1. Sit-Arounds
It used to be a little-known fact in the fitness industry, but it is starting to become common knowledge: Less is more. When it comes to stretching, this is your golden ticket. You can easily incorporate some stretches while you are sitting around at your desk. Sit up tall and interlace your fingers. Extend your arms straight up, with your palms facing the sky. Slowly bend to the left as far as you can, then go to the right. Hold your stretches for 20 to 30 seconds. This will help relieve the stress you put on your wrists by typing and on your back by sitting.
2. Use the Rest Room
Every time you visit the bathroom, you have a golden opportunity to do some stretching. Prop up your heel on the sink while applying slight downward pressure. At the same time, bend the opposite knee slightly and place both hands on the thigh of that leg. Then repeat on the other leg. This is a very effective hamstring stretch. Sitting for long periods of time causes tight hammies; this stretch will help you keep those hamstrings less like rubber bands and more like marching bands: flowing and melodic. But be careful: Never place your hands on the knee of the leg you are stretching. This puts too much pressure on the joints.
3. Listen to the Doors
A doorway gives you another chance to do some stretching, including two very good stretches for the chest and back . Stand inside the doorway and make a 90-degree angle with your elbow. Now step forward and place your arm against the inside of the door. Slightly rotate your hips until you feel a nice stretch on your chest.
Now grab ahold of the door jamb, with your arms angled slightly down in front of you; your hands should be one above the other and spread about 6 to 12 inches apart. Lean backward, as if you are about to sit down. Enjoy the stretch on the lat muscles and obliques, which run down the sides of the rib cage.
