Yoga is a wonderful practice you can incorporate into any part of your life. If you are like 4 out of 5 Americans who have a desk job, it is even more important to bring some healthy, vital movement & breath into your workday.
Here are 5 poses you can integrate into your workplace that fit into a cubicle.
Feel free to share with your coworkers!
Virabhadrasana II (warrior two pose) is a strong, foundational standing pose that increases overall strength and stamina.
Be mindful of the position of the front knee–never beyond the ankle, and stacked in alignment. For help with balance, practice next to a chair so you can place a hand on the chair for stability. Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come out of the pose by straightening the knees whenever you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Virabhadrasana II:
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Parsvottanasana (standing head to knee pose / intense side stretch pose) is a strong, hip-balancing foundational standing pose.
Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come out of the pose by returning to standing whenever you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Parsvottanasana:
Check out this article from Claudia Cummins on how to refine and progress your Parsvottanasana.
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Trikonasana (triangle pose) is a foundational standing pose in asana.
Be mindful of knee alignment, not torquing the front knee but keeping it pointing in the same direction as the second toe. If you tend to hyperextend the knee joint, keep a micro bend in the knee by engaging the hamstring strongly as it lengthens. Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come out of the pose by returning to standing whenever you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Trikonasana:
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Anjaneyasana (low lunge / crescent lunge pose) is a great warm-up pose for the Warrior postures.
Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come out of the pose by returning to hands and knees or coming to standing whenever you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain. This pose should not be painful.
Anjaneyasana:
The crescent comes from the shape of the body when arms are extended overhead and back slightly, and gaze lifts up toward the sky. Begin practicing this pose with the gaze forward and the arms straight up to find a strong core, and then you may choose to progress the pose gradually as strength, alignment and endurance builds.
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Virabhadrasana I (warrior one pose) is a strong, foundational standing pose.
From YogaJournal: “What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the spiritual warrior, who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.” Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come out of the pose by straightening the knees whenever you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Virabhadrasana I:
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Bhujangasana (cobra pose) is a stabilizing back bend that helps to build core strength and balance the front and back body.
Note: Keep the low back from crunching by rooting the pubic bone into the floor and finding the arch in the upper spine. This pose is a great tonic for those of us who spend much of the day seated, at a desk, driving, or hunched over. Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and lower down onto your belly-chest when you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Bhujangasana can:
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Balasana (child’s pose) & Bhaktasana (devotional pose) are resting poses, where we can re-visit our intention, re-connect with breath, and reflect.
Note: Balasana & Bhaktasana are often referred to a “home base” or a “recovery pose” in asana classes. However, if you have knee pain, a tear, or a history of knee surgery, neither of these poses are advised; try “Puppy Pose” instead, and place a cushion or blanket under the knees (depending upon the severity of your knee injury, even Puppy may not be advisable, and you might benefit from sticking to the standing postures). Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come back up to hands and knees when you need to. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Bhaktasana and Balasana can:
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Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) is a therapeutic back bend that relies on shoulder alignment and core strength.
Note: Do not practice this posture if you have a neck injury unless under direct supervision of a professional. This back bending pose tones and lengthens the abdominal core & trunk, strengthening the shoulders, thighs and back. It is a great tonic for bodies that sit in a hunched-forward position, and helps to open and expand the heart-chest. Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and slowly lower onto your back to rest. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is beneficial in many ways (source: Yoga Journal):
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Plankasana (plank pose does not have a Sanskrit name) is one of the foundational asanas in yoga practice.
This strong pose tones the wrists, shoulders, and core abdominal & trunk muscles. Breathe slowly and fully as you practice, and come into Balasana or Table to rest. Notice sensation in your body, and please come out of the pose if you feel pain.
Plankasana helps to
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