Restorative Exercises for Energy Enhancement

Sebastian Slovin, Pando's movement expert, recently helped me put these together.

Specific energy-enhancing strategies that can be done right away 
by time-pressed business owners and execs or anyone needing a little more juice.

The following are our “go-to” list of quick strategies to give a boost to a tired body and mind. Each individual strategy works well and combining 2 or 3 is even more enhancing. The rationale for all of these energy-enhancing strategies is to get the individual out of the thinking mind and into the body. Increasing blood and oxygen flow is the mechanism of the benefit and each of these strategies accomplishes this in a different way. As a physician, I have worked with many clients who are challenged by the combination of high stress and prolonged sitting. Breaking this cycle is absolutely mandatory for maintaining high functioning and optimal performance.

1        1)    Focus 100 % of your attention for 5 breaths on the expansion and contraction of your belly.

     2) Do 10 seated pelvic tilts – Sitting on the front edge of your chair with your feet out wide alternate tilting your pelvis back and rounding your shoulders and head forward with tilting your pelvis forward and expanding your chest while bringing your head up and back

     3) Drink an 8 ounce glass of water focusing on only the water

     4) Take your shoes off and feel your bare feet in connection with the ground and wiggle your toes and stretch out your feet

     5) Lay on the ground with your legs resting up a wall for 2 minutes. Bring your hips as close to the wall as you can comfortably manage. Breathe deeply.

     6) Take 1 minute to observe/experience nature – view a tree, park or the sky out the window. If no window, look at plant or flowers in the office.

     7) 1 minute air bench. Start standing with your back against the wall and feet pointing straight ahead. Walk your feet out away from the wall (2-2 and 1/2 feet) and bend your knees and slide down the wall. Don’t let hips drop below your knees. Bring your weight into your heels and press your low back into the wall.

   8) Shake it out – Stand up and take 1 minute to shake all your limbs starting with your hands and feet, progressing to full arms and legs and gradually working to your whole body. Make it fun.