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Before I became a yoga teacher, I sat at a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week, and commuted an hour each way. I thought I was taking care of myself by practicing yoga after work, but all that sitting still created tremendous pain in my lower back. I tried taking breaks and standing up every hour or so, but it was only when I added desk yoga poses to my everyday routine that I began to experience relief.
The effects of sitting for hours at a time can incur devastating—and different—effects on each of us. The following desk yoga stretches bring some release to the various muscle groups that may otherwise become tight and irritated, including the neck, shoulders, hips, and back side of the body.
You may find that pausing bringing awareness to how your body feels, and stretching benefits your focus and helps you quiet your multitasking thoughts, even after you return to work.
5 Essential Desk Yoga Poses
You can practice these desk yoga poses all at once or sneak one or two in between meetings and deadlines.
1. Palms Interlaced Overhead
Why it helps: Stretches your chest and shoulders.
How to: Sit tall in your desk chair. Interlace your fingers in front of your chest and press your palms away from you. Keep them interlaced as you reach your arms overhead. (You’ll probably feel some resistance in your shoulders and neck. Try bending your elbows, moving your arms back a little more, and then straightening your arms again.) Gaze straight ahead or look toward the ceiling. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Switch the interlacing of your fingers and repeat.
2. Seated Twist
Why it helps: Stretches the muscles along the spine.
How to: Sit tall in your desk chair. Take your arms straight out from your shoulders in a T-shape and then twist to your right. Place your left hand on your outer right knee or thigh and rest your right arm either on the chair arm or chair back similar to Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana). Press through your heels, breathe in, and sit tall. Breathe out and twist your abdomen, chest, and, lastly, your head more toward the right. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Switch sides.
3. Side Bend
Why it helps: Stretches the side body from your hips to your armpits.
How to: Sit tall in your desk chair. Take your feet slightly wider than your hips and angle your feet outward. Place your right forearm on your right thigh, lean to your right, and extend your left arm over your head alongside your left ear, as you would for Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana). Breathe in and lengthen from your left hip to your fingertips as you open the side body. Breathe out and begin to turn your chest toward the ceiling. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Switch sides.
4. Ankle Over Knee
Why it helps: Stretches your lower back and glutes.
How to: Sit tall in your desk chair. Place your right ankle over your left knee in a figure-4 shape. Flex your right foot and press through your left heel as you lean your right knee toward the floor. Breathe in and lift your chest. Breathe out and stay still or lean your chest forward over your legs. Let your neck relax. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. Switch sides.
5. Forward Fold
Why it helps: Releases almost the entire back side of the body.
How to: Sit tall in your desk chair. Make sure your legs are wide enough for your body to fit comfortably between your thighs. Breathe in and lift your chest, breathe out and lean your chest forward in between your legs similar to Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana). Bring your hands to the floor, if they reach, and let your neck completely relax. Stay here for 10-20 breaths.
About Our Contributor
Patrick Franco, E-RYT500, is a yoga instructor and director at YogaRenew Teacher Training Online. He leads in-person and online teacher trainings all over the world, focusing primarily on yoga sequencing and the business of yoga.
