Yoga for the Office - Practice 1

I have recently taken on some computer work and although I know the effects of desk jobs can cause chronic neck, shoulder and back issues I was surprised at how quickly one can start to feel these symptoms.

Below is a practice that is good for anyone, but especially for those that sit for long periods at desks, in vehicles...or even on the couch!  If you stop for even five minutes every hour to do a few of these postures, it might help counter the negative effects of desk jobs. 

Namaskarasana - Begin in a seated position with your feet hip distance apart and parallel.  Press firmly into your feet, and sit evenly on your sit bones. Press your palms together at chest height, keeping your wrists and elbow in line.  Release your shoulder back and down away from your ears, while at the same time keep your spine lengthening and chest open.

Maintaining the same position of your feet, length to your spine and openness to the chest, interlace your fingers.

Keep your shoulders moving back and down and press your hands away from you, palms facing out.  Try to keep your arms straight and parallel to the floor.

Bring your chin to your chest, inhale and raise your straight arms overhead.  Continue to press out through your palms.  As your arms stretch up, keep the shoulders moving back and down and keep the chest open, feet pressing to floor.

On your next inhale, levelize the head.  On an exhalation release the arms down and repeat the last five poses interlacing your fingers with your opposite pinkie finger to the outside.

Stand with feet hip width apart and feet parallel.  Bring your weight evenly into your feet.  Front to back, side to side.  Engage your quadriceps (thigh muscles) and compact your outer hips.  Lift your waist off of your hips, lengthening the side body evenly to the armpits.  Raise your arms out to the side, parallel to the floor, and keep your shoulders moving down the back.  Press out through the palms and feel a greater release in the neck and shoulder area.  Draw the arms behind you as far as you can.  Bring arms back in line with body and palms facing the floor. 

Maintain the action in your legs and arms.  Inhale and on exhale release ear over to shoulder.  Don't let the shoulder move up to the ear.  Inhale to levelize the head and repeat on other side. 

Ardha Uttanasana - Place palms on desk, shoulder width apart.  Step back keeping feet hip width apart and parallel to each other bending at the hip crease - not the waist.  Feel the spine lengthening and lower back releasing.  Try to keep the tailbone in line with the heels.  Allow the abdomen to soften and outer thighs roll inward.  Lift the kneecaps up towards the hips to engage the quadriceps muscles and keep the femur bones (thigh bones) pressing back.  On inhalation walk feet towards hands and press to come up.  

Sit again in your chair.  Keep feet parallel and hip width apart.  Sit bones pressing evenly into chair.  Inhale, lengthening your spine, rolling your shoulders back and down and keep your chest open.  Exhale, bring your right hand to the outside of the left knee, revolving to the left. Take a few breaths to complete the twist beginning from the tailbone up to the base of the neck.  Look beyond the left shoulder, stretching the eyes as far as they can too!  On the exhalation come back to centre and repeat on other side.

This pose is great to quiet the mind and release the back and shoulders.

Feet are hip width apart and parallel. Release forward, bending at the hip crease, grasp opposite elbows and release forward.  Rest your forehead on your folded arms or on the desk.  Feel the muscles of the back releasing, the shoulders relaxing and the abdomen softening to release tension.  Stay for as long as you can.  Slowly come up on the inhalation.  Sit for a moment or two feeling calm, relaxed and ready to proceed with your day.

Namaste.

Pamela Nelson

http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/

email: plnyoga@plnyoga.vpweb.com