Wellness

A global wellness campaign was started recently at work, and the Philippines was one of the pilot sites due to the strength of our employee engagement program. To officially kick off this campaign, we organized a big wellness launch. Several booths that catered to different aspects of overall wellness were set up and employees were invited to check everything out.

We organized a program - complete with celebrity host - that had several interesting segments, including a Laughter Yoga portion. I was kinda forced to join it along with about 8 other people because no one else would haha. I have to say it was extremely weird laughing with less than a dozen other folks while the entire audience was looking at us as if we had all just escaped from an insane asylum! Nevertheless, I have tried to incorporate what I learned from it in that whenever I feel stressed, I try to force myself to smile and even laugh. I guess it sort of works. I'm sure it would work a lot more if I commit to it more fully.

The most interesting thing I tried was the physical fitness booth that featured a lot of cardio equipment, some free weights, and the TRX. The program included a contest on who can complete the most atomic push-ups on the TRX. What is an atomic push-up, you ask? Check out this video to see.


video uploaded in youtube by user FitnessAnywhere

Oh man that is not easy, even if the guy in that video makes it look like a piece of cake! I actually tried it once the contest was over and I managed just do a couple. To be fair though, I did several other ab exercises before trying the atomic push-up, including a difficult ab exericse on the TRX followed by a few ab exercises using a medicine ball and then the kettlebell so when I tried the atomic push-up and completed the crunch, my abs really hurt!

Oh, and what is a kettlebell, you ask? Well, check out this video:


video uploaded in youtube by user ElektraKnight

When you look at this exercise, you won't think that it's an ab workout. But try it with a 20kg kettlebell and you will definitely feel the burn in your lower abs. Even a few days after our event exercises and my abs still feel like they are torn LOL. Note to self: lower intensity next time. :)