The Fit List: David Beckham's yoga teacher Shona Vertue shares her top fitness tips

Office life isn't exactly conducive to good health. First up, a long commute, either standing in an awkward position because you're squashed up against the door or, for the lucky ones, slumped on a seat. For the next eight hours (often more), you're mostly sat down in front of a large computer screen, taking minimal breaks and only nipping off for lunch on a good day. Your shift may well end with a pint or three at the local pub. 

Well it doesn't have to be that way. Today happens to be National Fitness Day, and a rather positive initiative called Flying Start, now in its second year, is calling for businesses to allow employees to start an hour later, in order to get an exercise kick which can not only boost personal health, but productivity in the workplace as well. 

According to research from insurance company AXA, 78 pc of business leaders believe exercise can improve an employee's motivation, while 82 pc say it helps them deal with stress. On the other side of the coin, nearly 70 pc of employees feel exercise makes them work better, with almost three-quarters saying it increased their concentration and focus. 

Shona Vertue

Chris Horlick, distribution director for AXA PPP healthcare, said of the campaign: "Flying Start is a simple campaign with a simple message - being physically active is good for us. It's good for our physical and mental health, and it's good for business.

"Whether it's using the fist hour of the working day to walk the dog, join a dance class or roller-blade to work, taking time to do something a little different may be just the spur we need to commit ourselves to making changes for the better." 

An extra hour in the morning sounds great, but many of us would surely use that to get a bit more sleep. And, with the campaign focusing on National Fitness Day itself, it's hard to envisage companies rolling out a late-start policy en masse. But Shona Vertue, a yoga instructor described by student David Beckham as "the best", has some quick routines to help office workers stay fit and healthy throughout the year.  

"Starting the day with exercise can have so many benefits, not just for your body, but your energy levels and productivity throughout the day," says Vertue. "Exercise boosts circulation, so it's going to help with brain function, and it can stimulate endorphins. We get all kinds of neurochemical boosts from exercise, and it can help wake you up and keep you alert." 

Kicking off your morning with any physical activity is beneficial but, for Vertue, there are certain workouts that can help with concentration, particularly yoga. "The breath is very closely linked to the nervous system, so you can alter the functioning of your nervous system just in the way that you're breathing," she explains. "With yoga we really focus on that." 

For the Flying Start campaign, Vertue has created a series of short videos aimed at mobilising and activating muscles - like the glutes - that suffer the most from a sedentary lifestyle. Tight glutes can lead to back pain, which is one of the primary causes of working days lost, so it's easy to see why encouraging physical activity may be in the interests of both businesses and employees.

Yoga and weight training are Vertue's favourite morning methods, and she's condensed them into manageable chunks: "That's why we created these three videos, they make things like yoga and weight training a bit more accessible. It's really helpful for the body, and you can do it in your lounge." 

The first video, the Brain Booster, is a form of yoga designed to help increase energy, productivity and brain power. The second, Stress Suppressor, is a HIIT workout combing yoga breathing and kettlebells, ensuring a sweaty, endorphin-releasing start to the day. Finally, Prime Posture is a simple resistance band routine focusing on those glutes. 

Doing a little pre-work exercise may go a long way towards a more productive workplace and, more importantly, individual health. "We're such a seated culture," says Vertue. "I don't spend a lot of time in a chair, but when I'm on a busy tube and see a free seat, I run to it. Why am I racing for the chair? We have this ingrained desire to sit down, so anything we can do to try and untrain that is really beneficial." 

Shona Vertue's fit list 

1. Resistance bands

"They're light and handbag friendly, but pack a punch when it comes to training the glutes. I have one in my gym bag at all times but have been known to also carry one in my handbag as well, because you never know when you'll need to activate your gluteals."

2. Polar heart rate monitor 

"I don't use it to check my heart rate during workouts, but to measure my heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a measurement that indicates how much variation there is in your heartbeats within a specific time frame. Low HRV can be indicative of a stressed out nervous system, while a high HRV can be indicative of a calmer nervous system. 

"This is important because we can become very accustomed to what 'stress' feels like. HRV can give you an important piece of biometric data that will help you to make more educated decisions about how intensely you should be training. I check my HRV first thing upon waking up to help determine whether I will go hard in the gym, or if there is a low HRV reading, will choose to meditate and do some yoga instead." 

3. Coffee (or, more specifically, caffeine)

"Caffeine, the most widely used psychoactive drug, has a bit of an unfortunate reputation. Many people believe that it's bad for them, but it depends on the context. If you're using the caffeine from 10 coffees a day to fuel the nine hours spent in a chair, behind your desk, struggling to keep up with your workload then it might be important to find another method for energising your brain and body.

"However, caffeine can be used as a powerful tool to help boost your energy levels and output during a workout. I have a coffee 30 minutes before training and it really helps me to push myself that little bit further." 

4. A workout programme

"I never turn up to the gym without a plan. This is because I know that if I'm not sure of what I'm going to do before I get to the gym, I will end up mindlessly wandering between equipment, essentially wasting time. Having a programme that you follow not only provides you with a plan, but also helps you to track your progress by monitoring the weights you have lifted or reps you have completed over time."

5. H20

"We all know that drinking water is important but it can actually make difference to the efficacy of your workout capabilities. Even a modest reduction in hydration levels can lead to a huge decrease in strength and fitness output. If I know I'm going to the gym, I make a conscious and extra effort to be hydrated before getting sweaty." 

6. Wireless headphones 

"While working out, if I'm not listening to my hip hop playlist on Spotify, I'm listening to some of my favourite podcasts. I find this is the best way to stay off my phone (which would lead me to check my emails during the workout - a big no-no) it also helps me to become less distracted by my surroundings, staying focused on the exercises ahead. Gyms are distracting places, I like to cultivate as much concentration as possible so that I get the most from my training."

Shona Vertue has partnered with AXA PPP healthcare to launch their 2018 Flying Start campaign for National Fitness Day. For more information please visit www.axappphealthcare.co. uk/myflyingstart