I’m not talking about coping-with-the-vagaries-of-life, I’m talking about how to touch your toes!

In a typical day, our bodies are typically in a seated “chair” position.  We sit in “chair position” to work and to travel to work, we use it to eat and watch tv and play video games and go to the theater and get our hair done.  The only time we are not in “chair position” is when we are standing/walking (usually on our way to our next chair) or when we are sleeping.

Yikes!

Really, I should have titled this post “How to Stay Flexible” because we are all born with a very natural and organic flexibility.  We start to lose that the moment we succumb to a chair based lifestyle.

How can you get out of your chair?

Get on the floor. Embrace your inner child!  Kids like to read and watch tv and play games on the floor.  And no wonder!  Until they can walk, children spend most of their time on the floor by default.  That is, of course, unless we bust out the play pen which is basically a mini-floor with a fence around it.  When you go to a park, who uses the bench?  Not the kids!

Get inspired by Asian culture!  (Or broke, college kid dormitude.)  How much of your furniture is really necessary?  Sofas, dining room tables, and beds are all methods we use to get away from the floor.  If your floor is funktastic then I don’t blame you, but have you ever considered how much of our living room furniture is superfluous?  In many Asian cultures, cultures, bedding is right on the floor and families sit down to eat at a chairless dinner table.

Get dancing! Whether you are out on the town or dancing around your living room, dancing is one of the best ways to inspire your body to expand from its comfort zone.  Get low, jump around, spin in circles, and shake your groove thing!

Use the elevator. Most fitness recommendations include taking the stairs instead of the elevator.  If you live in a place like Florida, however, even a little exertion will cause one to…um…glow.  Another alternative is to use the (hopefully empty) elevator to your advantage.  The 30 seconds you are on an elevator is the the perfect time to touch your toes!  And when the elevator stops, it sort of drops a little before it gets centered enough to open the door.  That gentle dip stretches you just a wee bit more and I find it surprisingly relaxing.

Additionally, some elevators have side hand rails which are perfect for stretching your leg.  And one can always simply reach for the ceiling and loosen up in whatever way feels comfortable.  The most important thing is to listen to your body and to really enjoy your stretch.

“Extra Curricular Activities”When being intimate with your significant other, it can be tempting to rock the missionary position every time.  (There’s a reason this position is a classic!)  However, while one does not need to be engaged in Cirque du Soleil inspired antics, it still is important to add a little ‘mystery’ and flair to the bedroom.  Intimacy can encourage greater flexibility – of heart and body.

Go swimming! Swimming requires a different physical orientation than we use in our day-to-day living.  It is also fun!  AND, because it all but eliminates your weight, it is easier to try new movement and positions.  For example, I can’t do a back flip on the ground but I can definitely work one in the water!

Photo by Haven Holidays

Photo by Haven Holidays

Yoga I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention yoga as an ubermethod for increasing your flexibility.  The fact of the matter is that yoga has gained so much popularity for a reason; it feels amazing to stretch your body for an hour.  As always, listen to your body and don’t feel it necessary to stretch yourself to the point of being uncomfortable.  You’re trying to enjoy the awesome that is the human body, not cause yourself pain!

Rethink Computing The computer is what takes up much of our daily activity.  But you don’t necessarily have to sit down to use it!  At my last law firm, I was able to talk management into allowing me an adjustable desk.  I could stand or sit, depending on my mood.  And believe me, that desk was snatched up before the end of my last day!  When I am at home, sometimes I kneel at the computer or put my legs up as I type.  The idea being that you are not tied to ’sitting’ at a computer.

At the Mayo Clinic, employees walk as they use the computer (some sort of treadmill + desk awesome), as well as when they take meetings.  While their intent was to increase fitness, there is a distinct correlation between fitness and flexibility.

But it’s totally ok to start with elevator stretches!  :)