Pretoria - March 22

Get crazy fit
For those of you who’re wanting to get
your blood pumping but aren’t keen on
going to a gym, take a look at The Pulse
Active range at The Crazy Store. For yogis,
there are mats and balls, blocks and
straps; for gymers there are ab wheels
and twist trainers and pedal resistance
bands, multi toners and hand grips and
quick-dry towels. You can grab a pair of
gym gloves and push up bars, or raise
your heartbeat with a high speed jump
rope. Too much? There’s swimming gear
and family-fun options like garden cricket
sets, soccer balls and darts. There are
even whistles for dads who take things
seriously! Really affordable prices, so
there’s no excuse whatsoever not to get
fit this year. Details: crazystore.co.za
Jump on over to our IG page
(@getitptamagazine) and look for our
Crazy Fitness competition. There’s a R500
voucher up for grabs. Ready, steady, go!
Get your om on
Shoulder pain. Stiff necks. Weakening of your neck and back. Joint issues.
These are just some of the probs working from home, and too many hours
spent hunched over the computer, have caused. It’s all become a pain in the
neck. Quite literally.
So say Namaste to the five simple yoga inspired stretches that can be done
right at your desk, shared by Joëlle Sleebos, who’s Head of Yoga at Virgin
Active, who has cherry-picked these five yoga inspired stretches to help with
posture, neck pain and more that can be done at your desk - wherever that
may be. So, get your om on and reduce discomfort, aches and pains, all in a
day’s work.
Wrist and finger stretch While seated, take the fingertips of one hand into
the palm of your other hand. Extend that same arm forward, at shoulderheight,
and gently pull your fingers down toward the back of your wrist until
you feel a slight stretch. This stretch will give your wrists some relief from
frantic typing, and has the added benefit of lowering your risk of carpal tunnel
syndrome. Hold the pose and breathe for three to five slow breaths, then
switch hands.
Seated Tadasana Reach your arms above your head, aligning your wrists over
shoulders. Inhale: Activate your fingers and arms by reaching your hands to
the ceiling and spreading your fingers as wide as possible. Engage your abs as
you sit up tall. Exhale: Relax your shoulders, align your head directly over your
torso and slightly lift your chin up and in towards your throat to help stretch
and straighten the back of your neck, your spine and find a good posture.
Hold the pose and breathe for three to five slow breath cycles.
Seated Lateral Side Stretch Move into this stretch directly from the seated
tadasana. Extend your right arm overhead toward the left side of your body
and relax your left arm down. Feel the length on the right side of your torso
from the right hip to right armpit. Your palm can face to the left and shift
your gaze toward your bicep if your neck allows – don’t force your neck into
any discomfort. Create space between your shoulders and ears, keeping your
shoulders relaxed and in line with your desk and each other to avoid leaning
forward or back — only sideways. Hold the pose and breathe for three to five
slow breaths. Then switch sides to lengthen your abdominal muscles while
improving spinal flexibility.
Seated Spinal Twist Move into this stretch directly from the seated tadasana.
Bring your hand to your shoulders, lift your elbows to the side at the same
level as your shoulders. Inhale: broaden your chest and look straight in front of
you. Exhale: Twist and look to the right, while maintaining your hips in place.
You may extend your arms and actively reach your right arm behind you and
the left arm to the front. Then switch sides to improve spinal strength and
flexibility, reduce back pain and improve your digestion.
Seated Forward fold and backbend Take a moment, give yourself a little
more space, and take a deep breath before leaning forward slowly into a
Paschimottanasana – or a seated forward bend. Focus on slowly extending the
top half of the body over the seated lower half – gradually stretching out while
controlling your abdomen and elongating your back. To counter the forward
fold, sit upright with a deep inhale before moving into the seated backbend.
Stretch your hands down a few centimetres behind your hips and hold on to
the edges of your chair. Push into the chair and reach your shoulder blades
down and back. Hug your belly in as you blossom your heart and lift your
chest up and forward. Lift your gaze slightly and if it feels comfortable you can
gently tilt your head backwards too, but be careful of discomfort in your neck.
Hold the poses and breathe for three to five slow breaths.
More than anything, yoga is about breathing. As you work towards stretching
out those pandemic-induced kinks in your body, remember to take time to
close your eyes and really focus on taking five to ten deep, slow breaths before
you dive back into your inbox. Your neck, spine and spirit will thank you.
March 22 Get It Magazine 17