Working at a desk all day long?
Sitting bent over a keyboard is not good for your health. Though that’s probably obvious, ways in which you can counteract the negative effects may not be. Enter chair or desk yoga – an easy way to keep the body supple and happy. All without drawing too many confused and perplexed looks from your coworkers! Here are the poses you can do at your desk to re-energise and relieve tension:
Please note: for the safest stretch possible, do not do these exercises out of order.
- Seated Twist
Sitting in your seat, elongate and straighten the spine. Inhale to open the chest, and on the exhale, begin to twist towards one side without moving the hips. Isolate the movement in the ribcage by using the abdominals to keep your spine long. Grab hold of the chair’s armrest if there is one. Hold for several seconds before unwinding to go to the opposite side.
The seated twist will work against the effects of hunching and poor posture. Do it often.
- Forward Fold
Time to push that chair away. Stand up tall. First, tuck the chin into the chest, and imagine the crown of your head filling with sand. The weight gradually pulls the crowd of the head forward, rolling through the spine, towards the earth. Release from the hips, allowing the upper body to free itself with the help of the gravity. You can grab hold of your elbows and swing back and forth too. Roll back up through the spine to return to standing. Repeat the roll, always remembering to tuck the chin first.
- Shoulder Opener (Desk Child’s Pose)
Now that you have released from the hips and used gravity to loosen the shoulders, you can get deeper into the rotator cuffs and upper back. Move a couple of feet back from the desk and hinge at the hips, coming into flat back. Put your hands on the edge of the desk then drop the head between the arms. Keep the core activated and the head in line with the arms. Press the fingertips into the desk as if in Downward Dog.
“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.” ~Plato
- Desk Plank Pose
Time to use your desk for something other than work! Place your hands about shoulder-width apart at the edge. Step the feet backwards, keeping them in line with the hip bones as you do so. Engage the core. Stretch the heels towards the floor as you angle your body into plank pose. Remember to keep the shoulders rolled down and spine long so the neck doesn’t get scrunched. There should be a pleasant stretch happening through the front of the hips and through the hamstrings.
- Desk Upward Dog Pose
Do not do this pose until you have first completed all the other stretches in this list. The chest and shoulders have to be opened in advance. Set up the body and hands as you did for desk Plank and Child’s Pose. With the arms straight, lower the hips slightly, pushing them towards the desk. Do not sink through the lower back. Instead use the legs to support your body. Arch the chest backwards as you would in regular upward dog. First move through plank pose before shifting back to the shoulder opener. Repeat as many times as necessary, using the breath.
You can do these during lunch break or throughout your shift to keep the mind and body alert. Breathe in and out as you move through these stretches. Trust in the process and your body will thank you for giving it some much needed attention.
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