Simple Yoga done right at your desk
I received some helpful feedback from a survey I sent out a while back.
I asked you what you would like to learn about during an online yoga for back pain course and one of my favorite responses was, some short poses to do at your desk.
I loved this answer because it got me thinking about being at work and sitting for long hours.
I believe one of the reasons we, as a society, have back pain is because we sit at our computers for such long hours with poor posture.
I have had back pain for most of my life and sitting at my computer doesn’t make it better.
Here are some simple yoga techniques that you can do right at your desk. It would be so helpful for your posture and for your back and neck pain if you were to do this at work everyday.
1. Pelvic Roll – Sit at the edge of your chair. Place your hands on your hipsBegin by rolling the pelvis back so you are sitting on the back part of your sit bones. Then roll your pelvis forward so that you sit on the front part of your sit bones. Do this a few times.
2. TA Contraction – Sit at the edge of your chair. Contract the lower abdominal muscles between your pubic bone and your navel. It helps if you breathe and blow out through you lips. When you blow out think of contracting your lower abdominal muscles.
3. Ground Your Feet – Stand up. Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bend your legs and line the center of your knee with your second toe. Begin to straighten the legs and push your feet into the floor at the same time.
4. Shoulder Blade Tuck – Stand or Sit on your chair. Bring arms down by side. Begin to turn the thumb side of the hand so it faces forward and then away from body. The entire arm will rotate away from your body. Feel the shoulder blades tuck into the back.
5. Head Nod – Sit on your chair. Move your head by moving from the back of your head rather then your eyes. Right at the base of your skull where your occipital muscles live. Begin by moving the back of the head to the right, then to the left. Then move the back of your head down and then up. Repeat.
6. Breath Awareness – Sit on your chair. Close your eyes. Take in a deep breath and then slowly exhale. Repeat 10 times.
With Love, Light, and Soulfulness
Shauna Lay