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.
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:
Strengthens & stretches the legs and ankles
Stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders
Increases breathing capacity
Stimulates abdominal organs
Increases stamina
Relieves backaches, particularly in lower spine, and helps with prolapsed or herniated disc
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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:
Calms the brain, soothes the nerves
Relieves neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist arthritis when done with palms in reverse namascar
Stretches the spine, hips, and hamstrings
Strengthens the legs
Stimulates the abdominal organs, tones liver and spleen
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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:
Stretches and strengthens the thighs, knees, and ankles
Stretches the hips, groins, hamstrings, and calves; shoulders, chest, and spine
Balances the hips and low back
Stimulates the abdominal organs
Helps relieve stress
Improves digestion (relieves gastritis, indigestion, acidity, and flatulence)
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause and menstrual discomfort, as it massages and tones the pelvic area
Alleviates backache, improves flexibility of spine
Therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis, and sciatica
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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:
Stretches hip flexors
Balances the hips
Strengthens the abdominal core
Stretches & strengthens the shoulder girdle
Relieves sciatica
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.
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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:
Stretches the chest and lungs, shoulders and neck, belly, groins (psoas)
Strengthens the shoulders, arms, abdominal and back muscles
Strengthens and stretches the thighs, calves, and ankles
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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.
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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:
Stretch hips, thighs, ankles
Calm the brain and help relieve stress and fatigue
Relieve back and neck pain (support head with a block and place a bolster under the torso if needed)
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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.
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.
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
Strengthen the wrists, shoulders, abdominal core, quadriceps
Approach these asanas slowly and mindfully. If something hurts, back out of the pose gently and reassess. Do not ever push through pain. The techniques and suggestions presented in these videos are not intended to substitute for medical advice. Consult your physician before beginning any new exercise program. Jessie Tierney and YogAscent/Horseback Yoga videos and website assume no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing these techniques. If you are new to exercise or yoga, are elderly, have any chronic or recurring conditions such as high blood pressure, neck or back pain, arthritis, heart disease, and so on, seek your physician’s advice before practicing to determine necessary precautions.