Many people will have made a New Year's resolution to get healthy, but busy lifestyles and time spent travelling can make this difficult. To give them a head start, one insurer has compiled a workout that motorists can do to while sat in their cars.
Diamond suggests that some simple exercises can help reduce tiredness and stiffness, which can result from sitting in one place for a long time. The following exercises are suitable while you are stationary in traffic queues.
- Sit correctly - Sit tall with your weight evenly balanced on each buttock. Lengthen your spine, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
- Facial exercises - Raise your eyebrows into a surprised expression, and then pull them down into a frown. Repeat 10 times.
- Neck exercises - Slowly and carefully turn your head to look left then back to the centre to look straight ahead and then turn to look right. Keep the back of your neck long and your shoulders relaxed. Repeat 5 times.
- Shoulder circles - Sit tall. Bring your shoulders up towards your ears and circle them back downwards. Repeat 5 times. Then lift your shoulders towards your ears and drop them back down. Repeat 5 times.
- Buttock exercises - Sit tall. Balance your weight evenly. Clench your buttocks tightly. Hold for 5 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times.
- Calf exercises - Make sure your feet are not in contact with the pedals. Keep your weight even and your feet flat. Push up onto your tiptoes, hold for a count of five and relax. Repeat 5 times.
- Ankle exercises - Again, make sure your feet are not in contact with the pedals. Keep your weight even. Circle your left foot, keeping your leg as still as possible. Make ten circles in each direction with each foot.
Sian Lewis, managing director at Diamond said, "Motorists in the UK are regularly finding themselves stuck in traffic queues. These exercises are easy to do while you are stationary for any length of time, and they might just help with shifting those extra pounds gained over Christmas!
"Although, don't be surprised if you get some funny looks when carrying out the facial exercises!"
Diamond suggests you don't try anything that may contradict advice you have been given by your doctor.
Issue date: 04-01-06
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