Dont Just Sit There

by Katy Bowman

If sitting is indeed the new smoking, then certainly we should quit. But is sitting really the problem, or is something else going on? Is getting better as simple as kicking over your chair and standing all day in front of the same computer, under the same fluorescent lighting or is there something more to be learned from the data about how people work best? Don't Just Sit There explains why swapping one static position for another isn't taking a big enough look at the problem, and provides corrective exercise and lifestyle solutions to help you safely and effectively transition away from the conventional office set-up allowing you to reap the enormous benefits of moving more throughout the day while getting your work done. Don't Just Sit There * How conventional office arrangements are capping our level of health and why this can't be offset with a daily bout of exercise * That sitting and screen-time are two different variables and should be treated as such * Corrective exercises to sit, stand, and move better without leaving your office * How to boost your creativity and energy levels at the office With clear, science-based explanations, Bowman lays out the issues created by conventional office environments, and describes in detail the steps necessary to transition to a more dynamic set-up safely and effectively. With over twenty exercises, this is a must-have for anyone hoping to increase their daily movement and improve their health without sacrificing their productivity.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Fitness

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Bestselling author, speaker, and a leader of the Movement movement, biomechanist Katy Bowman, M.S. is changing the way we move and think about our need for movement. Her ten books, including the groundbreaking Move Your DNA, have been translated into more than 16 languages worldwide.
Bowman is the creator and host of the "Move Your DNA" podcast, teaches movement globally, and speaks about sedentarism and movement ecology to academic and scientific audiences such as the Ancestral Health Summit and the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Her work has been featured in such diverse media as the Today Show, CBC Radio One, the Seattle Times, NPR, the Joe Rogan Experience, and Good Housekeeping.
One of Maria Shriver’s “Architects of Change” and an America Walks “Woman of the Walking Movement,” Bowman consults on educational and living space design to encourage movement-rich habitats. She has worked with companies like Patagonia, Nike, and Google as well as a wide range of non-profits and other communities to create greater access to her “move more, move more body parts, move more for what you need” message.
Her movement education company, Nutritious Movement, is based in Washington State, where she lives with her family.

Reviews

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't have a standing work station, but I work from home so I don't sit at a desk all day. (I take lots of breaks, and move often and am often rearranging my work space). However, there is some good food for thought in this book and it's short. A good read.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Don't Just Sit There: Transitioning to a Standing and Dynamic Workstation for Whole-Body Health is a small tome that is perfect to carry to the office. Yes, much of the content is duplicative of Katy Bowman's other books, but this one is accessible, easy to read, and specific to the office environment.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this audio book as part of the DJST digital package, and like Bowman's other audio books, the other files (videos, photos, etc.) are necessary for understanding some of the concepts she explains. The point of this book is that sitting all day is bad. Standing all day is bad. We need a variety of movements, even if they are micro-movements.
I appreciate Bowman's nonjudgemental tone. Just the fact, m'am.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's likely that if you read her blog enough, this information can be gleaned from it without ordering the book. However, I like to have visual reminders of exercises, and keeping this book at my desk help me remember that there is a person who keeps lists of negative heel shoes, that I should take eye and walking breaks, and that if I can stretch my legs and back even if I only have a few minutes.

As an aside, I feel like this would be a good book to keep in an office break room.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great starting point for Katy Bowman's work. Short, clear, accessible with a good balance of practical suggestions and scientific explanations. And (for once) her movement suggestions actually feel doable rather than overwhelming. I like that she ends by acknowledging the limits of improving our office movements - the real solution to better human health (physical, mental, social, environmental) is not to work better, but to work less, and to reconceive of the role of work within our lives. I think reading this book alongside Movement Matters would empower anyone to take better charge of their health and happiness, without overwhelming them with technical details or an infinite number of exercises (as can happen with books like Move Your DNA).

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Bowman, it's not sitting per se that's the problem, it's being still. Rather than learning new ways to sit more comfortably, or stand instead, better to find ways to incorporate more movement into your day. But if you do want to stand, she tells you how to align your joints so you can do it without injuring yourself further. Key takeaways, your toes are capable of moving independently (!) and exactly how slim your hip width is. It's a quick read with plenty of exercises and options to investigate.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing my Year-of-All-Things-by-Katy-Bowman kick, I found this helpful and motivating, as a desk jockey who desperately wants to embrace her Nutritious Movement lifestyle. She makes these exercises and movements practical and applicable for everyone, no matter what your office life may look like.

[Teresa Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great tips for taking standing desks to the next level and how to incorporate more movement while standing. I've had a sit/stand desk for three years and feel like I haven't gotten as much movement out of it as I could have. I now have some actionable next steps to take. Everything Katy Bowman writes is great and this is no exception.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great resource from Katy! It's given me lots of different ideas for my home workspace which I was able to implement without spending a cent, the exercises have been helpful, and I am moving much more often during the work day. A helpful book for anyone who has to spend the bulk of their day in front of a screen.

[Eliza Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super important concepts in here - although some of material is repeated from bowman's move your DNA book.

I enjoy her conversational writing style but I wish her writing was a little more evidence based. I know they she does a lot of meta analysis on biomechanics but I would like to understand how her ideas are backed up.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short read but packed with great information about incorporating more movement (not just sitting or standing) into your workday.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super quick read with great info even if you don't (no longer) work in an office. 😉

[Tracy Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good thoughtful advice

[Meg]

Just in case you wanted something a little more nuanced than "sitting is the new smoking" contains alignment exercises, and out of date (for 2021) lists of potential equipment.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, manual-like. Less background detail than Move Your DNA, which seems to be the point for a more specific subtopic.

[Katelyn Baddeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beginning of our journey with Katy Bowman and all things movement!

[Helene Poppleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet, with lots of doable ideas to get moving at work!

[Catherine Gillespie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katy Bowman’s short book Don’t Just Sit There provides an excellent resource not only for transitioning to a standing workstation, but really for integrating movement into your whole day. Bowman says that it’s not really sitting that’s the whole problem, it’s lack of movement generally. So you could get a fantastic expensive standing desk and still have issues if you stand in the same position all the time.

Instead, Bowman advocates a dynamic work habit. Sometimes you sit, sometimes you stand, sometimes you walk around, sometimes you sit on the floor leaning forward propped up on your elbows…but you change it up.

Bowman provides lots of suggestions and exercises, but the simple motivation of the book was most helpful. After reading it, I brought a tray into my office that lets me type while standing, and I also started doing more of our school day from a standing/walking position rather than sitting. I also do a lot of work with my laptop on the kitchen island, so one way or another I’m standing and moving a lot more than before thanks to this helpful book.

{Read more of my reviews at A Spirited Mind.}

[Alex Linschoten · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever read a book by Katy Bowman you'll know the drill. There's not that much that this book adds to what she's written in the past, whether on her blog or in her books, but it's still nice to find it all in one package here. The videos (available on the full package site) are invaluable, however. I often feel that Katy's biggest strength (her wariness of offering advice or prescriptions) is her biggest weakness. She expects you to meet her halfway, expecting understanding to breed action. I'm not sure whether that is actually the case, but certainly this book covers all the things you'd hope it to cover, including questioning the very idea of standing desks themselves. All in, pretty good and practical, but you'll want to watch the videos as well.

[Anette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastisk vigtig bog.

Man kan med fordel springe de første kapitler over, hvis man i forvejen har læst Katys "Move Your DNA".

Fik aldrig læst den helt færdig, da tankegangen allerede var rigeligt implementeret i mig.

[Machiko · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked/need to re-read the section on how varicose veins happen.

[Emilydodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

great advice and exercises to get you more active at work and healthier. everyone should read this not just office workers

[Lotzastitches · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paperback
Good advice for transitioning.

[Shawna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of great suggestions for making your work space more friendly for your body. I like that she emphasizes that changing from one static position (sitting all the time) to a different static position (standing all the time) is not going to solve your problems. We must move!

[Ren · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If we keep trying to solve the 'what's the best way to be in front of my computer' problem, we'll miss that the answer is 'as little as possible.'" (p11)

"Sometimes we get so fixated on 'doing it the right way' that we forget 'the right way' is 'as many different ways as you can.'" (p15)

As expected, this short book is full of great advice and information. I'm lucky to work from home so implementing a lot of these habits is definitely doable. Having already made some changes to how I work, I can already feel a difference. Now to expand on my efforts...