I am typing this message from a giant, inflatable ball

**Lampa** · Posted On: 9/20/2011 1:30am

So, I've felt for about 6 months now that no matter how much or hard I train, there will always be a big weakness in my conditioning in what I do with the rest of my day. My job is conducted entirely in a seated position and I don't have any moderately active hobbies. If I'm not training MMA or doing conditioning to help my martial goals I'm sitting on my ass.

So, I decided to sit on my ass better by placing it on a swiss ball. I've looked in to some information on "active sitting" and I already had the ball for some exercises I do. So, I switched out my desk chair for my adult's hippity hop. I was wondering how you guys felt about the practice. A good way to keep the muscles engaged during white collar activity or pure voodoo?

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 9/20/2011 1:33am

Definitely not voodoo. It's not going to replace being on your feet and being active in general. But it's a ****-ton better than sitting on a chair that does ALL of the supporting for you.

**jspeedy** · Posted On: 9/20/2011 11:43am

I think someone in another thread mentioned holding a low horse stance for 5 mins at a time at the desk. If I sat at a desk constantly I'd try it out.

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 9/20/2011 11:56am

The Yogis and Shaolin figured this out many centuries ago.

This is why they developed yoga/qigong and in the case of the Shaolin, their form of training and fighting kung fu: to stay healthy while still spending a large amount of every day in sedentary, seated meditation. I think someone...Phrost or Der maybe...once termed it "Buddhist Fight Club".

So, their meditation developed to all sorts of seated, standing, and moving exercises to keep fit, especially given the dangerous times they lived in.

You don't have to buy into any of the religious, mystical, or spiritual aspects of the Buddhist martial arts to feel their positive effect on your posture, which is directly linked to overall health.

I spend about 70+ hours a week seated for my job, so I have had to incorporate the same kind of program into my daily routine to prevent myself from becoming Quasimodo by 40.

FYI, there are a million shitty videos on the internet for all this stuff, but THIS video is legit. A very no-nonsense, anatomical explanation of zen meditation.