Need a goal to motivate you to move?
Push the keyboard aside, stand up from your desk, grab your sweat band, dust off the Lycra and get ready to compete against your colleagues in a series of Activ Life challenges.
The winner could receive swag (I mean who doesn't love a water bottle with your company logo all over it), a gift certificate to your favourite yoga studio or wellness activity, or a discount on your next health insurance payment.
Here are five Activ Life challenges to get the blood pumping, the breath flowing and the brain thinking. And the best bit, you don't need to leave the office to get to the top of the leaderboard.
Plank challenges: Start with the traditional Plank on your hands, and then mix it up with a Dolphin Plank, One Legged Plank Pose, and a Bear Hover to High Plank.. what about a Dolphin Pose to Dolphin Plank? The sky's the limit for this challenge and if you've ever practised with our Activ Life team, you will know that the combinations for this challenge are endless.
Breathwork challenges: Inhale for 15 seconds, and exhale for 60 seconds. Too much to start? Try inhaling for 3 seconds and encourage your exhale to last for 10 seconds. Or challenge your colleagues to take as few breaths in one minute as they can, in turn, inviting the body and mind to relax as much as possible to achieve this goal. I set my Activ Life students this goal in yesterday's class and they averaged an incredible 2-3 breaths in one minute!
Relaxation challenges: How long can you stay still without moving? It's harder than you think. Falling asleep does not count!
Balancing challenges: From relaxation to balance. How long can you balance for? Pick a pose (Tree Pose is a yoga favourite), set the timer, and go.
Handstand challenge: Ok, so now we're really raising the bar! You can opt to include wall support in the rule book if your colleagues allow, otherwise it's freestanding all the way. Safety first!
The Activ Life Challenge Series fits into a neat 5-week program, which makes it long enough to feel the burn, and short enough that people don't lose momentum.
Send me an email to louise@theactivlife.com if you need a kick start to get the ball rolling.
Louise FitzRoy is the Principal of Activ Life, a leading health and wellness yoga company based in the Cayman Islands. If you enjoyed this article you may also like: Why Savasana matters and The lost art of breathing.