With so many events and meetings taking place virtually over the past two years, it is not surprising that exercise and flexibility training have suffered for many. On January 13, Alessa Caridi helped us jumpstart a new path to fitness without leaving our chairs. With a background in dance, spending three years in Okinawa absorbing the healthy lifestyle of the Japanese, and extensive experience in fitness training, Alessa founded JōbuFIT, a workplace movement company.
Alessa’s approach is intended for everyone and is designed to add value to the working day rather than replace other programs such as yoga and Pilates. She showed us ways to achieve relaxation and flexibility without the need for extra space or equipment. In working with her clients, Alessa had noticed that a cycle of back pain, fatigue, and stress is often set into motion from what she described as “the sitting problem.” Even if a person works from a standing desk, many parts of daily living are done sitting and it is critical to align ourselves properly when seated to avoid tension and pain.
Alessa led the group through a series of movements to demonstrate her points. She started with a posture check and slow breathing, showing us how to sit strong and solid, feet flat on the floor and a straight spine. We were challenged to analyze slides of two skeletons sitting at computer desks and to comment on what they were doing right and wrong—were the spines slumped against the back of the chair? Were the heads drooping forward,forcing the spine into in a C-curve?
Alessa then led us through several simple-to-perform, relaxing stretches that could be done sitting down, moving from the feet up through the knees, hips, and core. During the question and answer session that followed a number if helpful tips emerged, for example: for maximum productivity, each 60-minute segment of the day should be 50-minute work session, then a 10-minute break that you can use for stretching or even walking around—anything to get your body moving or stretching. This eases muscle stress and promotes alertness.
To learn more about the resources and training available at JōbuFIT, go to Alessa’s website.