Latest news with #LucasBall
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Man who didn't sit down for five days in a row reveals what happened to his body in fascinating before and after images
Experts have long said that standing is better than sitting—but a gruelling experiment undertaken by one man has revealed it may not be as beneficial as we've been told. In a YouTube video that has amassed nearly four million views, Lucas Ball, a US-based 'self-certified stunt man', refused to sit down for five days in order to test the health benefits of remaining upright. For 16 hours a day he stood and could only relax when he was sleeping, which he set himself a strict eight hour timer for. There were exceptions however, for example squatting over the toilet and having to drive his car—though he didn't let his bum touch the seat. 'So, I've stood up. I can't sit back down now. This Journey has begun,' he said as the experiment commenced. Commenting on the use of his standing desk at the start of the experiment, Mr Ball said he'd seen initial 'promising' results, as the position left him feeling 'productive', with little opportunity to get distracted 'I had a ton of energy, and I wasn't even thinking about sitting down,' he said. The video sees him watching TV, eating his dinner and performing physical exercise like lifting weights, all while standing up. But by day three it was taking a toll on his body, his posture was getting worse and he started to gain weight. He said: 'On day three it really hit me in the lower legs and feet, I felt very sore and tired. On top of this I was also extremely hungry,' adding that eating distracted him from the pain. 'Maybe I was hungry from burning extra calories, but one thing I noticed is that when I was eating, it took my mind off of standing up. Partially for this reason, I constantly ate throughout the entire day.' 'When I got towards the end, and I started to relax that is where the soreness and fatigue really started to creep in,' adding that even in bed he couldn't find relief as the soreness in his legs meant he couldn't get comfortable. 'It has been rough waking up, getting up, walking around.' By the end of the five days, he said his posture took a hit, with his upper back more rounded into a slouching position. As well as the joint ache in his knees and hip, he gained a pound on the scale. He said: 'My hip, and knees are kind of starting to ache in a way that's more than just muscular. 'It looks like I'm mainly going in a negative direction when it comes to this experiment, but I had a ton of great experiences and a ton of eye—opening moments.' However, there appeared to be a silver lining. By the end of the ordeal his lower back felt 'incredible' and far less less tight. What's more, he developed extra curve in his lower spine, which is known to help improve balance and flexibility. The YouTuber also noticed his digestion was 'faster and smoother', as the gravity meant food empties from the stomach more quickly. People in the UK spend an average of about nine hours sitting per day. It comes as a recent study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that standing more than sitting does not lower the chances of suffering heart and vascular issues. The Australian scientists, who tracked the exercise patterns of more than 80,000 people in the UK, found standing for two hours daily did little to reduce the chance of developing circulatory problems. Dr Matthew Ahmadi, an expert in population health at the University of Sydney and study lead author, said: 'Standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health. 'We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long term and increases the risk of circulatory issues.'
New York Post
05-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
I didn't sit down for 5 days — how it changed my body, from the good to the painful
He took a stand — against sitting. Researchers recommend standing for at least two to four hours during the workday to reduce the health risks associated with prolonged sitting. YouTuber Lucas Ball, who goes by Pigmie, took that advice to the extreme and decided not to sit for a week. The rules of the experiment were clear: Ball could lie down for exactly eight hours at night, but he had to be upright the rest of the time. That means in the bathroom, he squatted over the toilet, and in the car, he didn't let his bottom touch the backseat. 5 YouTuber Lucas Ball, who goes by Pigmie, decided not to sit for a week. He documented the effects on his health and psyche on YouTube. Youtube/pigmie 'Prolonged sitting and lack of physical activity have been correlated with obesity and a cluster of obesity-related conditions,' Ball, 34, said while kicking off his feat two years ago. 'Sitting for such prolonged amounts of time can result in back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, poor posture in the upper back, neck and shoulders, as well as vascular problems in the legs.' Though he appreciated that he could do the challenge alone and without pricey equipment, he did purchase a bamboo standing desk to ease the transition. That turned out to be a good move. Ball found he was more productive standing to work — he didn't have time to 'take a breather and then get distracted.' Outside of the work day, he tried to stay moving to distract himself from the fatigue that crept into his legs and feet. He watched TV and ate dinner standing up. He also ran errands by walking instead of driving and tried to work out without sitting. 5 He purchased a standing desk for the challenge, which helped increase his productivity. Youtube/pigmie Day 3 is when things took a turn. 'It really hit me in the lower legs and feet. I felt very sore and tired, and I felt like my posture while standing was starting to slack,' Ball shared. 'On top of this, I was also extremely hungry. Maybe I was hungry from burning extra calories, but one thing I noticed is that when I was eating, it took my mind off of standing up,' he added. 'And partially for this reason, I constantly ate throughout the entire day.' 5 Ball constantly distracted himself from the pain in his legs and feet. Youtube/pigmie He couldn't wait to lie down for his allotted eight hours. Eventually, his sleep worsened because his legs felt so uncomfortable. He spent hours tossing and turning while trying to stretch 'em. Ball cut the challenge short on Day 5 and took stock of where he stood. He noticed that he was slouching — his upper back was rounded — but his butt popped more. 'It looks like I'm starting to really form this slouched-over position, especially in the upper back,' he explained. 'But on the positive side, it looks like I'm getting back a little bit more curve in my lower spine, which should have been there.' 5 After only five days, Ball noticed he had developed a slouch. Youtube/pigmie His hip and knees ached, and he gained a pound, likely because he distracted himself from the pain by eating. But his digestion was 'faster and smoother,' and he estimated he was 30% more productive at work. 'What I think I'm gonna do from here on out is stand up, maybe like first thing when I go to work at the computer for a few hours. When I start to get fatigued, we'll bring that desk out,' Ball said before finally taking a seat. 5 A standing desk will get you out of the chair, but there are downsides as well. Youtube/pigmie There are pros and cons of standing desks — research suggests they can improve posture, help regulate blood sugar and enhance focus. However, they may also increase fatigue and the risk of developing varicose veins. Simply standing isn't enough — experts recommend taking movement breaks throughout the day to improve circulation and reduce stiffness.
