We spent a lot of time sitting. In fact, studies show that the average person spends more than half of the day sitting. We spend long hours at our desk, in front of the computer, in the car, and probably at home or with friends too, and this clearly has a negative impact on our health.
The good news is that we can counteract long hours of sitting thanks to the constant practice of a series of yoga asanas. In today's post we are going to see what are the best yoga postures to relieve tension in the body and alleviate the effects of sitting for a long time.
Cat-Cow Pose (Marjaryasana-bitilasana)
- Move your spine through its full "back and forth" motion.
- In turn, it stretches the muscles of the abdomen and back.
1. Hands and knees on the floor in a tabletop position, with wrists tucked in under the shoulders and knees under the hips.
2. As you exhale, tuck your pelvis and navel in, rounding your back.
3. Relax your neck muscles and look at your navel.
4. Then, as you inhale, reverse the posture by lowering your pelvis and navel, lifting your chest and looking forward.
5. Flow into this movement a few times and connect the movement with your breath.
Spinal Twist (Variation of Jathara Parivartanasana)
- Rotates the spine
- Removes tension from the body from the middle zone (core)
- Relieves neck and back tension
1. It begins stretched face-up, with the knees bent and the feet on the mat.
2. With your hips slightly rotated to the right, bring your knees closer to your chest and slowly drop your legs to the right, maintaining the angle.
3. Open your arms in a T shape and if you can turn your neck looking to the left. 4. Breathe and stay there for a few seconds. Return to the center and do the same for the other side.
Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Open up the muscles along your back and legs.
- Strengthens legs and arms
- Stretches the spine integrating its natural shape
1. It starts the same as cat-cow but the hands are placed a little later.
2. Raise your hips toward the ceiling, stretching your arms and legs.
3. Separate the fingers of the hands and press the ground firmly.
4. Push your thighs so your heels touch the ground, so the entire lower posterior chain is stretched much better.
5. Stretch your entire back well and keep your shoulders apart and your neck relaxed.
Bolt Pose (Parighasana)
- Stretches the muscles of the torso, spine and hamstrings
- Stimulates the abdominal organs and lungs
- Stretches the intercostals favoring better breathing
1. On your knees, stretch your right leg out to the side and rotate it so that your knee and foot are facing forward.
2. The sole of the foot should be flat on the ground and the feet exerting some pressure.
3. Raise your left arm and bend your entire torso to the right. Look to the sky.
4. After a few breaths, come back to center and do the same on the other side.
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
- Open shoulders and chest
- Extends the thoracic spine
- Strengthens leg muscles
- Lengthens the hip flexors
1. Start stretched out on your back, with your knees bent and your feet on the mat, hip-distance apart.
2. Your arms are stretched out to the sides with palms facing the ground.
3. Elevate the hip and also the spine.
4. Lock your hips and glutes well, and push with your feet and arms. You can interlace your hands.
Grasshopper Pose (Shalabhasana)
- Strengthens especially the muscles of the spine and glutes
- Improve posture
- Counteracts stooped sitting posture
1. Lying face down with your temples on the ground, arms stretched out by your sides and legs hip-distance apart.
2. With control over your tailbone, press your public bone toward the ground so your pelvis is in a neutral position.
3. Raise head, torso and legs. With your palms turned inward, raise them as well. Your neck and head should be in a neutral position, not looking up but not looking down either.
4. Feel a good balance throughout your spine and legs, and keep your body strong and connected for a few breaths.
We hope that these six asanas that we propose today will help you maintain a healthy body posture, creating extension and space in the spine and hip area.
