Office Chair Yoga - Side Stretch and Spine Twist

The benefits of yoga are well-documented. Flexibility,over your head, pointing your fingertips up to the ceiling.
relaxed muscles, strength and tone, and the sense ofExhale as you stretch, continuing to move your hand
calm you gain from doing yoga are great. But manypast your head and farther over to the right side. Be
individuals find that they do not have the time in theirsure to keep both of your hips firmly planted on the
busy schedule to visit the gym, or even to spendseat. Inhale, then exhale and pull the stretch even
some time in front of the TV with their favorite yogafarther. When done, bring your arm slowly back
video.across and back to your left side. Repeat with the
However, yoga can be done even while at the office,right arm.
sitting in your chair. It may seem strange at firstA spinal twist can also be done siting in your office
(especially to those around you), but working a fewchair. This exercises is good for your lower back. Sit
stretches into your day can provide much-neededwith perfect posture, shoulders directly over your hips
relief and a little break. Most desk work in an office isand rolled back. Sit as tall as you can, ie: reach the top
somewhat bad for your muscles anyway. Repetitiveof your head as close to the ceiling as you can. Inhale,
tasks like typing, and the awkward position of yourthen exhale slowly as you twist to the left until you are
body as you hunch over the keyboard and crane yourlooking at the wall behind you. You can reach your
neck to see your monitor can put a strain on yourright arm across and put it on the outside of your left
muscles. So stretching them out a few times a dayknee to help push you around. You can move your left
could prevent some of the soreness that comes fromarm to the back of the chair's backrest, and use that
sitting in an office chair all day.to help pull, too. Remember to exhale as you twist.
Start with some side stretches. Let your right handInhale, then exhale and twist some more. Slowly return
hang down to your side, or if you have an arm restto your sitting posture, then repeat toward the right.
that is comfortable, allow your right arm to lay on theYou want to keep your hips square on the seat, but let
rest. Reach your left arm out to our side, lifting it upyour spine twist as much as you can.