Best yoga poses for people who sit a lot.
Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
It helps you lengthen and strengthen muscles in the body.
It reduces tension in the shoulders, relaxes the neck, and lets a little more blood flow get to the brain.
You’re also able to really stretch the legs, so if you’re sitting all day, the legs are getting inactive.
The pose is also great for stretching out the wrists and hands, which may become sore or tired from hours of typing.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Counter a long day of contracting the back with this powerful back and chest-opening posture.
Come to a comfortable standing position with feet hips-width apart, bring your hands up over your head with palms facing forward and thumbs hooked as you bend gently backwards and breathe deeply.
This is a powerful pose to free up tight chest muscles.
Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
Fish pose releases tension in the neck, throat, and head, helps stretch the chest muscles and opens up the lungs.
Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Uttanasana or Standing Forward Bend, with variants such as Padahastasana where the toes are grasped, is a standing forward bending asana in modern yoga as exercise.
By binding the hands, you also allow the arms to stretch and tight shoulders to relax.
After sitting all day, it’s a great idea to turn your world upside down and bring some blood back to the brain while getting a great stretch for the legs.
Cat & Cow Pose (Marjaryasana & Bitilasana)
It also helps bring the neck back into the position over the spine — people tend to protrude it forward, and this pose brings the vertebrae back to homeostasis.
Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana)
This pose helps to open the hips and ease sciatica discomfort that can be made worse by sitting for long periods.
The sciatic nerve starts in the lower back and runs down both leg, and sciatic nerve pain can occur when the nerve is somehow compressed.
Long commutes and sitting for long periods of time exacerbates it.
Slow Neck Stretches
To counter neck discomfort from staring down at a keyboard or phone, Bielkus recommends a few repetitions of yogic slow neck stretches.
This can also easily be done standing anywhere, even in a cubicle.
It eases neck tension and strain.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
This pose is an accessible back bend for most people.
It lengthens the spine, opens up the chest and counteracts sitting hunched over all day.
Half Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)
A half pigeon is great for opening up the hips.
If you’re particularly tight in the hips, try rolling up a blanket under the hips and sitting upright, and then gently hinging forward.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Child’s pose helps us turn inside and slow our minds down.
The foundational resting pose in many yoga classes, the soothing Child’s Pose can help put the mind at ease while also gently opening up the back, hips and shoulders.
Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)
This pose opens the hips and groins and is very calming for the mind and body.
Breathing
This cooling breath is the perfect antidote to a long, stressful day.
“It releases tension in body and mind, and helps us relieve stress and anger and brings us to a more balanced and clear state.
