Carolina Lino Yoga
PT

Chair Yoga: 5 Exercises to Do at Work

20 January 2025

Chair Yoga: 5 Exercises to Do at Work
Chair Yoga: 5 Exercises to Do at Work

Towadays, we spend many hours sitting in front of a computer. After such prolonged periods, it’s common to feel discomfort in the body, joints, and even muscle pain. To make better use of time and improve well-being, it's essential to take breaks throughout the day and incorporate some chair yoga poses. Below are five yoga poses you can easily do while seated.

  1. Lateral Bend:
    Sit in your chair with your feet hip-width apart on the floor. As you inhale, lift your arms out to the sides and interlace your fingers. As you exhale, bend your torso to the right, keeping your back straight. Inhale as you return to the center, then repeat on the left side.
     
  2. Seated Twist:
    Inhale, lifting your arms out to the sides. As you exhale, twist to the right, placing your left hand on your right knee and your right hand on the back of the chair. Look over your shoulder, relaxing your shoulders and neck. Repeat on the other side.
     
  3. Chest Opener:
    Rotate your arms back and bring your shoulder blades together, tilting your head backward. Extend your neck, relax your shoulders, and hold the back of the chair with your hands, opening your chest and stretching your shoulders.
     
  4. Forward Fold with Interlaced Hands:
    Sit up straight, open your chest, and bring your shoulder blades together. Interlace your fingers behind your back, and as you exhale, fold your torso forward, keeping your arms extended behind you, stretching your back and shoulders.
     
  5. Standing Stretch with Chair Support:
    Stand up and place the chair in front of you, far enough so that you can bend your torso forward. Place your hands on the top or sides of the chair’s back, keeping your torso parallel to the floor and your feet aligned with your hips. This exercise stretches the spine and shoulders.

For each exercise, take three deep breaths on each side and repeat 2 to 3 times.

By practicing these poses regularly at work, you’ll notice significant improvements both physically and mentally. Chair yoga is an excellent tool to prevent injuries, reduce joint pain, and relieve physical tension, promoting greater well-being in the workplace. In our yoga classes on São Miguel Island, we have the opportunity to learn specific exercises that help improve posture, providing a solid foundation for daily practice and contributing to greater well-being.

Other articles

The Importance of Being Vegetarian in a Yogi's Life
The Importance of Being Vegetarian in a Yogi's Life
13 April 2025
Practicing yoga is much more than performing poses on the mat. It goes beyond the physical body—it nurtures emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. It's a practice of inner transformation.​ (...)
Yamas and Niyamas: The Ethical Principles of Yoga
Yamas and Niyamas: The Ethical Principles of Yoga
2 March 2025
The Yamas and Niyamas are foundational pillars of yoga philosophy, guiding our ethical conduct and personal discipline. Yoga goes far beyond physical postures practiced on the mat; it is a lifestyle (...)
Yoga: A Practice for Anxious People
Yoga: A Practice for Anxious People
1 December 2024
Yoga is a powerful practice for those who suffer from anxiety, offering tools that help calm the mind and promote emotional balance. With continuous practice, we acquire techniques that can be (...)