Fit Or Fat: Nutrition and Exercise

Stretch Out The Tension: Stop, Drop And Roll!

Posting Date: 07/23/2001

Stop what you are doing. Drop your shoulders and roll them back.

If you sit at a desk all day, or if you regularly stand for prolonged periods, it is easy to forget about posture. Our heads drop forward. Our shoulders creep up. And we slouch. We also tend to hold a lot of tension in our shoulders when we are stressed. So, take a moment every day to stop, drop and roll.

1. Stop working. Take a few deep breaths and relax. While you breathe in and out, slowly bring your posture back in to alignment by sitting up straight and tall.

2. Drop your shoulders. If they are up by your ears, relax them. Let your arms hang by your sides and feel the tension release. Bring your head up so that your eyes are looking straight ahead of you.

3. Roll your shoulders backwards and around. Keep them rolling by making large circles with your shoulders. You should feel a stretch in your upper back and your chest.

4. Finish by taking one big breath in, scrunching your shoulders up and then let it all go. Check your posture -- sitting tall, shoulders back, head up. Return to work rejuvenated and relaxed.

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