Sometimes after intensive exercise, athletes will instinctively rest in this standing position.
I am trying to work out which part of the body is being “rested” here? The arms are obviously doing work, and the standing position means so are the legs.
It’s an instinctive rest position, I know because I used to do it in myself in my more sporty days. But I can’t work out exactly which part of the body is enjoying the rest here.
I think it has more to do with getting your breath back.
I know after a long run I’ll throw my hands up in the air in an attempt to get more oxygen in my lungs.
No idea if that actually works, but it sure feels good.
It looks like a standing Fowler’s position. Fowler’s is used to expand the chest and relax the abdominal muscles in order to help breathing.
I also think it gives some relief to the lower back.
It’d also be resting the heart. By decreasing the height difference between the head and the heart, you’re decreasing the pressure the heart needs to produce to pump blood to the head.
It rests the lower back and abdominal muscles, which are what mainly keep us erect. After running several miles upright, taking the load off your back and abs by resting your shoulders and head on your arms/knees feels good.
It also takes some tension off your quadriceps and allows them to rest a bit. You can feel this when you put a lot of strain on your legs and they are burning; by bending your knees just a bit and bracing your arms against your knees you transfer a bit of weight directly to your lower legs and ease the load your upper legs are supporting. This works especially well if you’ve been really straining your legs but your arms remain fairly fresh. It doesn’t transfer all the weight of course, but it gives you a similar feeling to taking a backpack off.
That’s what I think of. After running really hard, you (sometimes) feel light-headed and a bit nauseous. Basically, your brain is oxygen deprived. Bending over like that helps because you get more oxygen to the brain with less work.
Sure, your abs and back and whatever might also be rested, but that’s secondary. You’re not going to faint because your abs are sore. You brace your arms on your legs so you don’t fall over. Lying down works too.
When I do this it’s to allow blood to get back in my head after intense leg activity. It’s not what I’d call “resting.”
That position also increases cardiac output. Squatting will enhance that further.
Children with congenital cardiac anomalies which lead to decreased cardiac output will often be seen assuming the OP’s position, or more commonly squatting, hunched forward, with hands on thighs, when they get short of breath due to exertion and worsening heart failure.
My bad. This squatting maneuver is of greater benefit to those kids with AV shunts and hypoxia: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/historyandphysicalexaminationofcongenitalheartdisease-161212044457/95/history-and-physical-examination-of-congenital-heart-disease-8-638.jpg?cb=1481517970
