Sitting Down Stretches
I’ll give you my top easy stretches in just a second, but first…
I’d like you to take a second and think about your body’s posture at this exact moment…
- Is your back hunched or straight?
- Is your head facing forward or is it tilted down?
- Are your feet flat on the floor?
- Is there excess pressure on your wrists?
Most likely, you’re sitting in a chair reading this from a computer or a phone…
And chances are high that there’s something off about your posture. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of…
The vast majority of people don’t have correct posture while using a computer or phone…
Now, couple that with the growing number of people who work in an office all day…
With little movement other than a lunch break and a trip to the bathroom every few hours…
Or who spend countless hours bent over staring at their phones…
And you’ve got prime conditions for chronic pain, joint problems, and muscle issues.
Today, I’m going to show you a few simple exercises you can do from the comfort of your own desk that will help to relieve these problems without feeling like the office weirdo.
I know there’s a social stigma towards stretching and exercising at work, but believe me, your bones and body will thank you tremendously if you give them even a little bit of attention during the day.
And you’ll be surprised how much of a difference these little stretches make. Differences like…
- No more back pain while walking
- More energy from reduced inflammation
- Higher productivity to finish the tasks you start
- Better blood circulation
Sounds great, right?
So, let’s jump right in with the first stretches…
Easy Stretches For Your Arms, Neck, and Shoulders
There are a few exercises I’d like to highlight for your arms and shoulders…
They’re all super easy and will help straighten out your spine, release shoulder tension, and loosen contracted arm and hand muscles…
Reach for the Sky
- Stretch both your arms directly above your head with your palms pointing towards the sky.
- As you lift your arms, take a deep breath in through your nose.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Lower your arms and exhale through your mouth.
- Repeat 5 times
Scratch Your Shoulder
- Raise your right arm above your head and bend at the elbow so your palm is resting behind your left shoulder.
- Grab the raised elbow with your left hand and gently pull to the left, activating the muscles on your right side.
- As you pull, breathe in through your nose.
- Hold for 3 seconds.
- Release and exhale through your mouth.
- Switch arms and pull to the right.
- Repeat 3 times on each side.
Neck Roll
- Nod your head forward until your chin touches your chest.
- Gently rotate your head to the right for 3 complete rotations.
- As you rotate, breathe in through your mouth and hold until you finish the rotations.
- Stop after the 3rd rotation with your chin on your chest and exhale through your mouth.
- Do the same rotation to the left.
- Repeat twice in each direction.
These stretches will help for your upper body, but you’ll also need to work those legs, hips, and lower body that often receive even LESS movement than your arms…
Easy Stretches For Legs, Feet, and Your Lower Body
Knee Lift
- Grab your left knee with both hands and raise it towards your chest.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- As you lift and hold, breathe in through your nose.
- Exhale through your mouth when you release.
- Switch legs and do the same lift.
- Repeat 5 times for each side.
Touch Your Toes
- Straighten your legs with the heels touching the floor to create a 45-degree angle.
- Bend at the waist and reach as far down your legs as possible.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- While bending, breathe in through your nose.
- Exhale through your mouth when you release.
- Repeat 3 times.
Half Levitation
- With your right leg planted firmly on the floor at a 90-degree angle and your back against the chair, straighten and lift your left leg as high as you can
- Hold as long as you can.
- As you lift and hold, breathe in through your nose.
- Exhale through your mouth when you release.
- Switch legs and do the same lift.
- Repeat 3 times for each side.
These basic stretches will help considerably, but there’s something else that should be a mandatory part of your working day…
Walk Around For Circulation
Now, the stretches above are intended to deal with your muscles being in the same position for extended periods of time, but it’s important to…
Take time to walk around.
Whether it’s a simple trip to the bathroom or just outside for a breath of fresh air, the act of walking is imperative to get your blood flowing and increase oxygen intake.
Not only that, but it allows you the perfect bookends to…
Create a Healthy Desk Routine With Easy Stretches
All of the previous stretches are great for avoiding cramps, aches, and other pains, but the absolute best thing you can do is to correct the problem entirely with a new routine…
If you work in a 9-5 office atmosphere, it helps to divide your day into manageable sections with frequent breaks to incorporate physical movement…
And contrary to common belief, stopping often won’t lower your productivity. In fact, it will make you more productive as you’ll be better focused during your working sessions and avoid those slowdown periods when you don’t get real work done anyway.
Here’s a sample schedule:
- 9:00am – 9:45am: First working session
- 9:45am – 10:00am: Stretching and quick walk, have a healthy snack
- 10:00am – 10:45am: Working session
- 10:45am – 11:00am: Stretching and quick walk
- 11:00am – 12:00pm: Working session
- 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Lunch – make sure to move as much as possible and finish with a good stretch before starting work again
- 1:00pm – 1:45pm: Working session
- 1:45pm – 2:00pm: Stretching and quick walk, also a good time for an afternoon coffee or tea
- 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Working session
- 3:00pm – 3:15pm: Stretching and quick walk
- 3:15pm – 4:00pm: Working session
- 4:00pm – 4:15pm: Stretch and quick walk
- 4:15pm – 5:00pm: Final working session
Now, you don’t have to be as strict as the military with your schedule…
But by breaking your working day up into smaller sections, you’ll be giving your muscles and body time to refresh before concentrated sessions of work…
And I encourage you to set a goal for each session as a way to motivate yourself.
Once you’ve switched to this schedule or one like it, you’ll see the difference not only in how you feel, but also in how much more work you’re getting done each day…
It may seem counter-intuitive, but it truly works.
A New Healthy and Productive You
Most people don’t recognize the great danger that sitting at a desk all day presents…
And some experts say that this working condition actually creates a 40% increased risk of dying!
However, once you know how important stretching and moving are while working…
And once you put it into practice…
It can completely transform your work experience…
And here’s the secret benefit that I’m sure you’ll love – when you add this new physical component to your work day, the hours will fly by…
You’ll feel like your 8-hour workday has been shortened and you’ll have much more energy when you get home.