Sitting is the New Smoking!

Yes, it is true, there is new research that "prolonged siting increases cancer and disease risk, even with regular exercise." That means, even with a one-hour daily jog or workout at the gym, we are at increased risk for illness if we sit for prolonged periods for the remaining 23 hours a day.


The antidote… standing when you can, and moving frequently, even after your morning run or weight training session. An article in the AARP magazine suggests that we can go a long way in curbing our risk by changing our habits at work. Ideas include walking to a colleague's office instead of sending an email, standing when making phone calls, or even using a desk designed to fit over a treadmill for writing and cruising the Internet.

So what does all of this have to do with training and adult learning? Well, apparently quite a lot! John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist and director of the Brain Center for Applied Learning Research, says exercise increases oxygen flow to the brain and enhances mental sharpness. See this fun video for what this could look like in classrooms and at work. Click on #1Exercise.

As it turns out, our sitting down training sessions may not only be bad for our health, they aren't conducive to learning! If we want folks to learn, we need to get them moving. According to Medina, movement "enhances all areas of executive function including concentration, impulse control, foresight, problem solving and creativity." And while we are at it, movement reduces our risk for disease.

So what can we do as instructional designers and trainers to build more movement into our trainings? In addition to giving frequent breaks and inviting folks to stand and move about the room as needed during the session, how about standing/walking to the four corners of a room, or standing on a continuum to express opinions, make choices, or form small groups for discussions. Then there are simulations and demonstrations as ways to provide an experience before discussion. There are also role plays in a wagon wheel with inner and outer circles in which the inner circle faces out and the outer circle faces in, practicing and then moving one to your right to practice again. You can also try coaching role plays in which one person practices the skill, the other responds, and the 3rd person stands behind the practicer to coach. Then participants shift roles until each person has had a turn in every role.

Adult learners may also enjoy body sculptures or sculptures made with art materials to demonstrate an understanding of a concept. To keep folks moving you can  set up learning stations or gallery walks in which individuals or pairs move from station to station to practice a skill, read and respond, or add their opinion in writing. Another favorite of mine for engagement with verbal rehearsal, is to toss a nerf ball back-and-forth while trying to commit something to memory. These are a few ideas. I hope you'll add your movement inducing training activities in the comments section below. After the research revealed above…we ALL are kinesthetic learners, or probably should be!