Slouching all day at a desk becomes bad posture in the long term.
Here are 5 easy ways to stretch the other way during breaks or when you are stuck on a problem and just need to take a small break from it. Doing any of these 5 poses for 1 minute at a time stretches and strengthens neglected muscles on the go.
These exercises are listed in the order of difficulty, starting with the easiest and ending with the hardest. The idea is to start at the easy end and do it in chunks of 15 seconds each and build up to a minute. Only move on to the next one if you can do 1 minute properly and comfortably with relaxed breathing.
Build up slowly and steadily. Do not attempt if you have any back injury.
The Door Jam
- This exercise is for people who can reach the top door frame.
- Stand in the doorway and Stretch upward until you can grip the door frame firmly.
- Keep your feet at the doorway line
- Lean forward slowly with your belly and feel your front side stretching.
- Start by holding for 15 seconds at a time and build up to 1 minute over 1 week.
The Dragger
- Stand at arms length with palms at shoulder height against a wall.
- Raise your arms and lean into the wall while bending the elbow.
- Slowly drag your palms downward while keeping your legs straight and butt sticking out.
- Do not over stretch, reach at point when you are comfortable but can still feel the stretch along your back and hold for 15 secs, building up to a minute over a week. Do not force yourself to do 1 minute straight way, build up to it day by day.
The Half Cobra
- This is another classic yoga pose that reverses the slouching position.
- Lie Face down and push upward with your palms slowly arching your back as you push up.
- Drag yourself forward.
- Think in terms of length rather than height, stare straight ahead, not upwards.
- Start by holding for 15 seconds at a time and build up to 1 minute over 1 week.
The Plank
- Lie flat on the floor face down and raise your upper body by your palms.
- The Palms should be a shoulder width apart.
- Do not lock the elbows, keep them as straight as possible without locking.
- Keep your back straight and head positioned inline so that you stare at a point beyond your finger tips.
- Start by holding for 15 seconds at a time and build up to 1 minute over 1 week.
- Works best on an anti slip surface like carpet or a yoga mat.
The Sphinx
- This one is tougher to do correctly for a minute.
- Lie flat on the floor face down and raise your upper body by your elbows with palms facing down.
- Keep your back straight and head positioned inline so that you stare at your finger tips.
- Start by holding for 15 seconds at a time and build up to 1 minute over 1 week.
- It is important to do this with a straight back, check that your hips are inline and not raised or lowered.
- Resist the urge to scrunch your shoulders.
