Persons who sit for long periods of time, lead sedentary lifestyles, or work in high-stress environments are prone to many serious health problems, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, deep vein thrombosis, and more. Exercise is a great solution. It can help you feel better, boost your energy, manage your weight, and prevent work-related injuries.
Below are several exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. These can be performed in the office, around the truck, or at home. Be sure to consult your physician before starting any exercise program.
Exercise Options
Stretch
Before starting any exercise program, take a few minutes to stretch your body thoroughly and warm up your muscles.
Jumping Jacks
Choose a flat and sturdy surface. Stand straight with your feet together and hands at your sides. Raise your arms quickly above your head while jumping and spreading your feet apart. Reverse the movement to jump back to the starting position.
Step Ups
Place your right foot on a stair step or tractor step. Bring your left foot up so you are standing on the step. Use the grab bar for stability. Return to the starting position by stepping down with the right foot, then the left so both feet are on the floor.
Bent Over Twist
Stand straight with feet shoulder width apart. Raise your arms to your sides and bend over, rotating your torso and touching your left shin with your right hand. Stand and touch your right shin with your left hand. As you progress, try reaching for your feet instead of your shins.
Push Ups
Lie in a face-down position with palms down on the floor. Lift yourself up with your arms, keeping your back and legs straight until your arms have straightened. Lower yourself slowly, keeping your elbows pointed close to your body. Start out with a few reps and build from there. You can also modify your technique by placing your knees on the ground.
Note: These lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.
The information in this article is provided as a courtesy of Great West Casualty Company and is part of the Value-Driven® Company program. Value-Driven Company was created to help educate and inform insureds so they can make better decisions, build a culture that values safety, and manage risk more effectively. To see what additional resources Great West Casualty Company can provide for its insureds, please contact your safety representative, or click below to find an agent.
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This material is intended to be a broad overview of the subject matter and is provided for informational purposes only. Great West Casualty Company does not provide legal advice to its insureds, nor does it advise insureds on employment-related issues. Therefore, the subject matter is not intended to serve as legal or employment advice for any issue(s) that may arise in the operations of its insureds. Legal advice should always be sought from the insured’s legal counsel. Great West Casualty Company shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss, action, or inaction alleged to be caused directly or indirectly as a result of the information contained herein.
