Skip to content

The Invisible 8: Job Site Exercises

The Daily 8 stretches are your foundation work—major mobilization done at home. But what happens during an 8-hour workday? Compensation patterns accumulate. Joints stiffen. Muscles shut down.

The Invisible 8 are maintenance exercises you do throughout the day to prevent that accumulation. They're called "invisible" because:

  • They look like normal behavior (stretching, shifting weight)
  • No one notices you're doing therapeutic exercise
  • No special equipment, clothing, or space required
  • Each takes 60-90 seconds

The Eight Exercises

# Exercise Target Duration
1 Stomach Vacuum Core stability 60 sec
2 Calf Raises Lower leg, circulation 60-90 sec
3 Scapular Wall Slides Shoulder mobility 60 sec
4 Glute Squeezes Hip stability, glute activation 60 sec
5 Neck Retractions Neck posture, headache prevention 60 sec
6 Shoulder Blade Squeezes Mid-back strength 60 sec
7 Hip Circles Hip mobility 90 sec
8 Wrist Circles Wrist/forearm health 90 sec

How to Use Them

Bram didn't do all eight every break. Instead:

  1. Set phone timer for every 60-90 minutes
  2. When it vibrates, do ONE exercise (rotating through them)
  3. Each intervention takes 30-90 seconds
  4. Over an 8-hour day: hit all eight exercises at least once
  5. Exercises you need most (glutes, wrists) do 3-4 times

The Trigger Method

Associate exercises with specific activities:

When... Do...
After sitting (truck, meeting) Glute Squeezes
After forward work (hammering, drilling) Neck Retractions + Shoulder Blade Squeezes
After overhead work Scapular Wall Slides
After gripping tools Wrist Circles
After kneeling/squatting Hip Circles
During any standing break Stomach Vacuum + Calf Raises

Time Investment

Over an 8-hour workday:

  • 6-8 micro-breaks × 60-90 seconds each = 8-12 minutes total
  • No special time required—done during existing breaks
  • Prevents hours of end-of-day stiffness and pain

Why These Eight?

Each exercise addresses a specific dysfunction that develops during physical work:

Exercise Problem It Solves
Stomach Vacuum Core shuts off during prolonged standing/sitting
Calf Raises Blood pools in legs, ankle mobility decreases
Scapular Wall Slides Shoulders round forward from all forward work
Glute Squeezes Glutes "turn off" (gluteal amnesia) from sitting
Neck Retractions Head drifts forward from looking down
Shoulder Blade Squeezes Mid-back weakens from rounded posture
Hip Circles Hips stiffen in limited positions
Wrist Circles Grip work creates forearm tension and wrist restriction

The Cumulative Effect

Over nine months, Bram performed approximately:

  • 2,000+ stomach vacuums
  • 2,000+ sets of calf raises
  • 1,500+ scapular wall slides
  • 2,500+ glute squeezes
  • 2,000+ neck retractions
  • 2,000+ shoulder blade squeezes
  • 1,500+ hip circle sessions
  • 2,500+ wrist circle sessions

Each one took less than 90 seconds. Each one looked completely normal. Together, they rebuilt his body from the inside out.

The Invisible Factor

What makes these "invisible":

  • Stomach Vacuum: Looks like normal breathing
  • Calf Raises: Looks like shifting weight or stretching
  • Scapular Wall Slides: Looks like casual stretching against wall
  • Glute Squeezes: Completely invisible—no one can tell
  • Neck Retractions: Looks like adjusting posture
  • Shoulder Blade Squeezes: Looks like rolling shoulders
  • Hip Circles: Looks like loosening up
  • Wrist Circles: Looks like normal hand stretching

You can do these mid-conversation. During meetings. While on the phone. Without anyone knowing you're doing therapeutic exercise.

Integration with Daily 8

Think of it this way:

Program Analogy When Purpose
Daily 8 Stretches Deep cleaning Morning & evening Major mobilization
Invisible 8 Exercises Maintenance cleaning Throughout day Prevent accumulation

You need both. The Daily 8 creates the flexibility and mobility. The Invisible 8 maintains it during work so you don't lose it by evening.

Getting Started

Week 1: Just two exercises

  • Glute Squeezes (most critical for contractors)
  • Wrist Circles (prevents carpal tunnel)

Week 2: Add two more

  • Neck Retractions
  • Shoulder Blade Squeezes

Week 3: Add remaining four

  • Stomach Vacuum
  • Calf Raises
  • Scapular Wall Slides
  • Hip Circles

Week 4: Full rotation integrated

Bram's Insight

"I rebuilt my body in the margins. Didn't need a gym. Didn't need special time. Just needed to move correctly, consistently, invisibly. Sixty seconds at a time, I fixed what was broken."

Start with: Stomach Vacuum →

Return to All Exercises