Office Yoga-poses to use daily at your desk

Work can be both challenging for our minds and for your bodies. There is a lot of research out there talking about the effects of sitting for long periods of time on our bodies.  As a therapist who sits most of the day I can speak from my personal experience that sitting causes muscle tension and strain for me which leads to headaches and tight hips.  Not to mention that if I have a headache and it's going to be a struggle for me to stay connected and present in my sessions.  

I recently led a 2 hour workshop on incorporating yoga at work with a focus to help you recharge and restore your body in the moment. We don't have to wait till we can make it yoga after work or till we get home to find time to recharge.  Being able to incorporate stretches into your routine at work will help you in the moment reconnect with your body and relieve those aches and pains associated with poor posture and sitting for long stretches. I believe like anything that listening to your body and building intuitive movement into your life will help you move towards more balance both physically and mentally.

I  have put together a list of 4 of my favorite chair yoga poses to use at work in between clients. 

Chair Pigeon

     Sit at the edge of the chair, place left ankle or right knee, use muscular control to draw the knee down towards the ground.  Hinge forward at the hips with a strong back to deepen the stretch.  May be able to pick up you left thigh if you have a very open hip.  Switch legs and repeat.  Modification- Can't get the ankle over the knee? No problem there a couple ways to modify this to be able find the stretch in your hip without having to get the ankle of the knee. straighten right leg, and cross left ankle over shin.

• This pose allows you find a deep stretch in the hip flexors. 

Clasped Hand Bound Shoulder Stretch

    Clasp hand at the base of your spine, keeping the connection of your palms, roll your shoulder blades together and extend through your arms keeping a gentle bend in the elbow. Can't keep the connection of your palms, grasp elbows, or place back of hands at base of the spine.

• Benefits are deep pectoral muscle stretch ( front of chest), opens and stretches biceps and forearms, can relieve mild back pain. If you sit  at the computer chances are you are slouching leading to tight pectoral muscles and upper back pain, forearms and biceps become tight and inflamed. This stretch hits all of that.

Seated Side Body Stretch

      Place left hand at the base of the chair, or allow to reach towards the floor,  reach fingertips over side bending to left, to deepen place left hand on right knee or right thigh-other side.

• this stretch allows us to lengthen our abdominals, hips, and thighs. They allow us to improve our spinal flexibility and we also stretch our intercostal muscles (space between our ribs). Tight intercostal muscles can happen from sitting and slouching which can result in poor posture, neck and shoulder tension

Seated Twist

    Right hand comes to the left knee and left hand can come to the arm of the chair, the back of the chair, or at the base of your spine, switch and repeat

• increases flexibility throughout the spine, shoulders, and chest. It stretches the pectoral muscles and draws the shoulder blades together, twisting stimulates and tones your abdominal organs, including the kidneys and digestive organs.