Forget smoking. Today, the new silent enemy of health is sitting. On average, each Italian sits for 5.5 hours a day. One in three even reaches 8.5 hours. Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle are the new evils of the world. A third, or almost, of the world’s population is stationary. Sitting occupies the majority of daily and waking hours in most adults.
Sitting kills
Prolonged sitting, according to the most recent statistics, increases the risk of death from all causes. In addition, in the adult and elderly population, too much time sitting leads to a decrease in cognitive functions, depression, functionality, and disability. In short, sitting kills. But not everyone is aware of this. Whether it’s at work, during travel, during coffee breaks or in the evening at home on the couch, we spend a lot of time sitting.
The trend towards smart working has intensified this trend even further. Even in the gym, users exercise while sitting. This daily behavior leads to shortening of the hip flexors and weakening of the core muscles. These muscle groups are largely responsible, if not the most important, for relieving pain and having a healthy and fit body.
From an orthopedic point of view, sitting is a constant danger to the health of the body. The back has almost no support, and if the ground position is even slightly wrong, it can cause damage to the spine. Leaning the torso on the back of a couch can cause even worse situations: these positions are associated with intervertebral dislocations and spinal fractures.
Is physical activity enough to counteract the damage from prolonged sitting?
In a world that is becoming increasingly lazy, being as active as possible is important. Walking, dancing, gardening, running, or biking. That’s what the WHO says, which updated its physical activity guidelines in 2020. But simply moving more is not enough. Structured training is the first step to take. However, to live better and longer, we need to improve the body’s overall physical efficiency.
Developing physical efficiency means being able to perform movements and activities that require power without getting tired and is associated with a low risk of developing diseases associated with physical inactivity.
Current scientific evidence leaves no room for interpretation. For the best results in physical fitness, health, and longevity, it is necessary to train the entire human body with chain kinetic strength exercises. Not as individual disconnected muscles, as is the case with more traditional workouts. The most natural way to train the entire body is through compound strength exercises in an upright position.
Teca Stand Up: Get Everyone Standing, But on Machines
The strengthening of the whole body is the most important tool for improving health, physical fitness, and quality of life. This is confirmed by the latest studies and the WHO, which encourages people to increase and institutions to promote the practice of muscle work.
The new guidelines recommend a global muscle training, so for the whole body. To respond specifically to the needs of health and longevity of the general public, TECA has developed Stand Up, the first strength machine with exercises in kinetic chain and standing.
Strength training on this particular type of equipment in an upright station allows for a complete body muscle workout, in full compliance with the latest WHO guidelines on health, longevity, and quality of life. In a standing position, there is a +125% greater muscle involvement than in seated exercise: the entire core and lower limb musculature is always active, with an increase in the energy cost of training, more weight control and major improvement of various health-related parameters.
The benefits of standing training do not end here. The standing position is the most natural and physiological position for working out. That’s why exercise on Stand Up allows for effective muscle strengthening without risking anomalous compensations, in full respect of joint physiology.
The stress on the spine is reduced compared to the seated position and the workload is distributed among the various muscles that make up the chain. So anyone can train without fear of overloading the joints, as could happen with more traditional training types.
Working out in an upright position also allows you to rebuild motor patterns altered by sedentary behavior and any trauma or interventions. Exercise on Stand Up corrects problems caused by incorrect attitudes during daily life, such as compression of blood vessels caused by prolonged sitting or curvature of the back and shoulders.
Exercise on Stand Up, finally, offers combined results in a single session: more general muscle trophism due to the shift in load, better cardiovascular functionality, increased aerobic resistance, improved balance. The body becomes stronger and more resilient, thereby increasing health and quality of life.
Learn more about Stand Up at https://tecafitness.com/it/teca-standup/“
