Special exercises for lazy people

This article is addressed primarily to those who do not like “unnecessary movements”, who adhere to the saying: “It is better to sit than to stand, and even better – to lie down”, who prefer to ride rather than walk. We talked about such people, about how difficult it is to change a sedentary lifestyle to an active one, if there seem to be no objective reasons for this, and the convincing arguments of scientists do not convince … We propose to find out what sport is for the lazy.

How to start?

I mean how to start exercising for a middle-aged person (30-40 years old), quite healthy, who has:

• there is a normal musculoskeletal system – that is, nothing is broken, all “hinges” (joints) are lubricated, and everything is well adjusted to one another;
• there is a normal nervous system that conducts in the right directions (sends and receives) all the prescribed nerve impulses;
• normally all waste substances disintegrate and new ones are created, and for all this, for some reason, it moves very little.

The simplest and most common argument: “There is no time.” For those who think so, we give options for physical activity that will not take time at all; in any case, the time spent will be calculated in a few minutes.

Will such activities be beneficial? Do not delude yourself: everything in the world is arranged in such a way that the benefits exactly correspond to the costs. But we shouldn’t be skeptical either: we will assume that the main costs of the proposed complexes of physical exercises are not temporary, but volitional. In other words, even the smallest step towards overcoming yourself is worth a lot. As the Chinese proverb says: “Even the longest path begins with a small step …”

“Overcoming yourself” is, however, too loud; it’s just about feeling the joy of movement, to learn how to use a random free minute to perform some movement that is different from the movements of the usual, habitual, and therefore monotonous. We can also say this: we are talking about entering the rhythm of the universe, space, where everything and everyone is in continuous motion.

We hope that as a result your lifestyle will become, if not more mobile, then at least “less sedentary.”

Charging in bed

Morning gymnastics – this is the beginning of the beginning in “physical culture” – not without reason it is called exercise, or a sport for the lazy. It really gives a charge for the whole day, a charge without which a person, in fact, continues to sleep all day.

Morning exercises in the minds of many people are associated with an almost unreal exertion of willpower (and even in the morning, when the will is also asleep!), But in fact, no willpower is required for the first exercise, so we suggest doing exercises while lying in bed.

Stretching

A regular stretching can be turned into a tonic exercise.

A conditioned reflex has long been developed to the ringing of the alarm clock: the hand itself reaches out to press the button and turn it off. After that, someone immediately jumps up, and someone continues to sleep, which, in general, does not matter, because in both cases the body is still in a state of sleep.

Stretch first with the same hand that is already stretched out to the alarm clock: to the side, up and to the side, then up. Then stretch your other hand in the same way; then – with both hands up, and legs, naturally, down, and the socks must be bent towards themselves, that is, stretch with the heels. Try to feel the entire spine from top to bottom. Now sit down slowly and, without stopping the movement, bend, trying to reach the toes of your feet with your hands. This exercise, and performed precisely in the morning, without getting out of bed, is very useful for those who suffer from osteochondrosis, and almost all people, starting from about 30 years of age, suffer from it.

Perhaps after such “almost gymnastics” you want to lie down again. This is quite acceptable: lie down, close your eyes and perform a tonic exercise, which is recommended by the famous psychotherapist Vladimir Levi – “Running jump” (meaning – mental). Mentally count to 20 or to 10 at an accelerating pace: the first 3 counts are very slow, the last are like an automatic turn. In the meantime, consider, imagine that you run and jump, and at the moment of an imaginary jump, rise, but not too sharply. During counting, it is recommended to stretch all the muscles while holding your breath while inhaling.

A variation of this exercise: Imagine yourself as a rapidly opening flower and open your eyes at the moment the petals fully open.

A set of exercises “Energy in a minute”

Basic physical exercises:

1. Rub your fingers together quickly – 5 seconds.
2. Quickly rub your cheeks up and down with warm, warm fingers – 5 seconds.
3. Tap the crown of your head with your fingertips like drumming for 5 seconds.
4. Make a fist without straining it. Pat vigorously – the inside and outside of both forearms 3 times.
5. Press gently on the thyroid gland (below the Adam’s apple) with your thumb and forefinger – 3 times.
6. Find a pulsating carotid artery in your neck. Press gently on one side of the artery and count to five. Lower your arm and breathe deeply. Do the same on the other side.
7. With your thumb, feel the depression at the base of the skull (where the spine begins), press on it and, counting to three, release. Repeat 3 times.
8. Massage of the reflex zones of the feet:
   • squeeze the tip of your thumb and then the pad of your thumb. If you feel soreness at a certain point, rub it until the pain disappears;
   • grasp the Achilles tendon firmly with your thumb and forefinger, squeeze it, then release it. Repeat 3 times on each leg;
   • quickly rub the top of your foot with your hand or the heel of your other foot.
9. With an open palm, pat your leg in front, side and back from the foot to the groin.

Attention! This exercise should not be done for varicose veins.

After completing all these exercises, you should feel a pleasant warmth spreading through your body. In 60 seconds, you spurred on, stimulated the main systems of the body.

A set of exercises “Hello!”

1. As soon as your eyes do open, close them again, then open them wide again, and so on several times. This exercise helps to “wake up” the brain.
2. Take a few quiet breaths in and out, counting to yourself: 1-2 – inhale, 3-4-5 – exhale.
3. Move your nose: inhale by flaring your nostrils, then wrinkle your nose and exhale in “jerks”.
4. Movement of the tongue: walk the tongue throughout the mouth, first clockwise, then against it; swallow saliva. Open and close your mouth a few times.
5. Head stroking: Pat yourself on the head from temples and ears to the back of the head and neck, from the forehead to the back of the head and neck, from the middle of the forehead to the ears. Massage the back of your head, slightly lifting your head from the pillow, and then the ears, lifting your chin 
6. Very small bike: use your feet to simulate riding a very small (toy) bike. Basically, the feet work. Continue to the next exercise without stopping.
7. “Extra Large Bike”: The bike gets bigger and bigger, so the circles that the legs make are getting bigger. Finally, with one foot on the bed, make circles with the other so that the pelvis rises. Repeat with the other leg. At the same time, the “driving speed” should increase all the time. The exercise “bicycle” is extremely effective when done correctly.
8. Pelvic movements: bending your legs and leaning on your feet (arms spread apart), lift your pelvis. From this starting position, move your pelvis to the right and left, then make circular movements.
9. Calm abdominal breathing: lying on your back, legs are bent at the knees, the right hand lies on the anterior abdominal wall.
10. Wrap your arms around your legs, raise your head, trying to reach your knees with your forehead, and swing on your back.
11. Straighten up and roll onto your right side. Use your left palm to stroke the lower back with wide, soft but strong strokes. Then turn onto your left side and stroke your lower back with your right hand.
12. Roll over onto your stomach and lift your upper body and legs at the same time; spread your arms to the sides. Stretch your arms to your feet, grab your ankles and swing on your stomach.
13. Get on all fours and then kneel, stretch your arms up, turn your head to the right, then to the left. Smile.

Are you ready to get up?

Sports for the lazy on the go

Getting out of bed, a person usually goes to the bathroom, to the kitchen, to another room (to wake up the child), etc. – in a word, he goes somewhere. Without spending a single extra minute, you can do very simple and useful exercises “on the way”.

Move around the apartment as follows: on toes, on heels, on the outer arches of the feet, clubfoot, walking in a semi-squat, with a high knee lift, putting both feet in one line – in general, in some unusual way.

On the way, you can do a few more exercises: jerking with ruts bent in front of the chest; jerking with straight arms – one upward backward, the other downward backward; circular movements of the hands – forward and backward.

It is difficult to pick up any movements with your torso and legs on the go, so do them while waiting for the kettle to boil. For example:

• perform three springy tilts of the body to the right and left, hands on the belt;
• hands up, stretch – bend forward, touch your toes with your hands;
• perform three springy turns of the body to the left and right, hands on the belt or to the sides;
• stretching out your arms in front of – to the sides, make swinging movements alternately with each leg to the same (or opposite arm);
• sit down 5-7 times on the entire foot or on toes, straightening your back;
• a very simple and very useful exercise: keeping your hands on your belt, rise on your toes and abruptly lower your entire foot, hitting the floor with your heels.

Exercise

One of these exercises (or both) is recommended by the famous psychotherapist Vladimir Levi. Each of them completely replaces morning exercises.

1. Modification of the “soaring eagle”. Standing straight, straighten your back, tilt your head back, move your arms back and to the sides – up, bend your hands back too, spread your fingers with a fan. Breathe in deeply, hold your breath, rise on your toes and stand like this for at least 5 (and whoever can – 30) seconds. Exhale vigorously, lower your entire foot, let your arms relax down, relax your head and back. Repeat 3-5 times.
2. “Crocodile”. Get on all fours so that your hands are perpendicular to the floor and your legs are at an angle of about 45 degrees to it (that is, you will have to lean on your toes). The back and neck are straightened in one line, the gaze is directed forward (not to the floor). And now, keeping your body straight, “step” on your hands forward as much as you can. Legs stay in place! Having reached the limit, stay in this position for a few seconds.

This is a very difficult but extremely effective tonic exercise.