6 Quick Seated Desk Yoga Poses to Break Up Your Day & Bring in Some Movement

While you’re at your desk, close your eyes and imagine you’re at Mount Rainier National Park with our yoga model Emily, doing these quick seated yoga stretches!

Stretch the Neck

Sitting up tall, keep the shoulders down and gently drop you left ear towards your left shoulder. If that isn’t painful, bring the left hand gently toward the right side of the head and use the weight of that hand (not pushing) to allow the left ear to be a little bit heavier toward the shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds or so and switch sides. 

Stretch the Wrists & Fingers

Sitting up tall, bring your right palm forward in front of you facing away (like you’re going to high five someone!), straighten the elbow and flex the fingers up toward the sky. Bring the left hand up and use the left hand to gently pull the right hand toward your face, stretching the wrist. Then make your way individually through the fingers and the thumb, gently pulling them back toward the face, stretching the base of the digits. Switch arms

Stretch the Spine in Seated Twist

Sitting tall (is there a theme here?), start to turn your body toward the right. Bring your left hand to the outside of your right leg, or brace is on your desk and wrap your right arm behind you, or brace it on your desk chair. Use your arms to pull your upper body toward the right side, gently twisting the spine. Check in that the shoulders aren’t lifting toward the ears, and keep the belly button pulled in tight. Switch sides. 

Stretch the Hips with a Figure 4 

Sitting up tall, cross your right ankle over your left knee. Flex the right toes back, and keep the ankle straight. Inhale as you lengthen the spine, and start to fold forward, gently building sensation in the right hip. Make sure there’s no sharp shooting pain in the right knee. If you want to add in a shoulder stretch, interlace the fingers behind your back, and lift the hands toward the sky as you fold forward, making sure to keep the head heavy and not strain the neck. 

Stretch the Side Body

Sitting up tall, reach your right arm up toward the sky, turning the palm in (pinky forward, thumb back). Bring your left arm out to the side of your chair to support you. Keep your right arm straight, and start to reach it over to the left, gently stretching the right side body. Keep the right and left shoulders dropped down, as you reach the right fingers as high as you can. Switch sides.