Prolonged sitting could be called an enemy of good health. As a countermeasure, four simple movements can help clear the body’s energy pathways, relieve pain from long-term sitting, reduce fatigue, and prevent chronic diseases.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds that meridians are channels through which energy flows in our bodies. Sitting for long periods can block these energy channels. Modern scientific research has found that long-term sitting can cause a variety of chronic diseases, such as dementia, fatty liver disease, sexual dysfunction, and neck pain.
4 Exercises to Counteract the Effects of Long-Term Sitting
For students, office workers, drivers, or older people who often sit for long periods, TCM practitioner Wu Jiandong recommends the following movements to keep energy flowing.1. Two-Hands-to-the-Sky
The “two-hands-to-the-sky” exercise comes from the traditional fitness routine Ba Duan Jin, also known as the eight brocades, which dates back more than 800 years.Steps:
1. Sitting in a chair, turn your palms upwards with your fingertips facing each other.
2. Raise your hands upward, and when they are in front of the chest, rotate them up and above the head. Straighten your arms and hold your hands to the sky.
3. Float your arms out to the sides and back down to the beginning position.
To coordinate with breathing, inhale as you raise your hands from your abdomen, exhale as you rotate your palms upward in front of your chest, inhale again as you stretch your hands upward, and exhale as you lower them down to your sides.
The two-hands-to-the-sky exercise can help relax tight chest and back muscles in the upper body.
2. Push the Inside and Outside of Your Feet
This movement comes from “Five Animals Play,” which is said to have been created by the eminent TCM practitioner Hua Tuo, 1,800 years ago.
Steps:
1. Sit on a chair, with your feet and knees hip-width apart.
2. Slide your hands from your outer thighs down to just above the ankles.
3. Slide your hands to the inside of the lower legs and back up along the inner thighs.
This movement promotes circulation in the lower body and helps sedentary people prevent edema and varicose veins.
3. Low Horse Stance
Low horse stance is one of the basic skills of martial arts. It strengthens the muscles and unblocks the meridians of the lower limbs. Meridians that benefit from this posture are the liver, spleen, kidney, gallbladder, stomach, and bladder. It also improves blood circulation in the lower limbs.Steps:
1. Stand in front of a stable surface such as a chair or counter.
2. Separate your legs wider than hip width and turn your toes outward.
3. Using the chair or counter for support squat straight down, pause, and rise back up.
Key points in practicing the low horse stance:
- Thighs should be parallel to the ground as possible
- Knees should not go in front of the toes
- Knees and toes should be pointing in the same direction
- Keep the feet firmly on the ground—a technique known as “three-tenths into the earth.” Imagine the feeling of stepping hard on the ground. At this time, the thighs and buttocks will be called into action instead of focusing primarily on the knees.
In addition to horse stance, deep squats or the second-position squats in Chinese classical dance are also effective. Still be aware of the above-mentioned points if practicing those alternatives.
4. Pat the Ribs to Strengthen the Liver
TCM believes that the liver is essential for the flow of energy in the body, and the best way to nourish the liver is to sleep between the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. However, for those who work night shifts, the “pat the ribs to strengthen the liver” movement in the “Five Animals Play” can also improve the blood circulation of the liver.Steps:
1. Lift your right arm until you feel a slight pulling up of the ribs.
2. Using your left hand, gently pat the liver and gallbladder positions at the lower edge of the ribs. Be sure to pat gently to avoid injury.
2 Signs of Blocked Meridians
TCM has found that a number of chronic diseases start with meridian blockages. If blockages can be discovered and unblocked early, many diseases can be prevented. There are two early signs of blocked meridians:1. Body Aches: TCM says “blockage leads to pain.” If the body aches, it means that qi and blood cannot move metabolic products or transport nutrients.
2. Emotional Changes: TCM believes that different emotions correspond to different organs and meridians. Blocked meridians may cause related emotional problems. Stress and depression can also affect the operation of meridians. For example, anger is often related to poor blood circulation in the liver meridian and fear and timidity is often related to insufficient blood circulation in the kidney meridian. Improving blood circulation through exercise can also help stabilize emotions and enhance willpower.
Other Ways to Unblock Meridians
In addition to the above-mentioned meridian unblocking movements, TCM also advocates using acupuncture, massage, and Chinese medicinal herbs to unblock blood circulation. A variety of herbs can enter the corresponding meridians and strengthen the functions of related organs. Some foods also have the effect of nourishing the liver and kidneys, such as wolfberries. A trained TCM can prescribe appropriate treatments.
Wu recommends that older people engage in plenty of soothing movement and that younger people make sure to get adequate rest. He also suggests self-message or moving your fingers and toes frequently as they are the starting points of the meridians.
