Prehab Exercises at Home

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

I’ve recently started working from home (moved for wife’s job, company wanted to keep me). I’m a software guy, so I spent my day in a chair.

What are some “prehab” exercises that I can do every hour or so at home? I have a couple kettlebells (25lbs, 45lbs), a fair assortment of bands, and a lot of space.

Possibilities so far:

  • Wall slides
  • Kettlebell swings
  • Push ups
  • Band pull aparts
  • Band external rotations
  • TKE’s (are these worth anything?)
  • Foam rolling
  • bodyweight squats
  • bodyweight lunges

Suggestions? How careful do I need to be volume on this stuff so it doesn’t impact other training? Is this a terrible idea?

Some other notes:

  • I don’t have any particular issues at the moment, no joint/muscle pain
  • I usually do an upper/lower split (5/3/1) and go the gym 4 days/week
  • Anything I do should take 5-10 minutes. I do have to work still, but breaks are fine
  • There’s some good stuff here as well: (De)-Constructing Computer Guy - Part 1

Thanks in advance.

2

These exercises are unnecessary because you are already getting a thorough, balanced muscular development routine from your workouts. If you want to prevent injuries, go ahead and to stretches and foam rolling and some yoga all you want, just avoid exercises like push-ups and squats outside of your workouts because that will lead to over-training. The best you can do is stretch frequently and also after every workout.

If you already have a condition that requires physical therapy, then by all means do it. Otherwise, proper exercise and stretching will be all you need.

3

You work from HOME and you SIT. why?
Do you work from a laptop or do you need to use a desktop?

I, too, am stuck in front of my computer all day… I’ve been experimenting with postures. Standing is good. Lying down is good (cobra pose - but prop yourself up on your elbows and you can type ok. Wonderful antidote to kyphosis).

Squatting
Cross legged
Seiza (japanese style)

So many different ways to sit…

Inspired by:

http://phillipbeach.com/muscles_and_meridians.html

I try and spend as much time on the floor as possible. Getting up off the floor and getting down onto the floor… Keeps me mobile and comfortable. Something you only really appreciate it if you come to lose it.

I think part of the problem is that when I get suitably engrossed in my work I stop moving about. Then after an hour or so I become aware I’m locked into position.

I’ve started on less comfortable postures when I do bits I don’t need as much focus for (e.g., fiddling with references? Lets sit in an external hip rotation pose). I find lying cobra a wonderful position to risk getting locked in (e.g., for creative work) because it is the only pose I know for working in throacic extension.