Relax Frequently. Very Frequently.

by Nina

“When we’re renewing, we’re truly renewing, so when we’re working, we can really work.”—Tony Schwartz

On this blog, we’ve talked till we’re blue in the face about how important it is to reduce stress to support healthy aging. After all, chronic stress can cause everything from heart disease and stroke to depression. But when people are busy with their everyday lives, it’s often difficult for them to make lifestyle changes to support a long-term goal. But according to a recent editorial in the New York Times Relax! You’ll be More Productive, there is also a short-term payoff to relaxing on a regular basis:

“A new and growing body of multidisciplinary research shows that strategic renewal—including daytime workouts, short afternoon naps, longer sleep hours, more time away from the office and longer, more frequent vacations — boosts productivity, job performance and, of course, health.”

Yes, author Tony Schwartz says that relaxing on a regular basis “it’s possible to get more done, in less time, more sustainably.” He goes on to say that human beings didn’t evolve to expend energy continuously but rather to pulse between spending and recovering energy. This is a reference to the fight or flight response vs. the relaxation response, which we’ve discussed in previous posts (see Chronic Stress: An Introduction and The Relaxation Response and Yoga). This is not big news to us, of course. What got me intrigued, however, was Schwartz’s statement that “strategic renewal” ideally should come every 90 minutes.

“during the day we move from a state of alertness progressively into physiological fatigue approximately every 90 minutes. Our bodies regularly tell us to take a break, but we often override these signals and instead stoke ourselves up with caffeine, sugar and our own emergency reserves — the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol.”

Among other studies, Schwartz cites the work of Professor K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues at Florida State University. Dr. Ericsson studied elite performers, including musicians, athletes, actors and chess players, and found that in each of these fields, the best performers typically practice in uninterrupted sessions that last no more than 90 minutes. They begin in the morning, take a break between sessions, and rarely work for more than four and a half hours in any given day.

Legs Up the Wall Pose (Better Than Sleep)

 Of course most of us can’t take a nap every 90 minutes—something Schwartz recommends—at work. Besides, unless you’re sleep deprived, sleeping probably isn’t the best way to relax and restore yourself (see Conscious Relaxation vs. Sleep). So—wait for it—how about doing a little bit of yoga every 90 minutes? Maybe shut your office door and do a restorative pose or two (see Mini Restorative Sequence). Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani) would be my pose of choice. And if you don’t have a door (yeah, I worked in one of those cubicle thingies back in the day) or feel like being active instead of resting, try some of our office yoga poses. We’ve got a sequence you can do in your office clothes (see Mini Office Yoga Sequence) and a series of seated poses you can do right at your desk (see Chair Yoga Mini Sequence). And, of course, you could always meditate, even in a noisy environment (see Achieving Stillness in Turbulent Situations)!

Sitting is Bad for You

by Nina

Yesterday’s New York Times article “Get Up. Get Out. Don’t Sit.” reported that two different scientific studies have added to a growing consensus that “the more time someone spends sitting, especially in front of the television, the shorter and less robust his or her life may be.”

Sitting by Nina Zolotow

The studies, including one published in the October issue of The British Journal of Sports Medicine the other published on Monday in the journal Diabetologia, looked at TV watching habits as a way of learning more about the effects of sedentary behavior on health. The conclusions? Sitting actually reduces your life expectancy. An adult who spends an average of six hours a day watching TV over the course of a lifetime can expect to live 4.8 years fewer than a person who does not watch TV.

“Every single hour of television watched after the age of 25 reduces the viewer’s life expectancy by 21.8 minutes.”

Unfortunately, for us yoga practitioners, the results are true even for people who exercise regularly. The article quotes one of the authors of the study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Dr. Verrman, saying, “a person who does a lot of exercise but watches six hours of TV every night might have a similar mortality risk as someone who does not exercise and watches no TV.”

Furthermore, it’s not just TV watching itself that causes the problems. In modern society, many of us—including me!— have jobs that require sitting in front of the computer all day. Dr. Emma Wilmot, a research fellow at the University of Leicester in England, says that while we might try to convince ourselves that 30 minutes of exercise a day will protect us, we “are still at risk if we sit all day.”

The author of the article goes on to speculate way this may be true, quoting David W. Dunstan, a professor at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia, senior author of the Australian study, and a pioneer in the study of sedentary behavior, “The most striking feature of prolonged sitting is the absence of skeletal muscle contractions, particularly in the very large muscles of the lower limbs.” The thinking is that when your leg muscles don’t contract, they require less fuel, and the surplus, in the form of blood sugar, accumulates in the bloodstream, contributing to diabetes risk and other health problems.

The article recommends reducing the hours you spend sitting, starting eliminating one hour of sitting a day. And you just know that I’m going to recommend some yoga! Obviously, if you have not already done so, incorporating standing poses (those really cause your leg muscles to contract!) into your daily practice is vital. But what about outside the yoga room? How about taking a short break and doing some office yoga? Our office yoga series includes some seated poses, but we also have a number of poses you can do in your office attire that require getting up and out of your chair!

Try one or more of our Standing Shoulder Stretches. Or how about our Standing Leg Stretches? Even Half Dog pose at the Wall, which you can do almost anywhere (try putting your hands flat on the desk, if you don’t have a free wall space) and in any attire, requires getting out of your chair and moving those legs!

Featured Sequence: Chair Yoga Mini Sequence

.by Baxter and Nina

How much yoga can you do without getting out of your chair? Well, it turns out quite a lot! In fact, today’s mini sequence is a well-rounded practice that includes backbends, forward bends, a twist, a hip opener, and a relaxation pose, all of which can be done at your desk or at the airport. The entire sequence is accessible to almost everyone, including people who find it difficult to get up and down from the floor or who cannot stand.

1. Chair Cat Pose for six rounds (with six breaths). This seated version of Cat pose is a great way to counteract the tendency to round forward when you sit in front of your computer, laptop, or tablet, or commute in your car. For those who tend to assume a head forward position, this pose returns your head to a healthier alignment over your shoulders. And moving back and forth between arching and rounding your spine strengthens the muscles that support your head in a more even way. For all of us, moving your spine back and forth between flexion (rounded) and extension (arched) helps keep your spine healthy by providing nourishment to the bones and disks.

Because you move rhythmically with your breath in this pose, you take in more oxygen, which has a positive effect on your respiratory system and can help if you get winded easily. In addition, moving with your breath is a stimulating, which may perk you up when you are feeling sluggish and can help you focus your concentration. It’s a good way to kick start your practice when you are feeling fatigued or depressed. After you start gently moving in this pose, you may feel ready for some larger movements.

For instructions and cautions, see: Seated Cat-Cow Pose

2. Chair Twist for one minute. This pose releases back muscles that are stiff or sore from sitting at a desk or from traveling, or from everyday activities that stress the back, such as gardening and painting, and increases the rotational mobility in your spine. Twisting also helps nourish the spine—movement of the spine helps maintain the health of the discs—and also strengthens the bones themselves as your back muscles pull on the bony insertions of the spine. This pose also strengthens the oblique muscles of your core (and we could all use a little of that). Traditional yoga teachers recommend twists for the health of your internal organs, improving circulation to and function of the abdominal organs, although no studies have been conducted to confirm this. And finally, for many of us, twists can release physical and emotional tension, providing relief from stress.

For instructions and cautions, see: Chair Twist.

3. Chair Seated Forward Bend/Hip Opener for one to two minutes. This simple pose is another good antidote to sitting upright in your chair. An excellent hip opener, this forward bend counteracts the tightness of your hips that you develop from sitting with your legs straight in front of you, helping you to maintain mobility in your hip joints. The release in your hips can feel wonderful, and you may also feel a good stretch in your lower back and inner thighs. The pose also helps stretch and wake up your arms as you press them toward the floor. By changing your relationship to gravity, this pose helps release tension you’re holding in your back, neck, and head. This can be particularly helpful if you’ve spent hours in front of your computer screen or driving, and your neck is stiff or even painful. The partial inversion also stimulates your circulatory system and can re-enliven you if you’re feeling sluggish, stimulates your circulatory system.

For instructions and cautions, see: Chair Seated Forward Bend.

4. Chair Backbend for 12 to 16 breaths. This simple chair backbend is the perfect antidote to the typical postural habits of slumping forward that we develop from sitting all day at our desks, in cars, and airplanes, and from the many everyday activities where we are bending forward, such as gardening or washing dishes. The basic back-bending shape re-establishes the natural curve of your lower back, correctly aligning your spine in its natural curves, which helps to keep your back healthy. The backbend also lengthens the front of your body, allowing many of us to breath in with greater ease. It helps release stress from your upper body, especially the upper chest. And while stretching the front of your body, the pose strengthens your back body muscles, which tend to be overstretched and weak if they are ignored. Because backbends in general tend to be uplifting, you may even find this pose helps encourage a more positive mood as you take deep inhalations and exhalations.

For instructions and cautions, see: Chair Backbend.

5. Supported Forward Bend for one to ten minutes. The simple supported forward bend is a safe forward bend for almost everyone. Because you’re bending your legs at the knees, you’re reducing the tension on your hamstrings and therefore allowing your pelvis to have more flexibility at your hip joints. In addition, because you’re resting your arms and head on a chair or desk and you’re not hanging in space, your lower back muscles can release more completely and relax more deeply. (Some of the seated forward bends with straight legs can aggravate lower back pain or disc problems because they pull so strongly on your back muscles and encourage the discs to move toward a posterior position, and you can sometimes over-strain your ligaments when you overdo.)

This forward bend can provide you a quiet moment in your busy day, and allows you to access the deep rest of conscious relaxation without lying on the floor, especially if you focus on your breath while you are in the pose. In addition, folding forward creates a feeling of safety and comfort for many people. And supporting your head enhances the soothing quality of the forward bend, so the Chair Forward Bend may even have a quieting effect on your mind and your emotions, cooling negative emotions such as anger and anxiety.

For instructions and cautions, see: Chair Supported Forward Bend.

Featured Pose: Reverse Prayer Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This pose from our office yoga series moves your shoulders into a position that you don’t take very often in your everyday life. Although this movement is not commonly needed, it’s still an important one because for the long-term health of your shoulders, you need to move them through their full range of motion. Unlike Prayer pose (Namaste) in front of your chest, Reverse Prayer pose (Paschima Namaskarana) takes your upper arms into internal rotation, creating an excellent stretch for your forearms that’s helpful for your elbows, wrists, and hands.

Although the classic version of the pose is difficult, if not impossible, for some people, a second variation, where you hold your elbows or forearms, makes the pose accessible to almost everyone.


This is an excellent counter pose for any work that involves the use of your hands whether it is manual labor or office computer work. And, as with all our office yoga poses, you can do it almost anywhere, in any attire. The pose also releases tension from your shoulders and collarbone area (an area where most people don’t even realize they hold a lot of tightness), providing physical relief as well as relaxation.


Those of you who have shoulder or arm injuries (such as, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome or rotator cuff injuries) should start by trying version 2. If you can do variation number comfortably, you can cautiously attempt version 1.


Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• stiff and tight shoulders
• tight forearms and elbows
• tight wrists and hands
• counter-pose for activities that require griping your hands
• stress relief of the shoulders and neck area (self massage!)

Instructions: For version 1, start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet hips-distance apart. Bring your palms together into Prayer position (Namaste) in front of your chest, and press your palms together firmly. Take a moment to assess how flexible your wrists are in this position.

Now bring your arms behind your back, with your fingertips pointing toward the floor and elbows slightly bent. Then move your hands a few inches away from your lower back and spin your fingertips up toward the ceiling. Allow the pinky side of your hands to lightly touch your lower back. At this point your elbows are bent and your upper arm bones are turning in quite a bit. Carefully wiggle and wriggle your hands up along the line of your spine as high as you can comfortably go or until your palms come completely together. If your palms can come together, try to bring the thumb sides of your hands closer to each other (as they tend to get pulled apart).

Stay in the pose for approximately 30 seconds, working up to 2 minutes. To come out of the pose, carefully wiggle your hands down your back at least six inches or so before you release your hands down by your sides (this takes the tension out of your shoulders).


If you attempt version 1 and are unable to turn your fingertips up and keep them together, there may be too much tightness or tension anywhere from your shoulders to your wrists that prevents you from doing this safely. Choose version 2 instead.


For version 2, start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet hips-distance apart. Take your arms out to your sides with your elbows bent to a 90-degree angle and your palms facing forward. Then spin your forearms forward and down (this is internal rotation) so your fingertips point down toward the floor. Bring your right forearm behind your back so the forearm rests on your lower back, then bring your left arm in as well, grabbing your left forearm or elbow with your right hand. Then spin your left hand around to grab your right forearm or elbow, as shown below.

Stay in the pose for 30 seconds, working up to 2 minutes. Then release your arms and repeat on the second side, bring your left arm behind your back first.

Cautions: If you have a history of shoulder joint dislocation, you should avoid the extreme internal rotation required by this pose. Or, if you want to try the pose, start with version 2. If you feel any dramatic movement in your upper arm bone, back off immediately. Likewise, if you have pain in your shoulder joint, elbow, or wrist. Those of you who have active rotator cuff injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome or tennis elbow should check with your teacher before practicing this pose.

Featured Pose: Eagle Pose Arms (Garudasana)

by Baxter and Nina

This pose from our office yoga series is a wonderful stretch for your middle and upper back and for your neck, which are areas where you may hold a lot of tension. Even thought some of us who are slumped over our computers appear to have wideness in the upper back, you may have noticed there is still quite a bit of tension there. The pose also increases mobility in your shoulders and releases tension from certain parts of your shoulder joint. It moves your shoulder blades on your rib cage into upward rotation, encouraging an important, functional movement for healthy shoulders and arms. It may also build strength in your pectoralis as well as some of the other chest muscles.

Because your hands are typically at elbow height or lower, raising your hands toward eye level helps reverse the effects of gravity (such as, swelling or stiffness of hands and wrists). And if you’ve been hiking all day in the heat with your hands at your sides, the effects of raising your hands to eye level are even more dramatic.

Although it’s a relatively simple pose, that can be done anywhere in almost any attire, it’s a strong, distinct stretch that engages your mind, bringing your attention to the present moment. It’s an excellent pose to do while traveling, and you can do it sitting as well as standing, even in an airplane seat. We’re showing the basic pose today, but you can do variations of this pose by moving your clasped hands either to the left or right of center.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

•    weak but tight upper backs
•    limited mobility or range of motion in the shoulders
•    rotator cuff injuries (for some people)
•    tight neck muscles
•    upper body strength (in particular, weakness in the chest)
•    numbness in the hands, such as in carpal tunnel syndrome

Instructions: Start by standing in Mountain Pose with your feet hips-width apart. Inhale and bring your arms out in front of you until they are parallel to the floor, with your palms facing one another. Cross your arms over one another, with the right arm on top and your elbow joints stacked on top of each other. Now bend your arms at the elbows to 90 degrees. Bring your left (bottom) hand across your face and bring your fingers onto the palm side of the right (top) hand. Have your thumbs pointing toward your face if possible.

If you can’t clasp your hands, keep your wrists straight up and your palms facing away from each other. If you can’t even cross your arms over your elbows, bend your right elbow and use your left hand to grab onto your right upper arm. Then use your left hand to encourage your right elbow toward the left side of your chest.

Now lift your elbows up until your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Keep your shoulders relaxed away from your ears. If you wish, push your elbows forward an inch or so away from your chest. You will probably feel an increase in sensation between your shoulder blades. Breathe into that space to enhance the feeling of opening your back body. Look straight forward and keep your head and neck even and in line with your spine.

You can also push up with your bottom elbow as you push down with your top elbow and you’ll feel additional muscle groups around the shoulders strengthening and stretching.

For the most benefits, stay in the pose for 90 seconds, if you can. When you’re done, carefully release your arms. Bring your arms to sides and let go of the tension in your arms before moving on to the second side.

Cautions: This is a relatively safe pose. However, if the pose causes pain in any of your joints, try one of the modifications. If that doesn’t work, talk to your teacher for advice. People with a history of shoulder dislocation should be careful with this pose (as with all poses the involve the shoulders).

Featured Pose: Ankle Circles

by Baxter and Nina

This office yoga pose is a very versatile ankle exercise that enables you to address a typically neglected joint. Many of us have stiff, swollen, or weak ankles, or tend toward ankle sprains. Depending on how you practice this simple pose, you can focus either on loosening and releasing tension from your ankles or increasing the strength of the muscles around your ankles. You could also use this pose to improve circulation in your feet; if your feet tend to fall asleep, this pose may quickly wake them up. And because the seated position for this pose has you cross your ankle over your knee, the pose can help increase mobility in your knees and hips (it's a mild hip opener).

Ankle circles are simple and easy to do, and you can do them almost anywhere you can sit down, at the office, while traveling, while using a computer, or at home on the couch.

Baxter prescribes this for:

•    stiff ankles
•    weak ankles, including ankle sprains
•    swelling in your ankles, legs, or feet
•    intermittent numbness in your feet or toes
•    tight hips
•    antidote for sitting too long, either at a desk or while traveling.

Instructions: Start by removing your shoes (don't worry—if removing your shoes is not possible, you can still do it with your shoes on). Then sit on the front edge of your chair with your knees bent and your legs parallel to each other, and your feet directly underneath your knees and hips-distance apart. As always, follow Baxter’s Prime Directive! Lift from your sitting bones through the crown of your head, to protect your back as you do the pose.

Now bring your right shin bone onto the top of your left leg, just above the knee, so your outer ankle bone is just to the left of your thigh allowing your foot to move freely.

For those with stiffness or swelling in the ankles, try variation 1. Simply make easy circles with your foot, circling six times in one direction and then six times in the opposite direction.

For those with weak ankles, try variation 2. Imagine that your big toe is drawing a circle in space off to your left side. Move slowly and deliberately, as if you’re meeting some resistance, like moving through like warm sand. This will activate the musculature around your ankle joint and can help to build strength for those with ankle weakness or a history of ankle sprain. Do six circles, and then repeat in the opposite direction.

Another option for improving muscle strength (borrowed from the world of physical therapy) is to trace in the air the letters of the alphabet with your big toe. This has a similar effect as variation 2, but because are executing different patterns, you are potentially activating different muscle groups.

When you’re done with your ankle circles, return your right foot to the floor and repeat with your left foot. Take a moment to notice whether your feet and/or ankles feet any different.

Cautions: If you have knee or hip issues and can’t comfortably bring your ankle onto your opposite knee, try a different variation. Place a second another chair in front of you so you can rest your calf on it while your ankle and foot hang off. Then do your ankle circles with your leg supported and straight in front of you. Otherwise, this pose is pretty safe!

More on ankles is coming soon!

Featured Pose: Standing Cow-Face Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This versatile pose from our office yoga series uses just the arm positions from the full Cow-Face pose, which is typically done in a seated position. Because the pose works your two arms differently, it’s almost like two poses in one, taking your shoulders and arms through much of their range of motion. With your top arm, you reach up and overhead, spinning your upper arm bone outward and deeply bending your elbow joint. With your bottom arm, you reach down and back behind you, spinning your upper arm bone inward as you bend at the elbow joint. As it works your arms, this pose also stretches and strengthens your shoulder blades, upper back and neck.

The pose is actually quite physically challenging, so it’s a good pose to turn to when you’re feeling lethargic or restless. Because it releases muscular tension from your shoulders, neck, and back, it’s a perfect antidote to sitting in front of a keyboard or holding onto a steering wheel.

The standing version is very compact so you can do it in small space, like at the back of an airplane. However, you can also do the pose seated on a chair or in seated on the floor in Seated Crossed-Legs position, Hero pose, or the classic Cow-Face pose leg position.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• general stiffness and tightness in your shoulders
• stiffness in your upper back, especially if you have kyphosis of the spine (Dowager’s Hump)
• improving inner and outer rotation of your arm bones (you could use it, carefully, to address rotator cuff immobility)
• discomfort in your middle or upper back
• preparation for inversions like Forearm Balance (Pincamayurasana) and backbends

Instructions: If you know can't clasp hands in this pose (or suspect you might not be able to), find a yoga strap, belt, tie, or even a towel and place it over your left shoulder. Then, start by standing Mountain pose. First bring your right arm into position by taking it back behind you. Turn your arm in, bend your elbow, and place your forearm across your middle back with your palm facing away from you. Try to locate the end of your strap and hold onto it lightly. If it’s helpful, you can take your other hand and use it to encourage your right arm further in toward the midline of your body and further up the channel of your spine.

Next, bring you left arm into position by swinging it forward and up overhead. Turn your left hand toward the wall behind you, bend your elbow and drop your fingertips down toward your left shoulder blade. A few of you will be able to bring your two hands together, gently clasping your fingertips. The rest of us mere mortals can grab onto the top of the strap with your left hand, and carefully work both hands closer to each other along the strap. When you start to feel an increasing sensation on your arms, stop so you don’t over do it. Be aware of the tendency of your elbows to swing out away from the sides of your body, and if necessary firm your elbows back toward the sides of your body.

Stay in the pose 30 seconds to two minutes. Remember to breathe, staying as relaxed as possible. As you release out of the pose, be very careful as you bring your bottom arm out, moving slowly and mindfully. After you release your arms out of the pose, relax both arms for a few seconds, perhaps shaking and jiggling them before you go do the second side. Then repeat the pose on the other side. If you’ve never done this pose before, realize that there may be a huge difference between your two sides because you use your left and right arms so differently in your everyday lives.

Cautions: If you have any pain in your shoulder joint, back up until you are pain free. Be especially aware of pain in your bottom arm, as the upper arm area can get pinched. If the pose causes too discomfort for your bottom arm, just do the top arm part of the exercise. Then, for your bottom arms, you can hold both elbows behind your back (coming soon!).

Featured Pose: Half Widespread Standing Forward Bend

by Baxter and Nina

This office yoga pose is one of the most active, allover poses in the series. The pose can help energize you and awaken your body and mind, while at the same time, it can be done in almost any attire and in a variety of settings. All you need is a chair or some other piece of furniture on which you can rest your fingertips.

This forward bend not only helps stretch your hamstring muscles but also helps stretch and strengthen your inner thigh muscles (adductors), which become stiff and weak from long hours at a desk or in a chair. The position of your legs in this pose takes your legs into their full range of abduction, which is beneficial for your hip joint and can help prepare you for seated poses such as Seated Crossed Legs pose, Cobbler’s pose, and son.

This pose has similar benefits your back and spine as Half Dog pose (see here), opening your shoulders and stretching your arms, back, hips and legs. By creating a slight backbend in your thoracic spine, the pose is an antidote to the rounded back that extended sitting can cause). Because this is a forward fold, this pose can be refreshing for your mind and body because your blood flows down toward your heart and head. As your chest opens in the pose, your inhalations tend to become deeper and longer, improving your breathing.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

• hip tightness
• inner thigh weakness
• upper back stiffness, tightness or roundness (kyphosis)
• shoulder stiffness
• respiratory problems, inhale tends to be deeper and longer
• mental sluggishness
• fatigue (physical or mental)

Instructions: Start by standing in Mountain pose, about two to three feet away from the chair back. Step your feet about three to three and half feet apart, with your feet parallel to each other.

Now, pivoting from your hips, bend forward and bring your fingertips to the chair back. Align your head evenly between your arms, so your ears are in line with your arm bones. If the chair is too close to you (that is, if you can’t stretch your arms straight), gently push the chair away. (If you can move the chair or other furniture, step back far enough so your arms can straighten.)

Press evenly into your inner and outer feet. And as you lengthen forward from your hips through your arms, root back through your sitting bones toward the wall behind you. To strengthen your legs, create an isometric action by imagining that you are squeezing your legs toward each other (even though they are spread apart). As you stay in the pose, bring some attention to your breath, focusing on creating a slightly deeper inhalation and exhalation. Stay in the pose from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

To come out of the pose, bend your knees slightly and pull the chair back toward you (or step toward the non-moveable furniture). On an inhalation, pivot from your hips to bring your torso back to vertical. Then step your feet back into Mountain Pose.

Cautions: If you have low back problems, be as careful with this forward bend as you are with all other forward bends. Keep your knees slightly bent at first to make sure the pose feels okay for your lower back. If you have weak ankles or a history of ankle sprains, to make sure your ankles are okay, start with your feet a bit closer together and gradually work your feet wider checking your ankles as you go. If you have stiff or tight shoulders, you may not be able to reach the chair with your torso parallel to the floor. In this case, use a prop that is higher than a chair, such as a kitchen counter, filing cabinet, or bureau, or add folded blankets to the chair back to create a more appropriate height for your shoulders.

Featured Pose: Chair Seated Forward Bend

by Baxter and Nina

This simple pose is another good antidote to sitting upright in your chair. An excellent hip opener, this forward bend counteracts the tightness of your hips that you develop from sitting with your legs straight in front of you, helping you to maintain mobility in your hip joints. The release in your hips can feel wonderful, and you may also feel a good stretch in your lower back and inner thighs. The pose also helps stretch and wake up your arms as you press them toward the floor.

By changing your relationship to gravity, this pose helps release tension you’re holding in your back, neck, and head. This can be particularly helpful if you’ve spent hours in front of your computer screen or driving, and your neck is stiff or even painful. The partial inversion also stimulates your circulatory system and can re-enliven you if you’re feeling sluggish, stimulates your circulatory system.

Because your knees are bent, this is a very accessible forward bend. If you are unable to enjoy straight leg forward bends, you may find this version pose some of the fabled quieting and soothing qualities that you've heard about but never before been able to experience. Try it sometime for stress or anxiety.

Like the other poses in our full-length office yoga sequence (coming soon!), you can do this pose almost anywhere there is a chair and in almost any attire, though probably not in a tight skirt!

Baxter prescribes this for:

• tight hips
• tension in the spine
• mental sluggishness or fatigue
• weakness in the arms (if you engage the arms)
• substitute for inverted poses for those who can’t do full inversions
• alternative for Standing Forward Bend poses for those who can’t bear weight on their legs
• arthritis (for maintaining joint mobility in the hips)
• anxiety or stress

Instructions: Sit near the front edge of your chair. Separate your feet so your thighbones are 90 degrees apart and position your knees directly over your ankles. Point feet your feet in the same direction as your thighbones, as shown in the photo, and place your hands on your knees. On an inhalation, establish the length of your spine.

On your exhalation, tip from your hips as much as you can to come into the forward fold with a straight back. When you reach your maximum (your pelvis stops moving), carefully allow your spine to round forward and bring your arms down between your legs. You can either push your palms firmly into the floor with your arms straight, lengthening from your pubic bone to your collarbones, or you can press your elbows into your inner thighs to create more widening or lengthening of your inner leg muscles.

Stay in the pose for one to two minutes. Come up on an inhalation, keeping your back relaxed and using your hands on your knees to assist if your lower back feels vulnerable. If you want to use this pose to increase your back strength, you can try coming up with your back straight.

If you have lower back issues or are very stiff in the hips, try a variation of this pose with your elbows on your knees come down about a quarter of the way.

Cautions: This is a relatively safe pose. However, if you have lower back disk disease or pain in your hip joints, approach the pose carefully. And if the pose aggravates your symptoms, come out immediately, and get advice from your teacher about how to get in and out of the pose safely. If you feel excessive pressure in your head, don’t stay in the pose very long.

Featured Pose: Chair Cat Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This seated version of Cat pose is a great way to counteract the tendency to round forward when you sit in front of your computer, laptop, or tablet, or commute in your car. For those who tend to assume a head forward position, this pose returns your head to a healthier alignment over your shoulders. And moving back and forth between arching and rounding your spine strengthens the muscles that support your head in a more even way. For all of us, moving your spine back and forth between flexion (rounded) and extension (arched) helps keep your spine healthy by providing nourishment to the bones and disks.

Because you move rhythmically with your breath in this pose, you take in more oxygen, which has a positive effect on your respiratory system and can help if you get winded easily. In addition, moving with your breath is a stimulating, which may perk you up when you are feeling sluggish and can help you focus your concentration. It’s a good way to kick start your practice when you are feeling fatigued or depressed. After you start gently moving in this pose, you may feel ready for some larger movements.

This pose is perfect for an office or traveling yoga practice because you can do it in any attire, anywhere there is a chair. It’s also a good alternative to Cat pose on the floor for anyone who has problem putting weight on their hands or trouble getting down to and up from the floor.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

•    general stiffness in neck, upper back and lower back
•    lower back pain
•    head-forward syndrome
•    depression
•    lack of concentration
•    improving breathing, if you get winded easily
•    safe exercise for scoliosis or osteoporosis because it is gentle, though effective
•    alternative to Cat pose on the floor for those with wrist problems

Instructions:  Sit at the front edge of your chair, with your feet about hips-width apart and flat on the floor, and your knees parallel to each other. With your arms relatively straight, rest your hands on your knees or thighs. Lengthen your spine from your sitting bones up through the crown of your head, establishing as much space between the bones of the spine as you can.

As you inhale, lengthen the front of your spine, and lift and turn your breastbone toward the sky. Try to keep your neck and head in line with the curve of your spine.

As you exhale, reverse directions, lengthening the back of your spine, and rounded it slightly into a C shape. Allow your head to come slightly forward to stay in line with the curve of your spine.

Repeat the cycle for six breaths, and then return to the neutral starting position.

Cautions: This is a very safe pose that’s suitable for almost everyone! Naturally if you have a condition that causes pain when you do this pose, you should approach it with carefully, avoiding it entirely if it causing any flare-ups.

Featured Pose: Upward Bound Hands (Urdva Baddha Hastanana)

Upward Bound Hands pose

by Baxter and Nina

This simple pose allows you to stretch and strengthen your shoulders, arms, hands and wrists, providing the perfect antidote to working with your arms down by your sides all day. Raising your arms overhead with bound hands reverses the effect of gravity on your arms and reestablishes the full range of motion of your collar blades and shoulder blades.

This pose releases muscular tension in your shoulders and upper back from sitting, driving, and/or traveling, and builds strength in your shoulder girdle muscles. It is also helpful for people who tend to develop swelling in forearms or hands, or those who have undergone cancer treatments with removal of lymph nodes.

Version 1, in which your palms are turned up toward the sky, takes your wrists into extension, which is a good is a counter-pose for people who are working with their hands all day, whether typing at a computer or using tools for your job. In addition to releasing the wrists, this version stretches the inner surface of your forearms, which could be beneficial to people with golfer’s elbow (inflammation at the inner elbow).

Version 2, in which your palms are facing the floor, you get a good stretch on the opposite side of your forearm, which could be helpful for people who have tennis elbow. Because the yoga practice typically requires a lot of wrist extension (think Downward-Facing Dog pose, Cat/Cow pose, and Plank pose), Cat Cow, Version 2 of this pose is an effective counter-pose for yoga poses where you bear weight on your hands. 

Because both versions of the pose are beneficial in different ways, we recommend you practice both of them, either on the same day or alternating them. This pose takes up very little space, which is why we’re including it in our office/travel yoga practice. If standing isn’t possible, you can do the arm position from a seated position.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

•    upper back shoulder and arm stiffness
•    as a counter-pose for kyphosis (Dowager’s hump)
•    elbow conditions, such as tennis or golfer’s elbow
•    carpal tunnel syndrome (or prevention of)
•    arthritis of shoulder, elbow, wrist or finger joints
•    dullness of mind or fatigue, (it is slightly stimulating)
•    weakness in the shoulder girdle area (it strengthens the shoulder and arm muscles)

Instructions:

Version 1: Start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet about hips-width apart (or sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor). Now, interlace your fingers and turn your palms toward your feet. Strengthen your legs, pressing from your hips into your feet. Then, on an inhalation, bring your arms forward and up. Lengthen your spine and lift your collarbones as your lift your shoulder blades. Move your arms toward a vertical position, keeping your head in a neutral position. Once you encounter resistance in your shoulders or upper back, resist the impulse to take your arms further back. Stay in the position for about one minute, possibly working up to two minutes.

To come out of the pose, lower your arms forward and down before releasing the clasp of your hands. Pause for a few minutes and notice the effects of the pose on your whole upper body (hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders).

Version 2: Start by standing in Mountain pose, with your feet about hips-width apart (or sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor). Now, interlace your fingers and keep your palms upward. Strengthen your legs, pressing from your hips into your feet. Then, on an inhalation, bring your arms forward and up. Lengthen your spine and lift your collarbones as your lift your shoulder blades. Move your arms toward a vertical position, keeping your head in a neutral position. Once you encounter resistance in your shoulders or upper back, resist the impulse to take your arms further back. Stay in the position for about one minute, possibly working up to two minutes.

To come out of the pose, lower your arms forward and down before releasing the clasp of your hands. Pause for a few minutes and notice the effects of the pose on your whole upper body (hands, wrists, arms, and shoulders).

Cautions: If you have rotator cuff injury, approach this pose cautiously to be sure you don’t aggravate the injury. And even though this pose can be helpful for tennis elbow, golf elbow, and arthritis, please practice cautiously to be sure you don’t aggravate those conditions. Because this pose can potentially raise your blood pressure, if you have a history of high blood pressure, heart conditions, or strokes, move dynamically rather than keeping the arms overhead. Raise your arms up with an inhalation and then down with an exhalation.

Because this pose creates a backbend in the thoracic spine, those with osteoporosis or osteopenia should be cautious and aware as you go into the pose that it does not precipitate pain. Those with thoracic outlet syndrome should either skip this pose or do the dynamic version, moving in and out of the pose with your breath.

Featured Sequence: Mini Office Yoga Practice

by Nina

Recently on Thursdays we've been featuring our essential office yoga poses and today is the day when we get to put them together into a sequence! This mini sequence is very well rounded, and even follows the format of traditional Iyengar sequence: a warm-up pose (Half Dog Pose) followed by "standing poses," a backbend, a twist, and a forward bend. As always, when you are practicing a sequence, feel free to skip any poses that don't work for you and to add in any favorites you can't live without.

1. Half Dog at the Wall (or desk, chair, kitchen counter, whatever). See here for details.

2. Standing Leg Stretches. See here for details and for the sequence of three leg stretches.

3. Seated Backbend. See here for details.

4. Seated Twist. See here for details.

5. Seated Forward Bend. See here for details.

We'll be featuring even more office yoga poses in the coming weeks, and our grand finale will be full-length office yoga sequence. But realistically, when we're traveling or taking a break at work, most of us only have time for a quick practice. So, enjoy! And if you have any fun stories about practicing office yoga under unusual circumstances, we'd love to hear them. I recently did some yoga on an airplane, and my favorite pose out of everything I tried that day was the standing forward bend I did in the corner at the back of the airplane by the bathroom, using a bit of wall space there to support my buttocks. Ahhh!

Featured Pose: Standing Leg Stretches

by Baxter and Nina

The Standing Leg Stretch series, one of our five essential office yoga poses, provide the same hip opening and leg stretching benefits that you receive from many of the standing poses, while allowing you to keep a neutral spine. Even though you tend to feel all the stretch in the top leg, you get some benefits for the standing leg at the same time. So these poses are good antidotes for hip and leg tightness due to sitting, walking, or standing all day and for tightness in your lower back. They also take up less space than the standing poses, and you can do them in your office, airport, or anywhere there is a chair or even, if you are flexible enough, a desk, ledge, window sill, or dresser. If you have balance issues, you can do the sequence with your back or side near a wall.

As part of a larger sequence, this series is an excellent way to warm up for your standing poses.

Baxter prescribes these poses for:

•    leg tightness
•    hip or buttock tightness
•    low back pain
•    atheletes trying to improve their performance, including runners and bikers
•    improving balance for conditions such as osteoporosis
•    improving circulation in your legs
•    leg fatigue
•    antidote for a day spent walking or sitting

Instructions:

Variation 1: Leg to the Side (Triangle Version)

If possible, place the chair against the wall or make sure it’s in a stable position (like a bolted to the floor airport chair) or on a sticky mat. Then stand sideways to chair seat, about a foot and half a way (depending on the length of your legs) and a little bit behind it, with your feet pointing straight forward.

Keeping your left leg straight, turn your right foot out 45 degrees. Then bend your right knee and lift your right heel onto the chair seat (or, if you are more flexible, onto the chair back or a higher support). Next, straighten your right leg, keeping your hips parallel with the floor and squared with the wall in front of you, maintaining the natural curve in your lower back. Keep your hands on your hips and just work your legs with your torso in a neutral position. Or, you can inhale your arms out to the side, parallel to the floor, then exhale and tip your hips over to the side, as if you were moving into Triangle pose. A final option is to lift your arms overhead, as if you were in Tree pose. Hold this pose for 1 to 2 minutes (or work your way up to that timing).

Low Version

High Version

To come out, release your arms and bend your top knee a little bit before you bring your top leg back to the floor. Watch your balance during the transition. Repeat the pose on the second side. Then, after coming out, pause for a couple of breaths before moving on to the next pose.

Variation 2: Leg to the Front (Parvottansana version)

If possible, place the chair against the wall or make sure it’s in a stable position (like a bolted to the floor airport chair) or on a sticky mat. Then, stand facing the chair seat, about a foot and half a way (depending on the length of your legs), with your feet pointing straight forward. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee and lift your right heel onto the chair seat (or, if you are flexible, onto the chair back or a higher support).

Then inhale and raise your arms overhead, reaching down through your left leg and up through your arms, and maintaining the natural curve in your lower back. (If you’re more flexible, you can bend forward from the hips and place your hands alongside your feet, coming into a forward bend, though you should avoid this version if you have lower back pain).  Hold the pose for 1 to 2 minutes (or work up to timing).

 To come out, release your arms and bend your top knee a little bit before you bring your top leg back to the floor. Watch your balance during the transition. Repeat the pose on the second side. Then, after coming out, pause for a couple of breaths before moving on to the next pose.

Variation 3: Twisting (Revolved Triangle Version)

If possible, place the chair against the wall or make sure it’s in a stable position (like a bolted to the floor airport chair) or on a sticky mat. Then, stand facing the chair seat, about a foot and half a way (depending on the length of your legs), with your feet pointing straight forward. Keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee and lift your right heel onto the chair seat (or, if you are flexible, onto the chair back or a higher support).

Now take your left hand to your right outer thigh and your right hand to the back of your right hip. Establishing the strength of your left leg and the stability of your pelvis, on an exhalation, turn your upper belly and chest toward your right leg, maintaining the natural curve of your lower back. Alternating your focus, lengthen your spine on your inhalation and encourage the twist to the right on your exhalation. Hold the pose for 1 to 2 minutes (or work up to that timing).

 When it’s time to come out, first release the twist. Then, release your arms and bend your top knee a little bit before you bring your top leg back to the floor. Watch your balance during the transition. Repeat the pose on the second side. Then, after coming out, pause for a couple of breaths.

Cautions: In general, when doing the Version 1, watch for pain near the pubic bone, which might indicate overstretching of your inner leg muscles (adductors) and while doing Version 2, make sure your lower back is pain free, otherwise, pull back a little. If you have tight hamstrings, keep your top knee a little bit bent while still allowing a small amount of stretch in your raised leg. Be careful not to overdo—pain in your sitting bone is bad sign that you might be overstretching the hamstring tendon. If you have lower back issues, be sure to maintain the natural curve in your lower back while doing these stretches. For those with osteoporosis, you should do Version 3 with moderation, not going  into your full twist. Also be cautious with Version 2, making sure your spine is neutral if you take your pelvis forward.

Featured Pose: Chair Forward Bend

by Baxter and Nina

The simple Chair Forward Bend, one of our five essential office yoga poses, is a safe forward bend for almost everyone. Because you’re bending your legs at the knees, you’re reducing the tension on your hamstrings and therefore allowing your pelvis to have more flexibility at your hip joints. In addition, because you’re resting your arms and head on a chair or desk and you’re not hanging in space, your lower back muscles can release more completely and relax more deeply. (Some of the seated forward bends with straight legs can aggravate lower back pain or disc problems because they pull so strongly on your back muscles and encourage the discs to move toward a posterior position, and you can sometimes over-strain your ligaments when you overdo.)

This forward bend can provide you a quiet moment in your busy day, and allows you to access the deep rest of conscious relaxation without lying on the floor, especially if you focus on your breath while you are in the pose. In addition, folding forward creates a feeling of safety and comfort for many people. And supporting your head enhances the soothing quality of the forward bend, so the Chair Forward Bend may even have a quieting effect on your mind and your emotions, cooling negative emotions such as anger and anxiety.

Of course the pose can be done anywhere you can find a table and chair, such as an office or a dining room, or you can do it with two chairs when there is no table available. (Nina used to practice this pose quite frequently when she worked full time for a software startup company for a few minutes of respite during a hectic day.)

Baxter prescribes it for:

• fatigue
• eye strain
• stress
• anger and/or anxiety
• sensory overload
• lower back tightness (if it feels good to you)
• hip tightness and increased mobility in hip joints

Instructions: Depending on your height and flexibility, move your chair one to two feet away from the desk or second chair where you will be resting your arms and head. Next, sit either in the center of the chair or near the edge, with your feet flat on the floor and about hip-width apart. If you are very short or tall, use a prop if necessary under your feet or your buttocks. Position your knees directly above your feet, with your legs parallel to each other.

Now, tip forward from your hip joints, keeping your back as straight as possible, and then rest your arms on the desk as shown below, and your forehead on your top arm. At this point, you can allow your back to soften and round a bit (if that is comfortable for you). Once your forehead is resting on your forearms, try gently pressing your head forward so your forehead skin stretches downward toward your eyebrows. You may find this enhances the quieting effect of the pose.

Stay in the pose from one to 10 minutes. (Nina’s experiments with Iyengar’s recommendations confirmed that three minutes is the minimum time to get the full “forward bend” feeling from the pose, though even a quick forward bend can be quite effective.) To come out, slip your hands onto your knees and use your arms to support yourself as you gently roll up to sitting, keeping your back muscles remain relaxed, long, and open.

Cautions: If you have a history of chronic low back pain or other back problems, be careful going into this pose, checking as you move into it to ensure your back feels okay. If moving into this forward bend causes a flare of discomfort, you should eliminate it from your practice. See "Featured Series: Low Back Care" for poses to help with back pain. You may also want to avoid this pose if you have severe arthritis in the hips or abdominal discomfort, but in general it is a very safe pose. If you have depression, forward bends may cause you to brood or to become more depressed. In this case, keep your eyes softly open, rather than closing them. If that doesn't help, avoid forward bends until you feel ready for them.

Featured Pose: Simple Chair Backbend

by Baxter and Nina

Another one of our five essential office yoga poses, the simple chair backbend is the perfect antidote to the typical postural habits of slumping forward that we develop from sitting all day at our desks, in cars, and airplanes, and from the many everyday activities where we are bending forward, such as gardening or washing dishes.

The basic back-bending shape re-establishes the natural curve of your lower back, correctly aligning your spine in its natural curves, which helps to keep your back healthy. The backbend also lengthens the front of your body, allowing many of us to breath in with greater ease. It helps release stress from your upper body, especially the upper chest. And while stretching the front of your body, the pose strengthens your back body muscles, which tend to be overstretched and weak if they are ignored.

Because backbends in general tend to be uplifting, you may even find this pose helps encourage a more positive mood as you take deep inhalations and exhalations.

The pose can be done almost anywhere. Although a chair without arms is preferable, you can use almost any chair, as long as the back is low enough for you to rest your shoulder blades on.

Baxter prescribes this pose for:

•    Kyphosis of the upper back
•    Chronic lower back pain
•    Head forward syndrome
•    Scoliosis
•    Carpal tunnel syndrome (when symptoms are coming from the shoulders)
•    Sore back from traveling or sitting at your desk
•    Depression
•    General digestive concerns (such as heart burn and acid reflux)

Instructions: If possible, try to find a chair with a back that touches you near your lower shoulder blades. Then move your chair away from the wall or other furniture so you leave some space behind you.

Next sit on the chair, either it the center (if you’re shorter) or near the back (if you’re taller) so the soles of your feet are flat on the floor. If you’re small, you might need to add some support on the chair seat and/or underneath your feet. Align your feet below your knees, with your thighs parallel to the floor. Now, reach your hands around to grab the lower sides of the chair (where it meets the seat) or, if this is not possible, rest your palms on the back of the chair seat.

Root down through your feet and arms, lengthen up from your tailbone to the crown of your head, and mindfully arch your spine up and back until your upper rib cage touches the chair back and rests there lightly. Keep your chin tucked toward your chest.

If you are very comfortable deeply bending your neck, you can take one or both hands behind your head for support as you allow your neck to follow the backbend of your spine, as shown below.

As you inhale, encourage the lift and arch of your spine. As you exhale, maintain your lift and arch. Continue for four to six breaths, working your way up to 12 to 16 breaths as you become stronger in the pose. Come out with a strong exhalation.

Take a moment to notice how you feel. You should feel stretched, strengthened and alive, not painful and miserable. If you experience any pain afterwards in your neck or back, this backbend variation might not be for you.

Cautions: Not all forms of low back pain (such as, spondyolisthis, facet arthritis, spinal stenosis or disc herniation) will be helped by the chair backbend, so you have a back condition, check with your doctor before doing this pose. If you have cervical spine or neck issues, be careful with the position of your neck, keeping your chin tucked toward your chest as you go into the backbend. If you have osteoporosis, adding padding to the top edge of the chair so there is less pressure on your spine is recommended.