Re: Exercise and Tech Writers

[Julie Barker <jbarker -at- ACORN -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

Stuart - sobbing works for me too ;o)

The original poster was looking specifically for exercises
to reduce tension and stress.

The following exercises, with quite a lot of emphasis on the
thighs, are actually aimed at transforming you into a love-god or
goddess on the beach during the few brief days this summer when
you're not chained to a user guide.

However, I find that, due to the strange positions you have to
get into to carry out these exercises (maybe it's just my chair?
or just my body? :o{ ), they are guaranteed to reduce stress and relieve
tension -- not just in you but in your colleagues as well as they
watch you trying to clench everything at once (Hip Hugger) or
unobtrusively do the Latin Lover Leg Lift.

This article appeared recently in the Electronic Telegraph, the
online version of the daily UK newspaper 'The Daily Telegraph'
(which you can find at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et/).

Enjoy...

===============================================================

The Electronic Telegraph Wednesday 26 July 1995  Health

[Health]

---------------------------------------
Toning up for the beach - in the office
---------------------------------------
Christine Doyle on how to mix work  with the pleasure of feeling fit


YOUR tickets to an exotic holiday destination were booked months ago.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Yet for many of us anticipation is marred. Struggling into your new
Liza Bruce swimwear one week before take-off, the sight of flabby
underarms, quivering stomach and dropped buttocks - the legacy of weeks
spent sitting in the office - makes you suddenly less keen to take to
the beach.

But instead of deciding to smother all evils in an outsize kaftan, use
that last office-bound week to your physical advantage. Don't add to
your pressure by signing on at a gym, but exploit sedentary habits and
office furniture with some discreet but effective exercise routines.

Get moving
----------
Warm up by walking as much as you can. Think about your journey to the
office:  can you make your body work harder? Don't sit on the bus for
that last five minutes - get off early and walk the rest of the way.

Toughen up by walking up escalators and running up stairs. You could
also buck up your biceps by carrying your shopping and work gear, one
bag in each hand.

Once in the office, try out the muscle sculpting exercises based on
ballet and yoga in Thin Thighs for Life (Hamlyn 7.99) by Karen Burke -
even if you're only after thin thighs for a fortnight. Here are a few,
and they can be done in secret.

  *  Hip Hugger or Pelvic Tuck. Perfect while queueing in the canteen
     or delivering a speech. Stand with feet shoulder width apart.
     Contract abdominal muscles and clench buttocks and inner thigh
     muscles together - imagine holding a pencil between them.

     Your pelvis will move forward and instantly you will look and feel
     thinner. You should feel the squeeze in outer and inner thighs.
     Hold for count of 10 at first and work up to 30.

  *  Saddle Battle. Good for telesales executives whose hands are
     free. Sit on a chair without arms and hold chair seat towards its
     back. Keep left foot flat on floor and kick right foot backwards
     towards seat of chair.

     Point knee to floor and gently rock leg back about 3 in. Hold for
     count of 10. Repeat three times and then try with left leg.

  *  Kneecap Kiss. Tone thighs while at the keyboard, or sitting in the
     bus or train. Keep feet flat on floor, slightly apart and squeeze
     knees together to feel contraction of inner thighs. Contract
     muscles as for Hip Hugger. Count to 10 and repeat.

  *  Suspended Animation. A useful way to sit out tedious phone calls.
     Sit forward in chair. Keep legs together and feet flat on floor.
     Raise feet 3 in off ground. Helps flatten stomach.

     Joan Crawford was said to sit through entire meals in this position.

  *  Ball Crusher. Sitting on a chair, hold a child's rubber ball between
     knees and squeeze: one of the best exercises for inner thighs.

  *  Latin Lover Leg Lift. Fit this in while waiting for colleagues.
     Stand with hands on back of chair and lift left leg back and to the
     side, raising foot 4 in from ground. Hold for count of 10 feeling
     contraction of front and back thigh muscles. Repeat at least three
     times.

*    And one for after work - XL, the fitness, health and sport magazine
     aimed at men, points out that you can exercise triceps in the bath.
     Place hands firmly on side of bath, and raise yourself out of water
     with knees bent, back straight and abdominal muscles pulled in.

Try to boost your energy level three times during the pre-holiday week.
If you like swimming, swim 4O lengths. Do not miss a regular exercise
or yoga class.  Play tennis. Go for a cycle ride or get on your
exercise bike for 20 minutes.

 =======================================================================
      ------------------------------------
      Julie Barker  *  jbarker -at- acorn -dot- co -dot- uk
       Eat healthy, stay fit, die anyway.
      ------------------------------------