Gobble, gobble! With Thanksgiving right around the corner, this month’s WOW’s will focus on giving thanks AND doing planks! How cool is that? Your giving thanks will be to write 5 things that you are grateful for. They can be big or small, and make sure there is meaning behind what you’ve chosen. When you start to feel stressed, shift your focus and perspective to why you are thankful for these things. Your exercise for this week is to perform a plank. Start off on your forearms and keep your knees locked and stomach sucked in. Imagine a straight line from your head down to your ankles. Breathe in and out through the nose and hold for 10 seconds. Build up to a 30 second plank. Keep in mind that a modification of a plank would be a plank on your knees. Think about aligning your head, shoulders, hips, and knees in one straight line. Build up to a plank off your knees.

To help promote exercise and walking in the workplace, this month’s WOW’s will focus on how to make the most out of your walks. Walking is a great form of exercise and can be done anywhere, anytime without the need of equipment or a gym membership. Walking has shown to increase physical fitness while simultaneously decreasing stress. Best of all, you can enjoy this beautiful fall weather and watch the leaves change color on your walking breaks!

Have you ever tried adding a lunge into your walks? If you haven’t, today is the day! Start off with taking a big step forward and keep your front foot flat on the ground and your back foot on your toes. Bend your knees and keep them at 90 degrees while keeping your spine upright. Step your feet together and switch to the other side. The additional lunges will build your lower body strength and improve your balance and stability.

To help promote exercise and walking in the workplace, this month’s WOW’s will focus on how to make the most out of your walks. Walking is a great form of exercise and can be done anywhere, anytime without the need of equipment or a gym membership. Walking has shown to increase physical fitness while simultaneously decreasing stress. Best of all, you can enjoy this beautiful fall weather and watch the leaves change color on your walking breaks!

This week’s WOW is to perform a walking calf, hamstring and glute stretch. Take a step forward and keep your heel on the ground and point your toe to your face. Reach for your toe while maintaining a neutral spine and keep your chest lifted. Hold for one to two seconds, and switch to the other side. Perform for 10 to 12 repetitions total as you go for your walk. These stretches will open the back of your legs and improve your posture.

To help promote exercise and walking in the workplace, this month’s WOW’s will focus on how to make the most out of your walks. Walking is a great form of exercise and can be done anywhere, anytime without the need of equipment or a gym membership. Walking has shown to increase physical fitness while simultaneously decreasing stress. Best of all, you can enjoy this beautiful fall weather and watch the leaves change color on your walking breaks!

 

This week’s WOW is to perform a hamstring stretch during your walks. As you are walking, bring your knee up and pull on your knee with both hands for one to two seconds. Then lower your knee and switch to the other side. Perform for 10 repetitions total on both sides. This walking hamstring stretch will open up the back of your legs and help with reducing back pain and discomfort.