8 Yoga Postures to Take with You to the Office

I recently had a tight lower back and hips from standing hunched over my computer 😑

Two osteopathy sessions later, things were already much better but I really wanted this not to happen to me again!

When working at home, it is very easy to unfold your yoga mat to correct your posture and counteract hours spent sitting.

But in a face-to-face office with several colleagues?

Not very possible!

This little episode of stuck back made me want to look for some super simple (and discreet) exercises to do at your desk to avoid ending up frozen to stone.

The English call it “deskercises” and I love this expression ;-)

So, are you ready for a little tour of your office?

1. The cow's head

In the office, it is difficult to reproduce the cow's head in its entirety. But why not return to the position of the arms in the cow's head posture to stretch well?

Sitting in your chair, raise your right arm and bend your elbow toward your shoulder blade on the opposite side. With your left hand, grab your right hand and hold them together. You can lean slightly to your left side to stretch your right side.

Repeat several times on each side.

2. The crescent moon

Same as for the cow's head, we are only going to reproduce the position of the arms of the crescent moon posture.

In a seated position, extend your arms above your head and join your hands, palm to palm. Raise your head toward the sky and stretch your back into a delicious backbend.

3. Shoulder roll

A classic gentle gym warm-up, the shoulder roll helps relax the upper back and arms.

In a seated position, make small shoulder rotations clockwise, then counterclockwise.

4. Neck stretch

One of the parts of our anatomy that accumulates the most stiffness and tension is our cervicals!

A very simple way to relieve our neck at the office is to perform small, slow neck rotations, taking the time to observe the ceiling with your eyes.

To do in one direction then the other.

5. The chair

Nothing like chair posture to stretch your entire back! Move your chair slightly away from your desk to have room in front of you.

Lean forward slightly and stretch your arms above your head, in line with your back. Stay in this posture for a moment while focusing on your back, which should be straight.

6. Eagle pose

As with the cow's head and the crescent moon, we are only going to reproduce the upper part of the posture which works the arms.

While seated, wrap one arm around the other and hook your hands together. Exert strong pressure in your hands to stretch your shoulders and back. Position your neck straight to stretch it.

7. The seated twist

Twists are definitely my favorite type of posture because they allow you to stretch deliciously. And twisting on your office chair will be no exception.

Position your right ankle on your left knee, your leg is bent at a right angle. Place your left hand on your right knee and grab the back of your chair with your right hand. Look back and stretch for as long as you want (or your boss allows). To do in one direction then the other.

8. The reverse plank

The idea is to do the plank inverted but resting on your office chair (unless it has casters) with your hands resting on the seat of the chair and your buttocks touching the edge of this seat.

Place your hands behind you on the seat of the chair and lift your body. Your legs are stretched forward, the feet are in contact with the ground at the heels. Straighten your legs and exert pressure by pushing into the chair with your hands to fully stretch the shoulders.

Doing yoga a little bit every day has many benefits, including avoiding straining your back 😉

If you don't know what type of yoga to choose, check out our article dedicated to this subject!

And to discover yoga postures with bird names, click here!

And you, have you ever done a little yoga in secret at work?

What is your technique to avoid breaking your back from sitting so much? Share your tips with us in the comments 👇

 

Discover now

Discover here our eco-responsible yoga outfits made in France from recycled materials!

And so you don't miss any Géopélie news, subscribe to our newsletter here at the bottom of the page 👇 we only send a couple each month!