The Ten Minute Break - Desk Yoga
Sitting at a computer all day can begin to wreak havoc on the structure of the body, our muscles, joints and connective tissue. Take a 10 minute break to move through the following poses and stretches to keep the body loosened, limber and aligned. Finding our optimal blueprint throughout the day will help us to remember to sit up straight, to keep the hips square and will help to alleviate pain and discomfort that develops with repeated misalignment while sitting.
1. Seated Tadasana/Mountain Pose
Find a comfortable seat in chair. Use inhalation to puff up - get big and bright. Spine grows long and tall. Side bodies extend. Collar bones expand out to the sides, and shoulders rest on your back body. Gently roll inner thighs down and back. This moves the pelvis back to create space and to create the natural curvature of the spine. Extend arms up overhead. Head is in neutral and gaze is forward. Spread your fingers and hold for five breaths.
2. Side Body Stretch
From extended mountain pose, lower your left arm to your side while the right arm stays extended. Begin to lean right arm over to the left. Gaze follows upward toward to the right hand. Use your inhalations to puff up the rib cage front to back, side to side. Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Seated Twist
Come back to extended mountain pose with both arms reaching up toward the sky. Mindfully place your left hand to the left chair armrest or side of the chair. Fill yourself up with breath and on your exhale slowly begin to twist from the core, rotating around your spine. Right arm extends over to the left and lands where is most comfortable. With each inhale, fill up the ribcage. With each exhale, twist more deeply. Gaze follows. Come back to center and mindfully switch sides.
4. Seated Pigeon Pose
Come back to extended mountain pose with both arms reaching up toward the sky. Mindfully place your left hand to the left chair armrest or side of the chair. Fill yourself up with breath and on your exhale slowly begin to twist from the core, rotating around your spine. Right arm extends over to the left and lands where is most comfortable. With each inhale, fill up the ribcage. With each exhale, twist more deeply. Gaze follows. Come back to center and mindfully switch sides.
5. Chair Pose/Utkatasana
Plant both feet on the floor, hip width apart. Sit up tall with your hands at your side. On your next inhale, press into your feet, lift your sit bones from the chair, find a squat position and reach arms up overhead. Extend your tailbone down to the earth to create length in your spine and your side bodies. Press majority of your weight into your heels. Core is active. Knees are aligned with toes. Hold for five breaths.
6. Plank Pose/Chatarunga
Come to standing. Place palms directly onto your desk, shoulder width apart and begin to take several steps backward. Bend at the elbows (think pushup here). Hug the elbows toward your sides to keep elbows aligned with shoulders and wrists. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and move belly toward your spine. Press into your toes and try to create length in the spine. Head is in neutral and gaze is forward. Hold for five breaths.
7. Desk Down Dog
Come back to standing. Place palms directly onto your desk, shoulder width apart and begin to take several steps backward. Keeping walking until you find a L shape with the body. Feet are hip width apart and legs are active with a slight bend in the knees. Belly is reaching away from your thighs. Spine and side bodies are elongated. Head comes in-between arms and stays lifted in a neutral position. Keep pressing palms to the desk and hold for five breaths. Walk feet back toward hands to mindfully come back to standing.
8. Standing Forward Fold
From a standing position, use an inhale to get big and bright. Interlace hands behind back. On an exhale, slowly begin to bend forward, bringing arms up overhead as much as the body will allow. Keep feet and legs active. Inner thighs press back and wide. Shins are steady. Head remains in neutral and gaze is forward. Hold for five breaths. To come back, gently roll up one vertebrae at a time. Switch the top hand and repeat sides.
