Keeping in Shape while at work

[biggestbox]

I was wondering how you guys keep in shape when you work. I work basically 7 to 7 and I keep meaning to workout before work, but that doesn't happen happen since I wake up at 5:30 anyways. After work, my training usually begins 1-2 hr gym lifting and stretching followed usually by dance practice I take ballet 3 times a week and ballroom 3-4 time with my partner. When I get home at 11, I usually stretch my feet, do push ups and crunches while I watch TV. On the weekends I can dance 7+ hours. In addition I play soccer and table tennis 3 times a week.

I've been starting to stretch my legs and turnout under my desk at work, and I was wondering if anyone else has useful, strange workout tips.

My routine might sounds crazy, but keep in mind that I compete open amateur and my competition probably dances a minimum of 8 hours a day and probably teaches too. My competition is just a lot stronger, faster and just moves better than me. I'm getting better but it takes time. I'm also a guy so my body can take a lot more punishment compared to say my partner's body. I also eat 3000-4500 calories to without weight gain, so I know I have to energy to keep it running

thanks in advance.

[fascination]

welcome to DF...give me some time to ruminate on this

[chica latina]

Welcome!!!

Wow!!! I thought i didnt have time to do anything else besides work (8am-5pm), cook dinner and practice (2h Tues, Thurs, Fri.. 1h Mon, Wed) and day is over.... SAt lessons 2-3h (lot of traveling, Sun recover for next week)..... but you find time to do a lot more than that. Have wanted to start exercising but thought it would be impossible.

You just motivated me to try to look at my schedule and understand where am i wasting my time...

[croaker]

I work basically 7 to 7

Man, you must really love your job. 12-hour work day, gosh...
What I do is go to gym during the lunchtime.
Seriously though your schedule is insane...

[DancerForLife]

Insane - yes, but not unusual - I often put in the 7 am - 9 pm days also, then practice from 10 pm till midnight 3-4 times a week + compete on the weekends... Anyhow, onto the topic of discussion:

- I have a primarily desk job that involves typing on the computer / reading a lot on screen. I take special attention to stand up at least once an hour, walk around a bit, stretch, and roll shoulders / head etc. to keep the top line relaxed

- Whenever I think of it, I adjust my posture - sit up tall (think of pulling your spine up), and engage abdominals. Just by thinking of the abs and pulling the belly button toward the spine helps with abs (and helps prevent lower back pain)

- Another important thing for me is to think of my breathing - and consciously inhale / exhale. Believe it or not, it helps build lung capacity a bit. Inhale for four counts, exhale for four counts. Once in a while exhale for longer than that to get rid of all the stale air

- When I have to print something, I walk brisky to the printer, and do calf / toe stretches, squats / lunges / arm stretches overhead if noone is around

- A couple of times I did wall pushups / squats in the bathroom (made sure that there was noone else there first)

- When I can go outside for a few minutes for a break, I try to briskly walk the entire time to stretch all over, breathe etc.

- I take the stairs whenever possible, walk as much as possible (to meetings, to chat with a colleague, to/from the parking lot etc.)

- And when I can take a minute to just close my eyes, I visualize routines

That's all that comes to mind re: sitting dance prep :-). If you have any tips, please do share - would love to hear!

[samina]

i have the same sort of job you do, DFL, so i relate to what you're saying.

i used to do the engage abs, pull belly button to spine business all the time. i do this now only when doing pilates, floor exercises, or weight lifting, but never throughout the day. for me, aligning myself this way only increased tension and misalignment (i've shared a lot about it on DF -- probly see the dance bible thread for some of it.

instead, i focus on relaxing all the muscular holding out of my torso and releasing my body weight through my hips & thighs into the floor. i can't say enuf how this has improved my dance-related fitness, and there are so many ways that i play with this... basically, it's gotten to the point where it's every time i step, feeling the weight pouring through my bones & joints & down through the various points of my feet as they contact the floor. it took all year to get to this point of being able to drain the weight out of my upper body into my lower and release it through my feet in a conscious, sensitive manner.

paying attention to how i go up & down stairs at work has been another huge focus all year. doing that with strong feet, in proper alignment, with increasingly less tension in my upper body and all movement & power generated from below has strengthened my legs & feet & calves & hips so much... the change in 8 months is just remarkable. and most of this from paying attention at what i'm doing at work.

i'm with you on the breathing... controlled rhythmic breathing of any kind is so powerful. i never do enuf of it, in my opinion. we should have a thread just on that.

and like you, anytime i have to get up and maneuver around the office, i fiddle with toe raises, rumba walks & pivots...whatever's on the menu in that regard. :) it really has gotten down to each step i take, tho... how much awareness and sensation and groundedness and anchoring without effort can i create/experience with every step down the hall, or while standing & listening to my manager speak, or while waiting to pay for my lunch. and it's not just "mindfulness" that's going on... i know now that doing this has significantly strengthened & vitalized my body in so many ways... i'm currently blown away by how it's increasing week-by-week, month-by-month.

also, there's a place where i get to do some of my work that has long aisles between tall supports used to warehouse boxes of documents, and i have found these to be so valuable i'm already grieving the fact that i'm leaving this particular worksite at the end of the month, and am wondering how i can replace them in my life. long aisle with something to hold onto... absolutely wonderful for all manner of stretching, leg lifts, lunges, and other innumerable exercises. if you can find a place like that where you work, perhaps in a library or warehouse, find any excuse to gain access & use it, i say! :D

i know this post is long, but your question speaks directly to a major theme for me since january and wanted to share what i've been up to. :)

[chachachacat]

If you wear slip on shoes, you can slip them off under your desk and do foot stretches, point, flex, etc...while you work!

[Joe]

If you're eating 3000-4500 calories daily without weight gain, what are you complaining about?

[croaker]

Insane - yes, but not unusual - I often put in the 7 am - 9 pm days also
To each his/her own I suppose. I can see myself working so much
in an emergency, but on a daily basis it just seems extreme.
So basically you have only 5-6 hours of sleep, is it healthy?
I often find myself sleeping only 6 hours during the weeknights, but I'm beginning to think
the price of perpetual sleep deprivation is too high :(

[biggestbox]

the low sleep is probably why I need to eat so much. If I don't I seriously feel too weak to function during the day. you don't want to know my grocery list.

[cornutt]

I used to go for a walk at lunchtime. But now, the job I'm in requires that I work through lunch nearly every day. When you have to eat at your desk all the time, it's an easy habit to fall into to take junky-type foods that don't require any preparation. So I have to watch out for that. I've gotten into the habit of, if I'm going to have a salad or sandwich the next day, making it the previous night. That way, it's ready in the morning and I'm not tempted to just grab a bowl of mac and cheese or something. (Although I do keep those around for absolute lunch emergencies.)

I have to listen to a lot of telecons. I usually shut my office door and do that standing up. I'll practice rhythm steps, or do whatever stretching I can without laying down (the floor's too dirty). Or I just pace. Sometimes, depending on what's happening on the telecon, I throw things around. ;-) Once or twice a day, whenever I can get away from my desk for five minutes, I'll take a couple of laps around the inside of the building. That's kind of a pain, though, because you have to keep badging in and out of doors.

When I'm in my car and I'm at a stop light, I do abdominals while I sit.