7 Yoga Exercises for People Who Sit All Day in Office: Best Poses Included
Spending all day at the desk is just part of the job for office professionals. We get it. But with this comes a slew of health problems. A lot of people complain about stiff muscles, bad posture, back pain, and even a dip in energy throughout the working hours. Good news? Yoga exercises can be a game-changer for those people who sit all day at their office chairs.
These can improve flexibility, ease tension, and boost circulation. Keeping both body and mind feeling fresh. But the question is, “What yoga poses can you sneak in during your breaks or between tasks?”
In this blog, Ekattva Yogshala, will share a list of 7 yoga exercises tailored for those of us who sit all day at their desks. Gentle stretches to invigorating twists, these poses are simple to practice; need very little space, and can be easily integrated into your work routine.
What Are Yoga Exercises For People Who Sit All Day?
These yoga moves will help you stay active, focused, and pain-free during office hours:
Cow face pose
Are you stuck in a situation where you can no longer move because your shoulders have been transformed into a boulder of tense muscles after a day of typing? Cow face pose can be your secret weapon! Also called Gomukhasana, it lengthens the rotator cuffs and triceps that tend to feel tight when they are not frequently stretched.
Performing this exercise while sitting on the office chair will take away the ever-present stiffness in the upper back.
How to perform it:
Sit tall in your chair. Make sure you’re not slouching.
Reach your right arm up. Bend the elbow and let your hand drift behind your head.
Now, take your left arm behind your back. Once the elbow bends, reach toward your right hand.
If your fingers don’t meet, you can use a scarf or tie to bridge this gap.
Hold for 3-5 breaths. Then switch sides.
Eagle pose
Those sitting in front of their office screens and experiencing pain in their forearms and wrists after unending clicking and scrolling should perform this next yoga exercise. Eagle pose treats locked-up wrists, elbows, and shoulders, all while increasing circulation. For those who don’t know, blood circulation is essential in preventing carpal tunnel strain.
How to do it:
Sit up straight. Stretch your arms forward at shoulder height.
Cross your right arm over left. Then curl your elbows and twist forearms, making sure your palms press together.
Lift your elbows slightly to feel a deep stretch between shoulder blades.
Hold for 3-5 breaths. Then reverse the wrap, from left to right.
Seated side bend
Called oh, I’m just reaching for my coffee stretch by office professionals and parsva sukhasana by yogis. A seated side bend can help you deal with stiff ribs and obliques after sitting all day with a flat torso. Reviving your waistline is one thing. This oblique yoga exercise also enhances respiration, besides avoiding the engulfed sensation in your lower back region.
How to perform it:
Sit tall. Your feet should be flat on the floor.
Now, place your left hand on the desk. If your chair has armrests, you can also consider using them as support.
Inhale. Stretch your right arm overhead. Then lean gently to the left.
Think that you’re curving around a big beach ball. Keep the process smooth, not forced.
Hold for at least 3 breaths. Switch sides afterwards.
Ankle-to-knee pose
Sitting hips tight = low back pain in the making.
Ankle-to-knee pose is one of the sitting pigeon variations that can help office professionals stretch out their glutes and piriformis (the internal hip muscles that yell after sitting all day long).
How to do it:
First, you need to sit upright with your feet flat on the ground. Make sure the chair you’re sitting on is a bit away from the desk.
Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Let the right knee fall outward.
You can hinge forward slightly while keeping your back straight for a deeper stretch.
Hold the pose for at least 5-6 breaths. Then switch legs.
Don’t forget to check out these resources as well:
Bhakti yoga flow for office professionals
Meditation for summer solstice
Standing yoga poses for office
Seated spinal twist
Alright, so far, we told you yoga exercises that involve normal twists. Poses that are great to practice while sitting all day at the office desk and don’t leverage any objects. Next yoga asana, however, is a bit different. Seated spinal twist involves using a chair to make 10x better for your spine.
It can help you squeeze the tension out of your mid-back and digestive organs, and fight off bloat and hardness.
How to perform it:
Sit sideways in your chair.
Hold the backrest with both hands use it to gently twist deeper.
Keep your hips square. Let the twist come from your ribcage up.
Hold for 4-5 breaths. Then switch sides.
Tadasana with wall support
One of the best yoga exercises for those who sit all day in front of their screens at the office. Slouching at the desk shortens your spine and your core. The wall-assisted tadasana (better known as wall mountain pose) corrects your posture. It repositions your shoulders and makes your body aware of what the feeling of being straight-standing is.
Tadasana is the ultimate act-natural posture reset!
How to perform it
Stand against the wall of your cabin. Make certain your back is straight and heels are 2 inches away from it.
Press your hips, shoulders, and head gently into the wall. Many beginners will arch their lower back. We suggest not to do it.
Engage your thighs. Tuck your tailbone slightly and breathe deeply for 30 seconds.
Step away from the wall and notice how much taller you feel.
Legs-up-the-wall pose
Alright, unlike the previous yoga exercises, Viparita Karani asana is really tough but worth a try if you have swollen ankles and tired legs from sitting at your desk all day. In this inverted position, fluid imbalance is depleted. The pressure on your lower back is reduced. In simple words, this exercise gives your blood circulation a reboot. No need to head to a yoga mat!
How to do it:
Scoot your chair back, get up, and lie on the floor near a wall. Make sure your legs are facing its direction.
Now lift your legs in the air and place them straight against the wall surface.
Spread your hands on each side of the floor. Close your eyes and breathe for 1-2 minutes. Set a timer if you think you might drift to sleep.
Learn Yoga in Rishikesh
There you go!
We told you some yoga exercises that you can perform for stretches after sitting all day on your office chair. Your struggle with feeling drained and a bit out of touch with your body ends here! Want to shake things up further and make some real, lasting changes? Ekattva Yogshala invites you to visit Rishikesh for yoga classes!
During our offline retreats, highly skilled yoga teachers will guide you through personalized, holistic practices that fit with efficacy into your everyday life. Be a part of them before heading to the office in the morning and you’ll feel healed, balanced, and energized. Email us at info@spiritualpunditz.com in case of queries.
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