- Further division of the space
- play with solid and void
- maintain the taichi symbol look
Draft 5:
- Further development of the playground
- Add detailed elements to the model
- Major: Waist twist Walk; Arm roller; Leg balance; Seating area
Tag: WORKOUT
Prototype development
- the old model only involves waist movements.
- in the 1st draft, aesthetics were not taken consideration yet
- The new model aims to become a system of tools/equipment that will engage isolated body parts to perform movements extracted from Taichi. Therefore, there would be equipment cater to legs, waist, hands, arms separately. Furthermore, considering working adults would not be in exercise attire during office hours and they might just have few mins during their break, all movements could be considered as “N.E.A.T — non-exercise activities thermogenesis”. So users could do gentle movements with the help of the facilities. Besides, this would enable more than 2 people to use this tools at the same time; hence, it would also be a good chance for people to talk and interact during their break.
- In terms of aesthetic, I would like to use the traditional taichi symbol as inspiration. First of all this symbol is well-known by all most everyone, using it would be an obvious reminder for users that this facility is related to Taichi. Secondly, this symbol well expresses the ideology behind Taichi, which is ” balance ” “movements” “duality”, therefore, I would like to play with the iconic “black and white” color of Taichi symbol.
- I propose to use the combination of wood and metal to build this system to create the modern look. Normally, manufacturers use metal alloy to build this kind of facility because they are more likely to be put outdoor.
draft 1 by Nov 2016
Draft 2 by Jan 2017
Non-exercise activity Thermogenesis- N.E.A.T
The N.E.A.T. Way to Exercise
February 27, 2014
Most people think that the only way to burn calories is through scheduled exercise sessions. Although exercise is the most ideal way to expend a lot of calories, there are additional ways to burn them throughout the day that are not programmed sessions. Both weight loss and weight maintenance can be made easier with a clear understanding of non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or N.E.A.T.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis includes the calories expended outside of exercise, eating and sleeping. There are many N.E.A.T. activities that we already do, but may not realize its caloric output effect. Simple tasks such as raking leaves, physical labor, climbing stairs and even fidgeting help us expend additional calories. In essence, N.E.A.T. increases metabolic rate and results in a substantial energy cost overtime.
Recent movement findings were discussed in the ACE webinar, “Consequences of Sitting and How to Become a Movement Warrior.” Research suggests that individuals who move throughout the day are more likely to reach or maintain weight-loss goals versus those who are sedentary throughout the day and vigorously move through one exercise session. Therefore, a greater caloric output occurs throughout the day rather than during one vigorous exercise session. Researcher James Levine, M.D., who has published several journal articles on the positive effects of N.E.A.T., found that adopting N.E.A.T. behaviors can increase daily caloric expenditure by as much as 350 calories per day, and is particularly beneficial for obese individuals.
Most people spend the majority of their day at work. One way to increase caloric burn is to implement non-exercise movement throughout the workday. Agriculture, construction and housekeeping trades are good examples of high N.E.A.T. jobs because they require a high demand for movement. On the other hand, desk jobs are primarily sedentary and do not expend much energy cost. So how can you increase your N.E.A.T. during the workday? Here are some creative ideas to integrate movement:
Change your mode of transportation. Walk, bike or bus to work instead of driving. This starts and ends the day on a good note, along with a breath of fresh air.
Implement walking meetings. Head outdoors and boost your team’s creativity with a walking meeting. Walking is an effective way to burn calories, stimulate the brain and bond the team.
Throw out your garbage can. Give your eyes and body a break from the computer screen by removing your garbage can from under your desk. This gives you a reason to get up and walk to the workroom or break room to throw out your trash or recycling materials.
Create wellness challenges. Talk to your HR or Wellness department about creating walking challenges. If HR cannot help, form walking teams within your department. One challenge may include walking 10,000 steps per day for 10 days. Individuals who meet or exceed the goal’s challenge can win a prize or an incentive reward. Pedometers and Fitbit devices are beneficial tools to track these steps.
Take the stairs. This old adage still rings true. Skip the elevator and take the stairs to keep the body moving throughout the day.
Stand instead of sit. Adjustable and treadmill desks are becoming increasingly popular in the workplace. However, if these desks are not available, raise your work to a podium or counter so you can stand throughout the day. This is advantageous for those who need to read or work from a laptop or mobile device. Resting heart rate is higher while standing than sitting, thus increasing caloric output.
Accumulated physical activity can significantly increase the number of calories burned throughout the day or week. Therefore, if you’re tied behind the desk remember there are plenty of ways to incorporate movement when you cannot formally exercise. Other N.E.A.T. examples include:
- Playing with your kids
- Completing yard work
- Grocery shopping
- Walking the dog
- Cleaning the house
If your day lacks N.E.A.T., think of one or two ideas that you can start with to integrate movement into your day or week. For those who track calories, use www.myfitnesspal.com to find an estimated calorie burn based on the activity, length of time and current weight. This site, along with other websites, does not consider gender, which does affect the caloric output. However, it is an effective guide for calculating caloric burn, especially for activities such as chores or yard work. Myfitnesspal.com is free and easy to use for those who do not have a current calorie tracker device or website.
So the next time you’re looking to rev up your calorie burn, choose the N.E.A.T. way to stay active. N.E.A.T. is a beneficial addition to your exercise routine that does not take time away from home or family—perfect for those who find time is their worst enemy.
source: https://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/3757/the-n-e-a-t-way-to-exercise/
Taichi CHI
Taichi Ball rotation exercise
Axius
Source: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1811282608/functional-core-balance-and-mobility-training-syst/posts/1671520
Video: http://www.businessinsider.com/balance-platform-axius-workout-2016-8?IR=T&r=US&IR=T
AXIUS addresses your body across three planes of motion: tilt, rotation and roll. It allows you to reduce or increase degrees of instability to create safe, controllable stages of progression for building core strength and functional stability. Through this type of instability and balance training, you will recruit deep core and stabilizing muscles, not activated through traditional movements. These are the muscles that will help you move better!
You will also heighten your kinesthetic awareness or the understanding of where your body exists in 3-dimensional space. With constant instability, AXIUS will heighten your proprioceptors as you build core strength while allowing you to accurately control your body in an unstable environment. This will help to improve your reaction time and your bodies responsiveness in any athletic movement.
Taichi fighting with wooden dummy
My comments&reflection on Fitness furniture collection
my reflection & comments:
1. mind consciousness
2. simple aesthetics
3. visual and physical balance
4. sitting posture
My reflection&comments:
- interesting product, the curve in the product assist people in doing crunches, as many beginners have difficulties in sit at there tail bone position.
- the seat rise people higher, it avoid the awkwardness of exercising on the floor, in the office situation.
My comments&reflection:
- Useful and direct design, but the function is very limited to arm exercise.
My comments&reflection:
- for gymnast mostly.
- elegant design
- duality of softness and hardness in terms of material
My comments&reflection:
- dont really know how does this works.
- simple, cute design, can be put in any room.
My comments&reflection:
- very conviencing.
- but the whole structure looks overwhelming and dramatic, maynot be a good choice for every office.
My comments&reflection:
- for yoga
- occupies little space
Lucie Koldová
Tai Chi Chair Is A Dead Simple Exercise Chair
Treadmill too big to install in your home office? Here’s a space-efficient way to flex some muscles during 15-minute breaks: the Tai Chi Chair.
Designed by ESAD Reims student Yuan Yuan, the furniture sports handholds and footholds that allow you to perform a variety of exercises. I’m not too familiar with Tai Chi, though, so I don’t know about the name. Isn’t that the thing they do in the park with no equipment whatsoever?
The Tai Chi Chair is a dead simple seating chattel, with a wooden plywood seat and a small bar of cushion for the back. The rest of the chair consists of the metal frame, sections of which have been bent in various shapes for use in different gym-like exercises (some of which, by the way, look like a one-way ticket to a busted nose).
Hopefully, the furnishing comes with instructions, since most people will likely be stumped about what exercises to do on the thing. Plus, it’s probably a bad idea to use this as your actual working chair, since that bottom is flat and that back looks similarly uncomfortable. Best save this as a spare for the occasional guest.
Personally, I like the idea, but the furniture’s overall usability as an actual office chair will need to be addressed. Fortunately, the Tai Chi Chair is only a first version prototype that was intended for a proposed event (that, from what I can gather, didn’t push through, either).