Instant Recess: Group Exercise to Improve Health
Imagine the scene: it's 1:05 p.m., and you hear co-worker Stacey Thompson announcing, "Okay. It's time!" Within seconds you find yourself gathered at the reception desk with a dozen of your co-workers, marching in place, in preparation to dance.
Sound strange?
Well, this is what employees of Summit Health Institute for Research and Education (SHIRE), a nonprofit organization which fights obesity, have been up to. They are among the first to embrace "Instant Recess", a push to establish 10-minute daily exercise breaks in all workplaces.
SHIRE's executive director, Ruth Perot, said:
This is hard for folks to ignore. You can't say, 'I didn't know it was happening.' And if your boss has time to do it, so do you.
Take a look at Instant Recess in action:
UCLA professor Toni Yancey, who created Instant Recess, said:
In five years, Instant Recess will be in Congress, churches, waiting rooms... Once the opportunity is available, people will take it.
We're always talking about making exercise part of our lives, it seems to me this is one fantastic way to do so.
What about you -- do you like the idea of Instant Recess starting up your workplace?
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Created / Updated: June 4, 2010
This sounds like an idea that Michael Scott from "The Office" would have. And I would be the crabass doing it only because I was forced to. I work out; just not in front of my coworkers. Sounds like torture to me.
ReplyYes, I can totally see this in an episode — funny!
I think I would get involved, but would probably feel a bit self-conscious in front of my co-workers. Perhaps, it depends on who led the exercise, if they were good at leading and kind of motivational, that would certainly help.
ReplyI love it! Me and co-worker friend used to get up every afternoon and dance around the office for a few songs (our favorite was Love Generation by Bob Sinclair) instead of grabbing a cup of coffee to get the blood flowing. It's especially important if you work in a sedentary desk job. Fun and good for you!
ReplyHi Lauren — Good for you!! Were you hoping someone didn't decide to walk past the window at the same time? lol
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