If you work in an office, sitting at the same desk and on the same office chair may strain your entire body. To help relax your body and clear your mind during a difficult day, do some yoga. Instead of getting out the yoga mat and getting on the floor, you can do yoga positions right at your desk without disturbing your coworkers or your boss.
Chair Twist Exercise
Stretch out your arms, legs and back by doing a chair twist, suggests Miriam Austin in an article in "Ladies' Home Journal." Sit sideways on your chair so that your left side is up against the back of the chair. Place your feet flat on the floor and place your knees together, bent at about a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on the two top corners of the back of the chair for balance. Inhale slowly and straighten your spine, then exhale as you twist your lower spine towards the back of the chair, using your arms to stretch your spine carefully. Repeat the inhaling and straightening, then exhaling and twisting exercise several times, then switch to the right side and repeat the exercise by twisting your spine in the opposite direction.
Mountain Pose Stretch
Stretch out your arms and lengthen your sides at your desk by doing the Mountain Pose, recommends yoga instructor Kristin McGee on "The Early Show." Sit with your back straight in your chair and clasp your hands together. Press your arms forward as you turn the palms of your hands away from your body. Raise your arms into the air so that your palms are facing the ceiling as you stretch. Feel the stretch in your neck, shoulders and head as you relax your spine. While your arms are extended, bend them to the right side of the ceiling and then to the left.
Lower Back Stretch
Sit on your office chair with your legs hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor, instructs Austin. Bend over from the hips and relax your whole body while rounding your back and dropping your head between your knees. If this position is uncomfortable, place a rolled-up towel or sweatshirt over the hips, then try again. As you exhale, allow your body to relax more. Hold this stretch as long as you like to help clear your mind and relax your body, suggests Austin.
Member Comments