Draft
After long sitting
Sitting keeps the hips bent and the spine rounded for hours at a time. These poses take the body the other way: the front of the hip lengthens, the spine extends, and the legs carry weight again.
How to use this
- Pick two or three and spend a few slow breaths in each.
- Standing up and walking for a minute first makes the poses easier to settle into.
The poses
Low Lunge
Anjaneyasana
Lengthens the front of the back hip, the part a chair keeps short.
Crescent Lunge
Anjaneyasana
The same hip opening, standing, with the arms reaching up.
Cat-Cow
Marjaryasana-Bitilasana
Moves the spine through rounding and arching, one segment at a time.
Cobra Pose
Bhujangasana
A gentle backbend that extends the upper and middle spine.
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Extends the hips from lying down, with the backs of the legs working.
Downward Dog
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Lengthens the backs of the legs and the spine together.
Keep in mind
- This is general information about movement, not medical advice.
- Move within a range that feels comfortable. Stop if anything hurts, and ease off if you feel dizzy or short of breath.
- If you have an injury or a health condition, or are pregnant, check with a doctor or a qualified teacher first.