Office Chair Yoga

Office chair yoga is a yoga practice system designed for office workers. It can be completed in the office through simple and scientific movements, mainly used to relieve fatigue from prolonged sitting, improve posture, protect eyesight, and help enhance work efficiency, improve physical and mental health, and control weight.

Spinal Flexibility Series

• Cat-Cow Pose: Sit on a chair with your feet on the floor and your hands on your knees or the front of your thighs. As you inhale, sink your shoulders back, lift your chest, arch your spine, and look forward (Cow Pose); as you exhale, round your back, tuck your chin to your chest, and bring your shoulders and head forward (Cat Pose). Repeat five times.
• Seated Twist Pose: Sit in Mountain Pose on one side of the chair, place your right leg beside your left calf, turn your body to the right, press your left hand against the outside of your right thigh, and bring your hands together in prayer position. Inhale to lengthen your spine, exhale to twist your upper body, and hold for five breaths before switching sides.
• Chair Forward Bend Pose: As you exhale, bend your upper body forward and downward over your legs. If your hands can reach the floor, place them on the floor and let your head hang. As you inhale, raise your arms above your head and repeat in coordination with your breath.
• Chair Eagle Pose: Cross your right thigh over your left thigh to form Eagle Pose. If possible, wrap your right foot around your left calf. Wrap your forearms around each other from the elbows, bend your elbows, bring your palms together, sink your shoulders away from your ears, lift your elbows, and hold for 3 to 5 breaths before switching sides.

Shoulder-Opening Series

• Upper Arm Cow Face Pose: Sit in Mountain Pose, inhale to raise your arms out to the sides, exhale to bend your right arm and place it behind your back, use your left hand to press down on your right elbow, draw your shoulder blades in, and keep your right arm close to your ear. Hold for a few breaths before switching sides.
• Arm Cow Face Pose: Bend your hands and interlock your fingers behind your back. Try to keep the upper arms close to your ears. If your hands can't touch, you can use a towel for assistance.
• Back Prayer Pose: Inhale to raise your arms out to the sides, exhale to bring your hands together in prayer position behind your back, draw your ribs in and your shoulder blades in, and maintain Mountain Pose.
• Chair Shoulder-Opening Pose: Stand about three steps away from the back of the chair, keep your legs parallel and shoulder-width apart, fold your body forward from your hips, press your hands against the back of the chair, keep your arms and back in a straight line, feel the opening and stretching of your shoulders and back, and hold for five deep breaths.

Other Series

• Seated Leg Lift Pose: Sit on a chair, lean back against the chair back, place your right ankle on your left thigh, keep your knee and ankle in a straight line, breathe for 3 to 5 times. If you want to increase the stretching intensity, you can bend your upper body forward. Repeat on the other side.
• Dynamic Half Boat Pose: Sit in Mountain Pose, bend your knees, lift your calves upward, lean your body backward, and slowly straighten your knees.

In addition, there is a 7-minute office chair yoga relaxation practice. It is recommended to do 2 - 3 minutes of wrist-circling micro-movements every hour during practice. Avoid practicing twisting poses immediately after meals and wear elastic clothing.