If you were required to squat, would you end up in a heap, probably after a bit of wee came out? We’ve all been there! It’s a sign we aren’t using our body in the way it was designed. Ditto not being able to pull your knickers on standing up without a balance bar and a safety net.
But, equally, we need to guard against the idea that popping off to the gym in a quick burst at some point is all that we need to be doing to stay mobile. What we do in the gym often bears little resemblance to the requirements of moving in real life (strength yes, movement, sometimes not so much …). Yup, the gym might fall short at offsetting the dangers of sitting down for the rest of the time. Just count how many of those machines require you to, you guessed it, sit down. Looking at you, leg press, shoulder press, pec press, thigh abductor … the list goes on. And just as an FYI: Studies suggest ovarian, cervical and colon cancers are all linked to too much sitting.
We’re living in a time when, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, ‘There is a great evolutionary mismatch between our current lifestyle and our genes and biology’. We’re designed to be constantly on the move. Our movement causes physical stressors that help to build resilience and stability. Muscles tug on bones and bones get denser – which is all great for our health span. And stronger muscles help hormones health and insulin resistance.