Yoga at Your Desk: Free Printable Sequence and Videos
Research proves what many of us already know: Working long hours at a desk is unsuitable for our overall health. Challenges from these long hours include overstretching the back and shortening the chest and hips. Overstretching can lead to decreased ability to move, lung capacity, headaches, stress, tension, and pain. Fortunately, Chair yoga can help. For you, we created a printable PDF yoga sequence you can do at your desk so you can incorporate yoga into your home or office work routine.
Find balance and ease by Doing Chair Yoga, with our printable Yoga at your desk sequence. Sequence in hand you can incorporate yoga into your daily home and office routine.
In this Chair Yoga Blog Article
Benefits of Desk Yoga
Stay active at the office, home or wherever you work by doing chair yoga exercises at your desk. Yoga at your work desk can positively affect our body, mind, and spirit and lead us to a healthier lifestyle.
By stretching various body muscles and increasing the strength of our core, we can release pent-up tension and minimize the aches and pains we get from sitting for so long. This combination of stretching and strengthening can relieve lower back and joint pain.
Yoga can counter the adverse effects of many hours hunched over the computer. It allows us to be healthier in our daily lives and enjoy our time away from work doing the things we love, like playing with our children or taking a Sunday walk. And isn’t that what we all want?!
Mentally, giving ourselves these mini brain breaks will release stress and help to refocus the mind. This positive effect has repercussions for our mental health and productivity.
Overall, doing chair yoga at the office or home leads to a healthier lifestyle and is a beautiful way to stay active at work.
Preparing for Desk Yoga
Any office or desk chair will do for this Yoga Practice. If possible, find one without armrests. Ensure the office chair is stable and will not slide or tip when moving and doing yoga.
You will only need a little space. However, it is ideal if you have the space to stand up, lean side to side, and fold forward towards your knees.
Have blocks or books nearby. You can use these in two ways: under the feet if the feet do not come comfortably to the floor and under the hands if the hands do not easily reach the floor. The blocks essentially “raise” the floor up to meet you if the floor is too far away.
As mentioned, this is a mini mental break for you as well! Turn off notifications and the computer screen to minimize distractions. Cleaning up the space around you will also help you focus and calm your mind.
Some general tips to prepare for chair yoga at your desk:
- Wear comfortable clothing; you should take off a suit jacket, shoes, or any other accessories/apparel that might be appropriate.
- Maintain an upright position, focusing on lengthening the spine.
- Notice the breath and try to take slow and deep breaths.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
9 Essential Desk Chair Yoga Poses Sequence
Chair Pose
Chair pose strengthens the legs and core muscles while improving posture.
To start, sit on the edge of the chair with your feet flat on the floor and roughly hip-width apart. Sit up tall with a straight spine.
Want to strengthen your hamstring and glute muscles? Then, add movement by pressing down with your heels to stand up. Sit back down slowly. Do this several times without shifting the hips from side to side.
Another option is to stand behind the chair with your hands on it. Bend your knees as if you were sitting down and shift your weight back into the heels slightly. You can hold this position for 3 – 8 breaths or intensify by straightening and bending the knees several times.
Seated Cat-Cow Stretch
This spine stretch is a lovely addition to your daily routine because it stretches the upper body and neck while relieving tension.
Start seated at the edge of the chair. As you inhale, tip the tailbone back, lift the chest, and gaze up gently, creating an even arch through the spine for Cow Pose. Then, draw the belly in on the exhale, tuck the tailbone, and bring your chin to the chest, rounding the spine. Take deep breaths and enjoy this gentle movement.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
Spinal Twist
One of my favorite office chair yoga movements is the spinal twist. This movement improves spinal flexibility, aids digestion, and can wake you up. And it is easy to do!
Sit with a long spine at the front of your chair. Inhale to lengthen the spine and exhale as you twist the chest and abdomen to the right. Take your right hand to the back of the chair, placing your left hand on the right knee. Hold for 4-5 breaths on each other side.
Another variation is to twist as you forward and fold over the legs. Bring one hand toward the floor, or place it on a block as you twist away from that hand.
Forward Bend
A forward fold in the chair can release tension and stress while stretching the lower back and hamstrings.
For this pose, start seated at the front of your chair with a long spine. You can keep your knees bent or straighten your legs with heels on the floor and toes toward the ceiling. Take a deep inhale and slightly fold forward with a long spine from the hips. Then exhale, rounding your spine over the thighs and placing hands on the shins, block, or floor. Hold the pose for 8 – 10 deep breaths and see if you can feel the deep breath in the back of your torso.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
Crescent Moon Pose
This pose stretches the side body and lengthens the spine, and you can do Crescent Moon while in a sitting or standing position. The crescent moon pose can also boost energy by increasing breath capacity—who doesn’t want that at work?!
Begin seated, lifting your arms overhead. If you like, you can bring your palms together. Gently lean to one side for 2-3 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Stand behind the chair and move as you did in the seated version to work on your balance. To add intensity, cross your legs. For example, take the left leg back, behind the right leg and bend to the right.
Chair Pigeon
A beloved stretch by many, the seated pigeon pose helps open the hips and relieve lower back pain.
While seated, place the right ankle on the left thigh. You can remain upright, with a long spine, or lean forward gently. Keep an even distribution on both sides of your pelvis. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
Eagle Pose
This beneficial pose improves focus while stretching the shoulder blades, upper back, and thighs. Eagle Pose has two parts (Eagle legs and arms), which you can do together or independently.
Eagle Legs
Sitting at the edge of your chair, cross your legs with the right knee over the left. You can also place the ankle over the thigh (chair pigeon).
Eagle Arms
Sit erect and lift your arms to a 90-degree angle in front of you. Cross the left arm over the right arm, meeting at the elbows. Bend your elbows to about 90 degrees so your fingers point up. From here, you have three options.
- Hug yourself, grabbing opposite shoulders,
- Bring the backs of your hands together
- Touch palms by moving the right hand inside the left.
Lift your elbows or fold forward over the legs. Stay in this pose for 3-5 breaths before switching sides.
Desk Plank - Using Office Equipment
This empowering and energizing pose will strengthen the core, arms, and shoulders while improving posture.
From standing, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the edge of a sturdy desk or the edge of the seat of your chair. Exhale and activate all sides of your waist as you pull your abs to your spine. While holding that activation and keeping your shoulders above your wrists, walk your feet backward until your chest and legs form a diagonal line to the floor. Keep the neck and face soft, breathing deeply for 3 – 10 breaths.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
Chair Downward-Facing Dog Pose - Using Office Equipment
Downward Facing Dog with the chair or desk is a fantastic yoga pose to stretch the entire back body at the office while relieving shoulder and back tension.
Start by standing behind the chair or desk. Place your hands on the back of the chair or edge of a desk, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Walk your feet back to where you feel a stretch but can still breathe comfortably. If the stretch is too intense, bend the knees. Take 5 – 10 deep, full breaths.
Creating Your Desk Yoga Sequences
Adding yoga at your desk into your daily home or office work routine can help improve your quality of life. But how do you start?!
We have provided a printable yoga at your desk guide for easy reference; this is a beautiful routine to get you started.
How about designing a Yoga at your desk sequence? Yoga is one of the most well-known ways to develop a connection with our body and mind. To practice that connection, build your sequence! Decide what poses and movements to include based on what you are experiencing and what your body is craving.
For your Yoga at Your Desk sequence:
- Combine the poses in a way that feels good.
- Hold in stillness or add some movement.
- Balance stretching and strengthening- Try to include both equally. Our Printable PDF is a balanced practice and an easy reference.
- Include deep breaths throughout the entire session.
- Enjoy gentle movements while being mentally present with what you are feeling.
Feel free to spend more time in your favorite poses, and don’t be afraid to experiment! Be sure to listen to your body and your breath. If you ever have a choppy breath, have difficulty breathing, or feel pain, adjust or stop doing the pose.
Get The Yoga At Your Desk Sequence Printable PDF
Safety and Precautions
Yoga is not a one-size-fits-all exercise. Be sure to always listen to your body. Avoid overexertion and take breaks if needed.
Adjust the pose to fit your body versus forcing your body to do something painful.
Modify the poses as necessary using yoga blocks and other props. Ensure you don’t feel sharp, shooting pain, tingling, or numbness when doing the poses. The poses might be uncomfortable but not painful, and you should be able to breathe comfortably.
Please consult your doctor before starting a new exercise routine. It is essential to seek professional medical advice for injuries or pre-existing conditions.
Additional Online Resources
Short online chair yoga videos and tutorials are available on YouTube. A few popular ones are:
- Yoga for the Hands – which helps to build forearm strength and guard against carpal tunnel.
- Simple Goddess Pose – to stretch the inner thigh and chest while giving you a boost of energy and strengthening the glutes.
- Chair Yoga Playlist – A compilation of Chair Yoga Pose Videos and Classes
Want to take a full-hour chair yoga class? Check out Gentle Chair Yoga for Beginners and Seniors on YouTube.
I recommend downloading our printable yoga sequence and sticking it somewhere visible on your desk to motivate you daily.
Want to learn more or get certified to teach chair yoga? Online Yoga courses can be convenient while giving you an in-depth education.
Final Thoughts on Yoga at your desk
Incorporating chair office yoga into your daily routine can be easy and rewarding. It can also enable you to return to work, reinvigorated and focused.
In addition, by stretching and strengthening your body throughout the day, you can maintain a healthy lifestyle at work that will benefit you in your daily life away from the desk.
Christina Raskin
