How long have you been sitting?
If you're reading this at your computer, on your phone, or relaxing in a chair, there's a good chance you've been sitting for a while.
So before you read any further, I want you to do something.
Stand up.
Press your feet into the floor and slowly come all the way up to standing. Once you're there, stand as tall as you comfortably can.
How does that feel?
I notice this in my own body all the time. When I get working at my computer, I can easily sit there for hours without realizing how much time has passed. Then I finally get up and—oh my goodness—I can feel the stiffness.
And standing tall feels so good.
That simple experience is what inspired this week's Mindful Monday.
Think of standing up as a stretch
We often think of sit-to-stands as a strengthening exercise—and they certainly can be.
But I want you to think about this familiar movement in another way.
Standing up can also be a stretch.
When we've been sitting for a long time, we're spending all of that time in a bent position. Our hips and knees are flexed. We're often leaning forward or rounding through the upper body.
Then we stand.
We straighten the legs. We extend through the hips. We lift the chest. We lengthen through the front of the body.
Suddenly, that ordinary act of getting out of a chair becomes an opportunity to move in the opposite direction from the position we've been holding.
That's one of the reasons I don't want you to come only partway up and immediately walk away.
Take a moment to stand tall.
Or, more accurately, stand as tall as you comfortably can.
That will look different for every body.
If you don't fully straighten your knees, hips, or spine, your practice isn't about forcing your body into a position it doesn't have. It's about gently moving through the range that's available to you and continuing to use it.
Practice the movement you want to keep
Our bodies adapt to the ways we use them.
That's why I want us to think beyond strengthening when we practice sit-to-stands. Yes, we're using the muscles that help us get out of a chair. But we're also giving the body an opportunity to straighten, lengthen, and move out of that seated position.
Maintaining that movement matters.
And wherever your body is today, that's where you begin.
Maybe you stand completely upright with ease. Maybe your body doesn't straighten as much as it once did. Maybe standing itself takes considerable effort.
None of that means you've failed at the movement.
Work with the body you have today and give it opportunities to move through the range that's available to you.
Let getting up become your reminder to move
Think about all the reasons you already get out of your chair.
You get up to use the bathroom. Get something to eat. Answer the door. Go to the store. Get ready for bed.
Instead of standing once and immediately walking away, use that moment as a reminder:
Do five sit-to-stands.
Come up to standing, pause for a moment at the top, then slowly return to your chair. Repeat that movement a few times, choosing a number that works for you.
And remember what we're practicing.
Don't only think about the work it takes to get up.
Notice the stretch when you get there.
Press your feet down. Rise. Stand as tall as is comfortable for your body. Give yourself a moment to feel that length before sitting back down.
Want a little more? Add the arms
As you come up to standing, you can also lift your arms and enjoy an even fuller stretch.
Your arms don't have to go all the way overhead. If you have limited range of motion in your shoulders, lift them only as high as feels comfortable—or leave them by your sides.
As I always say in my classes, you do what works for you.
This isn't about making the movement look a certain way.
It's about giving your body an opportunity to move.
Your practice for this week
Here's my invitation:
Every time you get up from your chair, let it remind you to move.
Maybe you do five sit-to-stands. Maybe you do three. Maybe you simply stand up, pause, and stretch as tall as is comfortable for you.
Notice the strength it takes to get there.
But also notice the stretch once you arrive.
You're taking something you already do and giving it a little more attention.
An ordinary moment of getting up can become a small moment of practice.
So, how long have you been sitting?
Maybe it's time to stand up.
If you'd like to bring more movement into your day, I've created a free Chair Yoga Starter Series to help you get started.
You'll get a gentle, full-body chair yoga practice you can do at home—no getting down on the floor required—along with additional practices to help you keep moving.
Get the Free Chair Yoga Starter Series
And if you know someone who has been sitting too much lately, share this Mindful Monday with them. Maybe it's the reminder they need to stand up and move, too.
