming Solar Ride for Schools here. I asked others to participate and now it’s time to walk my own talk. I am riding myself in the 10 miles course and I am looking for sponsors! By sponsoring me you are donating to Climate Cycle and your $5, $10, $20 or more donation will go to help provide solar panels for Chicago area schools. Climate Cycle also uses your donations to help raise awareness about environmental sustainability. I am happy to be able to participate and ride my bike along Lake Michigan with many other Climate Cycle Riders. It’s fitness with good purpose!

What is the Solar Schools Ride?

Climate Cycle’s May 15th, 2010 Solar Schools Ride is a family and fan friendly fundraiser in which riders garner pledges in advance of the ride. Proceeds go to install solar energy systems in local public schools.

Cyclists select from a 4, 10, 20 or 62-mile course along picturesque Lake Michigan. All starting and end points are in downtown Chicago, with the exception of the 62-mile “metric century” course, which begins at the Indiana Dunes and ends in downtown Chicago.

A post ride celebration follows the ride. This festive event includes music, free lunches for all riders, sustainability showcases, goody bags, a raffle and kid friendly activities.

Want to Help Out But Not Ride? Sponsor Me!

Sponsor me for the Climate Cycle Ride on May 15th! OR, register for the ride yourself and join me in fitness, fun and raising money for a good cause!

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