Save yourself from a bad back by incorporating these 4 desk yoga positions into your daily work routine.
Coffee addictions, eyestrain and terrible posture…welcome to the life of a 9-5 job.
Sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight every day seems pretty harmless until it’s a few years down the track and you’ve taken on some seriously bad habits like hunching your back and craning your neck.
With desk yoga you can easily reverse the damage of these learned habits.
In performing a few desk yoga positions throughout the day, you will not only improve your posture but hopefully decrease the risk of developing long-term back problems as well.
Sitting upright in your chair, make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground.
Place your left hand on your right knee and place your right arm over the back of the chair or by your side.
Inhale and twist your upper body to the right, engaging your lower abdominals and exhale.
Hold this position for 4-5 seconds, each time you breathe in and out visualising that you are getting taller.
Seated twists are a great way to release any upper back tension and reset your mind.
Sitting upright in your chair, make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground.
Lift your arms above your head and clasp your hands together.
Lean to the right, engaging your obliques and breathe in and out 3 times.
Slowly release back to the centre position and repeat on the left side.
This position releases shoulder discomfort and is great for restoring your mind and body before you dive back into work.
Sitting upright in your chair, lean your hands backwards, a few inches behind your body on the surface of the chair.
Gazing upwards with your head gently tilted back, push your hands into the chair.
As you take a deep breath in and out roll your shoulder blades back.
Hold this position, with your back slightly hollowed for 4-5 seconds.
The seated backbend calms the mind and helps to realign the spine, letting go of any tension build-up in your upper body.
While seated, place your left ankle over your right knee creating a right-angled position.
Flex your foot to take pressure off your knee and maintain a steady posture. Use your hand to gently push your left knee down.
You should feel a stretch in your thigh.
Hold this position for 4-5 seconds before repeating on the other side.
The seated pigeon helps to open up our hip rotators and flexors which when unlocked can directly lead to better posture and improved balance.