Yoga Poses to do at Your Desk at Work

You’re sitting at your desk after you’ve answered your umpteenth e-mail for the day and you feel the strain in your back as you reach for your next sip of coffee. Sound familiar? If so, you may benefit from incorporating some yoga moves into your workday. Here are some easy moves to sneak into your busy schedule.

Yoga can help you combat back pain and improve your posture. Not only are there great physical benefits, but there are other great benefits like relieving stress and boosting your mood. Who doesn’t need that during a busy day at the office?

So, before opening up your inbox, why not take a few minutes to strike some yoga poses while sitting at your desk? Here are some poses you can do while sitting in your chair:

Cat/Cow

Sit with both feet flat on the floor and your hands resting on your knees. Exhale as you round your back as much as you can, pulling your abs in and tucking your chin into your chest (cat pose). As you inhale, arch your back as you look up to the ceiling (cow pose). Repeat this movement as you exhale into cat and inhale into cow. This helps stretch the spine and neck and helps with posture.

SUN SALUTATION ARMS

Sit up tall with both feet flat on the floor and hands resting at your sides. Inhale as you lift your arms up, pressing your palms together and looking up. As you exhale, let your arms come down slowly and rest back at your sides. Repeat. This helps to ease tension in the shoulders and neck and stretch your spine.

GODDESS WITH A TWIST

Sit with your legs wide and your toes pointing out. Rest your right arm inside your right leg, reaching towards the floor. Lift your left arm up toward the ceiling and look up toward your left hand. Hold this pose for five breaths, then repeat on the opposite side. This is a great hip stretch.

SEATED PIGEON

Sit up straight with feet shoulder-width apart. Bring up your right leg to rest on your left knee. Inhale as you gently push your knee downwards with your right hand and lift your foot upwards with your left hand. Exhale as you slowly release your leg back down to the floor. Repeat on the opposite side. This one is also great for stretching the hips.

FORWARD FOLD

Sit tall and straight with your hands resting on your thighs. As you exhale, let your upper body fold forward at your hips, resting your body over your legs. Let your head, neck, and body relax as you hang heavy over your legs. As you inhale, slowly come back up into a seated position. Repeat. This is another great stretch for the back and spine.

These yoga poses are great for interrupting your workday with some much-needed stretching. Practicing a few poses during the day can help you de-stress and conquer that inbox.

Feel like you need more stretching after finishing up your workday? Check out your local yoga studio and get the benefits of a complete yoga session!