Office Yoga
Carol Hirsh
Health and Kinesiology
Fall 2013
Why do Office Yoga?
What has brought
hereyou
today?
Whatyou
has brought
here
today?
What is the cause for stiffness or pain?
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•
•
•
Poor Posture
Static Position
Lack of exercise
Poor fitting chair or
desk
• Poor diet
• Stress
What can Office Yoga do for me?
• Begin to be more tuned
in to your body position
• Start a yoga routine
daily or on the hour
• Get the chair/desk you
need
• Make a step of step
change in your diet
• Respond to stress
differently
Where is your body
feeling the stress?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Head
Neck
Shoulders
Upper Back
Middle Back
Lower Back
Hips
Hands & Fingers
Eyes
Legs
Warm – up Movement
•
•
•
•
Stabilize your stance – take heels off
Relaxing music is optional
Clear Area for freedom of movement
Props for comfort and alignment such as
towel or strap
• Privacy to enhance experience
Breathe:
Revive and Renew
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Sit Tall with the eyes closed; one
hand on the abdomen and one
hand at the upper chest
Breathe through Nose if possible
Fill the lungs from the mouth,
throat, upper chest, and all the
way down to the lower abdomen
Let the abdomen relax and extend
out away from the spine
Release the breathe slowly out of
the nose
Release the breathe upward
allowing the abdomen to press
inward toward the spine
Pause before taking another
breathe
Repeat until you are revived and
relaxed
Target the Area of Stress or Discomfort
Neck
Warm-ups
1. Head Up and Down
2. Head Turn Right and
Left
3. Head Look at Right
Foot, Head Look at Left
Foot (not shown)
4. Head Side to Side
5. Head Gentle Circles
Right and Left
6. Chin Level Tucks with
Isometric Resistance
Shoulder
Warm-ups
1. Rotate Shoulders Right
and Left
2. Rotate Forward then
Backward
3. Roll Shoulders Together
Backward
4. Roll Shoulder Together
Forward
5. Shrug the Shoulders to
Ears then Release
6. Squeeze the Shoulder
Blades Together and
Release
Hand and Finger
Warm-ups
1. Wrist Rolls, not shown
2. Hyper-Extend, Extend Wrists
4. Hyper-Extend Single Fingers and
Thumb, not shown
3. Open, Spread, & Ripple
Seated Toro
Warm-ups
2. Cross-Knee Hip Fold
1. Twists
4. Overhead Stretch
3. Seated Warrior Lunge
5. Forward Fold
Torso
Warm-Ups
3. Clasp Hands Overhead Side Torso
Stretch
1. Cat
2. Cow
4. Standing Sweeping
Arm Reach
Leg- Hip Warmups
2. Hip Opener
1. Leg Extension
3. Hip Lift Flexion
Foot Warm-ups
1. Foot Extension
3. Foot Rotations, not shown
2. Foot Flexion
4. Toe Ripples, not shown
Standing Leg Warm-ups
1 a . Straddle Stance
1 b. Butt Out Squat
3. Single Leg-Curl Thigh Stretch
2. Hamstring Standing or seated
Chair
Sun
Salutations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Upright Hands Together
Overhead Arms Reach
Forward Bend
Slight Flat Back Lift
Right Leg Extend
Right Knee Tuck
Left Leg Extend
Left Leg Tuck
Lift Chin Slight Back Arch
Forward Bend
Slight Flat Back Lift
Overhead Arms Reach
Upright Hands Together
Modify for Comfort and Safety
Standing Chair
Sun Salutation
1. Stand W/ Hands Together
1. Overhead Arms Slight
Backbend
2. Forward Bend
Head Toward Chair
3. Right Leg Lunge
4. Step to Flat Back
5. Slight Arch Extended Plank
6. Step to Flat Back
7. Left Leg Lunge
8. Forward Bend Head Toward
Chair
9. Overhead Arms Slight
Backbend
10. Stand W/ Hands Together
Modify for Comfort and Safety
Breathe, Revive, Renew
Relax / Meditate / Focus
• Set a mindfulness bell or
calendar reminder to take
your Yoga Break
• Have all you props at
hands reach to take your
break
• Complete your yoga
exercises with 1-5
minutes of relaxation,
meditation, or focus
Resources
Hirsh Office Yoga PowerPoint http://austincc.edu/hirsh
Yoga Journal Office Yoga http://yogajournal.com/officeyoga
Cardiac Yoga http://cardiacyoga.com
Living Words Chair Yoga http://livingwordsofwisdom.com/chair-yoga.html