#active working

Walk while you work. It sounds simple — because it is. And the results, both for your physical health and your mental focus, are genuinely remarkable.

Under-desk treadmills have become one of the most popular fitness purchases of the last few years, and for good reason. They turn passive sitting time into active movement without disrupting your workflow or your day.

This guide to the best options on the market helps you find the one that works perfectly under your desk 💻🚶‍♂️

Calories for Work…

“Approximately 3,200 kcal could meet the daily energy requirements for physical exercise for a 70 kg person whereas 2,600 calories was sufficient for simple office work.

The metabolism of a farm worker during harvesting would require 4,300 kcal. The peak values of the daily calorie consumption for lumberjacks would amount to approximately 6,000 kcal for a 70 kg person. Long-distance racing…

The active sitting category just gets more and more exciting. Muvman has been a favorite of ours since we began importing it from Germany two years ago. Mobis is a new option from focaluprightfurniture  that's not only incredibly comfortable but fully committed to movement. 

Look what we’ve done to food.

What used to come from the ground and be quite good for you, is now flavored in a factory off the Jersey turnpike. We know how that’s worked out for our health.

You might say the same about the workstation.

Through the early 1900s, most people stood at their office desks. Franklin, Churchill, Da Vinci, Nabokov, and Hemingway all preferred it. But most of us now sit – and die faster as a result. 20% faster, if you believe a recent study cited by the New York Times.

Riding a recent resurgence in standing desks comes Rhode Island-based startup Focal Upright Furniture. We’ve never seen anything quite like its Locus Workstation, which includes a full-articulated desk, footrest, and seat.

The seat is the most remarkable. Inspired by an old tractor seat (but hopefully softer), it has you perched somewhere between sitting and standing, a position found to be the most ideal by founder and designer Martin Keen.

You may recognize Keen’s name. Apparently a master of the hybrid, he previously made his mark with the eponymous footwear company he founded, known for its half-shoe, half-sandal favored by outdoor enthusiasts.

The full Locus setup from Focal will run you more than $2,000 – not cheap. But what price for a longer life? Check it out here.

Or, if it’s a less expensive standing option you seek, check out these IKEA hacks – where a couple hundred bucks will get you upright.

Now go forth (and get up already).

Nitty Gritty:

1899: Year School Hygiene is published, stating a seated desk can “injure the abdominal organs and the circulation”

1977: Year Nabokov died at 78 from bronchitis (not from sitting)

Portland’s mayor wants city residents to stand up more. Charlie Hales proclaimed July 17 Stand Up for Workplace Wellness Day.

Dr. Claire Wheeler is a professor of community health at Portland State University. At a hearing to declare war on chairs, she said too much sitting increases the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

For years, she says, people have taken the advice of their doctors and exercised 45 minutes a day. But then they’ve gone back to lie on a couch, sit at a desk or drive.

“Those people think that they’re physically active,” she said. “But intact the rates of heart disease and other illnesses are pretty much the same for them as well,” she explained.

“So we’ve identified a new risk factor, it seems to be even more significant than smoking. An hour of sitting in a chair, can take more time off your life than smoking a single cigarette,” she said.

City Commissioner Steve Novick called for his colleagues to set an example by taking some meetings standing up.

It's great to be part of such a progressive city and community.

All of us would love the chance to be more active during the day. Unfortunately, the fact for many of us is extended periods of sitting is part of our daily reality. It’s been the norm for so long, it feels like there really isn’t an alternative to sitting in a traditional office chair for eight hours per day. The kneeling chair concept was invented to reduce the amount of damage we do to our bodies during these prolonged periods of sitting. 

The kneeling chair encourages an upright and natural posture, an open hip angle, and proper spine alignment. Sound familiar? The same basic principles that make the saddle seat an excellent option for active sitting are also fundamental components of kneeling chairs. Both the kneeling chair and saddle seat encourage your body to move while seated, they just approach it differently.  The kneeling chair works by aligning the user’s head, spine, and hips through the ankle while seated. This position not only fully supports the spine without the need for lumbar or back support, but requires the user to regularly readjust and find this natural balance line.

When getting ready to fall asleep tonight, take note of the position of your legs. Chances are you don’t sleep with them at a 90 degree angle in front of you, but rather tucked under you slightly. Kneeling chairs achieve this same posture by tilting the pelvis forward in the chair while supporting the body’s weight with knee pads/platforms. For those with lower work surface heights a kneeling chair can be a great option to encourage active sitting.