12 ways to secretly practice yoga at work
I recently had the lovely opportunity to chat with Abby Lentz, the guru behind the Heavyweight Yoga DVD, a kinder, gentler introduction to yoga for folks who may have limited flexibility, mobility or have more weight on their limbs than the average yoga bunny. Since I spend a good portion of my day sitting at my desk on a conference call, I asked her if she had some ideas for some yoga poses that I could do with none of my coworkers being the wiser. Abby, of course, delivered such a comprehensive list that I wanted to share it with you all!
To the surprise of many, yoga can be done just about anywhere, by anyone of any size and mobility. While it's wonderful to have a traditional yoga practice on the mat, it's also beneficial to sprinkle yoga off the mat throughout your day. Since we spend so much time at work here are some ways to practice yoga in the office.
AT YOUR DESK:
Deep Belly Breathing: This three-part breath starts by softening the diaphragm, breathing deeply while sending the breath down to the belly, then out to the rib cage and up to the collarbone. The exhale releases from top, middle to bottom. Deep Belly Breathing will expand your lung capacity and improve your cardiovascular exchange as well as revitalize your cells and systems.
Neck Rolls: These are great to do if you feel a headache coming on! Seated tall, with your back away from the back of the chair, ground yourself with both feet to the floor. Hold each position for several breaths.
Drop your chin to chest to stretch the back of the neck
Roll right ear to right shoulder, bring your left arm out, turn palm up turning it down and around to get a gentle twist of your arm from fingertips to shoulder, keep your shoulders soft and down
Bring your hand back to your leg, roll your chin back to the chest
Repeat other side
Roll chin back to your chest
Inhale your head up to center or go into Neck Twists
Neck Twist: This is like drawing a big smile on your chest if you had a crayon on your chin. It's a gentle pivoting of the face from side to side.
Drop your chin to chest
Bring chin towards right shoulder
Roll back down to center and move towards left shoulder
This movement should create a squeeze at the base of the neck in the back where the shoulder and neck muscles meet
Repeat several times, each upsweep going a little higher to improve your range of mobility
Bring your chin back to the chest and lift your head up
Interlace your fingertips, placing your hands behind your head to support the weight of the head, lift your chin to the ceiling to stretch out your throat for several breaths
Exhale and release
Foot Stretch: Seated tall with your back away from the back of the chair, ground yourself with one foot then stretch and lift the other leg. Point, demi-point and flex your foot (ballet slipper, high heel and earth shoe). Warm up your ankles by rotating the foot--making O's with your toes--in both directions. Repeat other foot.
Seated Twist: Sit tall in the middle of the chair with your feet grounded.
Exhale, take your right hand to your left knee and twist gently to the left
Your left hand goes behind you to the back leg or edge of the chair
Use the hand to the knee to deepen the twist
The hand on the chair supports the spine and helps lift the heart center and crown of the head
Look into the right corners of your eyes as you twist
Inhale back to center, repeat other side
Side Stretch: Sit tall in the middle of the seat with your feet wide.
Right hand reaches down to the right side of the chair to keep the left hip from lifting
Inhale the left arm out to the side, up and over
Stretch out from hip with the arm overhead by the ear; the palm faces down
Feel the stretch from the waist to the fingertips
Inhale back to center, repeat other side
Seated Dog/Cat Stretch: Sit tall in the middle of the seat with your feet grounded.
Bring hands together in front, interlace fingertips
Exhale as you stretch your hands forward, rotate your palms out as you arch your back toward the back of the chair, drop your chin to chest
Inhale as you rotate the palms up towards the ceiling; press your heart center forward, creating a small backbend arch
Exhale the hands down as the palms lower, rotate palms forward repeating in a circular motion
Hip Opener: Sit tall in the middle of the seat with your feet grounded.
Place right ankle on left thigh
Hold the right knee with the right hand
Hold right foot with the left hand
Exhale with a flat back as you hinge your torso forward to stretch out the right hip, do other side
STANDING POSTURES:
Mountain Pose: Stand feet hip-width apart, below your true hipbones, not the hip of your flesh.
Outsides of your feet are parallel, giving you a slight pigeon-toed feeling
Bring your attention to your body from the ground up: feet, knees, hips--core, front and back--heart center, shoulders, arms, hands and top of the head
A slight press together of the shoulder blades to lift your heart center
Keep your chin level as you lift the crown of your head high
Raise the arms out and up, turning palms up at shoulder high, frame your head at your ears
No congestion around the head and neck by the shoulders
Hold for several breaths
Exhale your arms down to your sides, turning palms down at shoulder high to release
Half Moon Series: Start from the arms up position in Mountain pose to add soft side-stretches and a backbend.
With your arms up, palms facing not touching, stretch on an exhale to one side and reach out
Keep the hips and shoulders in alignment to avoid rolling forward
Keep your weight distributed evenly on each foot
Inhale back to center, repeat other side
Next, for the backbend, start from the center arms up position
Tighten the buttocks and lift your heart center to the ceiling
Create the backbend from this lift with the arms and head staying in alignment; don't try to deepen the appearance of the backbend by hyper-extending the neck or waving the arms back
Hold and inhale back to center. Release the arms as in Mountain.
Moon Salutation: This is a wonderful way to learn how to link the breath with large body movements. It's also a great way to wake up when you hit an afternoon slump.Start with Tadasana feet arms at your side:
INHALE: Radiate the arms out to shoulder high, T-position
EXHALE: Bring the hands together at the heart center
INHALE: Arms overhead, palms facing not touching
EXHALE: Foreword bend with arms down, fingers to feet
INHALE: Flat back up halfway so the head is level with the hips; hands slide up the legs to the shins
EXHALE: Slide hands back down to your feet
INHALE: With a flat back lift to standing with arms out shoulder-high
EXHALE Palms together
INHALE Arms overhead
EXHALE Fingers to feet
INHALE: Half back
EXHALE: Fingers to feet
INHALE: Arms up
EXHALE: Palms together
(Continue the flow ending with palms together. Do as many as you have time for and practice often, as this salutation is easy to sprinkle into your day off the mat in street clothes.)
Tree: This basic balance starts with the same foot position as Mountain pose.
Shift your weight to one leg and find a focus point
Keep your gaze on that point and bring the opposite foot to the straight leg
Rest this foot with the heel above the ankle, or on the calf or up into the thigh--do not rest the foot by pressing on a joint
Bring your hands to your heart center, draw the arms down around and up overhead
Find your optimal hand position--your tree top--and hold
Release your arms down, around and back to your heart center, exhale down your hands and foot
Check your feet for alignment, then repeat the other side
These Office Yoga poses are easy to link into other times and activities--while your computer refreshes, when you're on hold with the phone, or at the copy machine. Your body and your boss will be glad you found some time to do yoga during the day. You'll be more alert and efficient, and just more fun to work with. --Abby Lentz
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