By Sutton Shults
Feel like you do not have time to exercise because you are studying too much?
While going to the gym is always more productive, one can do short, yet intense, bursts of activity multiple times a day without ever going outside.
“We are made to move, not sit at a desk 12 hours a day,” wrote Joan Price, author of “The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book.” “As ergonomic as your desk or chair may be, sitting produces back pains, headaches and listlessness. You become less productive.”
Raising one’s heart rate from resting to “pumped” can decrease chances of heart disease. Here are a few aerobic activities to get the heart rate going and remove stiffness:
• While sitting down, pump your arms over your head as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Next, do a seated foot tap on the floor. Pump your feet as hard and fast as possible for 30 seconds. Repeat this 3–5 times.
• Stand up and run in place as fast as you can for 15 seconds. Repeat this 3–5 times.
• Stand up and imitate jumping rope. Try hopping on one foot and the other. Go for 30 seconds at a time and repeat the exercise 3–5 times a day.
• Do jumping jacks.
• If there is an empty room or you want to amuse fellow students, do walking lunges.
• Set a goal to do 15–25 push-ups after reading a chapter of a book or checking e-mails.
Thank you for mentioning my book, The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book, which offers more than 300 ways to exercise when you barely have a minute. I hope your readers will take a look at http://joanprice.com/books/aaeb.htm for more info. Thanks for helping to motivate everyone to move more!
Joan Price