| Do you have a desk job? I do, and many times sitting | | | | flexibility in this rarely used area. |
| all day can really take a physical toll on the body, | | | | It's a simple ankle roll. One foot at a time, imagine your |
| making us more tired, and less apt to working out or | | | | toes are reaching out of their shoes. Rotate the entire |
| getting the physical activity that our body's naturally | | | | foot in one continuous circle, first clockwise ten times, |
| crave when you get home. | | | | then counterclockwise ten times. At the end, flex your |
| It seems counterintuitive, but sitting all day actually | | | | foot and extend it out for about five times to loosen |
| makes you more tired than if you had been up and | | | | up the arch of the foot as well. |
| about all day because you haven't gotten your blood | | | | You should notice, even doing this keeps the body |
| pumping and the blood becomes oxygen deprived, | | | | warmer by enhancing your circulation. The next stretch |
| which makes us feel fatigued, even though we haven't | | | | is for your lower back. Sitting up straight, imagine again |
| physically exerted ourselves all day. | | | | your head is extending in to the sky. Gently twist to |
| Like I said, counterintuitive. You'd think you would be | | | | one side with your hand on your sacrum, which is the |
| bursting with restless energy after sitting at a desk all | | | | bony part between your back and buttocks. |
| day in front of a computer, but that is not usually the | | | | Be sure to do this one very slowly, and don't kink or |
| case. | | | | twist too hard. Keep the breath fluid, and go slow, and |
| How many times have you gotten home from your | | | | you will find that your body will relax and you can go |
| desk job, and felt exhausted, ready to fall into bed or | | | | further into this position. Do this to each side, and hold |
| on to the couch and call it a night? Well, there are | | | | each pose for about thirty seconds for optimum |
| some little exercises that you can do right at your | | | | benefit. |
| desk if you don't happen to have a workout facility at | | | | This next one may look a little more obvious, but you |
| your place of employment, or somewhere near to go | | | | should be able to do it with no problems discreetly |
| to get some physical activity in for the day. | | | | when no one is looking, and it feels really good |
| One of my favorite moves, with also helps to relieve | | | | because it releases a lot of hip tension, which many of |
| neck and back pain, and is sort of like a yoga move, is | | | | us don't even realize we have. |
| one that focuses on both tightening the tummy and | | | | Sit as if your were going to cross your legs over one |
| making us sit taller in our chairs, bringing more oxygen | | | | another, but don't do it all the way, leaving your ankle |
| to the blood, and rejuvenating the mind. | | | | on your knee. Next, elevate your bottom leg, which will |
| First, sit up straight in your chair. Be mindful to keep | | | | lift the top leg resting on the bottom leg as well, toward |
| your stomach pressed in, but still keep breathing as | | | | your chest. You may need to back away from your |
| smoothly and evenly as possible. Next, imagine your | | | | desk for this one. |
| head is spiraling up toward the ceiling, while your | | | | You should feel an excellent stretch in your outer hip |
| shoulders are consciously down, far away from your | | | | flexor. These definitely are not the only stretching for |
| ears. | | | | flexibility exercises you can do at your desk. |
| As you exhale, expand the belly out. Repeat this | | | | You can probably even create some of your own to |
| several times, breathing smoothly. This should help get | | | | target your most tense areas, but just be aware not |
| your blood circulating and serve as a refresher. | | | | to push to hard and to use your breath to go further |
| Another one, this one more for you lower body, is to | | | | into the pose. It's like therapeutic, circulation-enhancing |
| increase circulation in the legs, as well as to enhance | | | | and mind clearing yoga - at your desk! |