Martin Keen of Focal Upright Furniture Visits Human Solution

The popular South by Southwest conference, trade-show and music festival, affectionately known as SXSW, has come and gone here in Austin for 2014. While it was certainly an eventful week, those of us that did not take off work to enjoy the celebrity sightings or music festival were treated with a visit to Human Solution offices by a celebrity from the world of ergonomics.

Martin Keen, of Focal Upright furniture (and Keen Footware fame), stopped by to demonstrate and educate our sales and content teams on the products and ideals that are currently spearheading their efforts, as well as what to expect in the future. After meeting with Mr. Keen, it is clear the future is bright and in “good standing.”

The folks at Focal Upright Furniture promote that sitting is a learned habit for us as humans, something that we developed over time. Our ancestors didn’t sit, but rather perch, until the evolution of the chair. The shape of our spines since the advent of the chair, and sitting in general, is evidence of an evolution and adaptation in our bodies and our society in which we have become conditioned to sit.

Enter Focal Upright Furniture, where they design their office furniture more in the mold of an assisted stand, rather than sitting; a standing aid, if you will.

Everyone has heard these days that “sitting can kill you,” but completely making the switch to standing 100% of your day is not the answer either. As you can imagine, standing all day long presents health risks as well.

The Focal Locus Standing Desk

The Focal Locus Workstation may look different than your typical desk, but then again, it has so much more to offer than a typical desk!

Break the mold of the traditional desk, change and vary your work posture throughout the day. If you've never tried a standing desk, or even if you have, the Focal Locus workstation will be such a refreshing experience. Bloodflow and circulation is increased and you will feel more alert standing as opposed to sitting. In fact, the Locus' seat isn't necessarily sitting or standing, but an assisted stand as I alluded to earlier.

It's an extremely easy and comfortable posture that you will find your body naturally adapts to after a short adjustment period. The foot ramp with built-in anti-fatigue mat allows you to put pressure on the base, taking pressure off your back and allowing you to stand, or rather perch, for longer periods.

The Focal Mogo Stool

The Focal Mogo Stool was really impressive to me when Mr. Keen was demonstrating to us in our showroom. It takes the same design and concept as the Locus seat, but on-the-go, hence the name! The lightweight stool allows you to benefit from the same assisted standing position and perch wherever you go. The pole collapses, unscrews and securely snaps in place under the seat to fold up for easy storage and transporting. It easily fits into a backpack or simply under your arm.

Since Mr. Keen left our office, a few of us here have been battling for the right to try out the Mogo at our desks. In fact, I'm using it as I write this blog post. The Mogo, like the Locus seat, really helps to promote a more active posture, engaging your core. The upright posture is so natural that f I need to get up and go speak to someone on the other side of the office, all I really have to do is start walking and rest the Mogo against my desk. The only downfall is that a co-worker may have stolen it from me by the time that I get back.

We've been thinking of dozens of situations that we would love to be perching on a Mogo rather than simply sitting or standing, like an outdoor music festival or concert, while camping, hunting, fishing or any outdoor event. The base features a reversible rubber stopper that can be easily switched for use on hard or soft surfaces. Ditch that old lawn chair or camping chair and pick up the Mogo. It is much more portable and infinitely more ergonomic.

To see what else Focal has to offer, visit TheHumanSolution.com!

Related Reads:

• Introducing Focal Upright Furniture, ‘The Martin Keen Desk’
• So Many Activities! Raise Your Standing Game This Summer With a Standing Desk