YOGA HELP FOR THE DESKTOP JUNKIE

COURTESY DECCAN HERALD: DATED SEPT 8 2007

SOME YOGA BASED EXERCISES CAN BE DONE IN THE OFFICE DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF EACH EXERCISE IS TO BECOME AWARE OF YOUR BODY AND BREATHE. LET THE SPEED OF THE MOVEMENT OF YOUR BODY AND BREATHE BE IN HARMONY.

1. FULL BODY STRETCH AND SHOULDER STRETCH: STAND UP FACING THE WALL & REACH UP YOUR FINGERS up, AS FAR AS YOU CAN. WHILE YOU STRETCH UP, YOU STRETCH DOWN ALSO BY PLACING YOUR FEET FIRMLY INTO THE FLOOR. FIRM UP YOUR LEGS, EXTEND THE SIDE OF THE TRUNK AND BRING THE SHOULDER BLADES TOWARDS THE WALL. BREATHE FULLY AS YOU STRETCH, WALKING YOUR FINGERS UP THE WALL.

2. MOVE LITTLE AWAY FROM THE WALL SO THAT YOUR TRUNK IS DIAGONAL TO YOUR HIPS & PRESS BOTH PALMS INTO THE WALL EQUALLY. PRESS INTO THE GROUND WITH YOUR FEET, FIRM UP YOUR LEGS AND RELEASE YOUR TAIL BONE AWAY FROM THE WALL. LIFT UP THE RIBS AND LET YOUR HEAD DROP SLIGHTLY. YOU CAN ALSO DO THIS WITH THE BACK OF YOUR CHAIR. PLACE YOUR HANDS ON THE CHAIR AND WALK BACK UNTIL YOUR TORSO IS EXTENDED PARALLEL TO THE FLOOR. FIRM UP THE LEGS, AND LIFT UP YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES & LIFT THE RIBS WHILE RELEASING THE SPINE, TAIL BONE AWAY FROM THE CHAIR AND TOP OF THE SPINE TOWARDS IT.

3. FOREARM & WRIST: PLACE THE RIGHT PALM AT THE WALL SPREADING YOUR FINGERS EQUALLY. EXTEND YOUR ELBOW AND PRESS THE PALM FULLY INTO THE WALL. WAIT A FEW BREATHS & TURN YOUR HEAD TO THE LEFT, BRINGING THE TIP OF THE RIGHT SHOULDER BLADE IN TOWARDS THE FRONT OF YOUR BODY. HOLD AND BREATHE.

4. EXTEND FULL BODY STRETCH: TAKE YOUR ARMS OUT TO THE SIDES WITH THE PALMS FACING DOWN. EXTEND YOUR FINGERS AND STRETCH THRO THE ELBOWS. ON AN EXHALE ROTATE YOUR SHOULDERS BACK & BRING THE PALMS FACING UP. ON YOUR NEXT EXHALE BRING THE ARMS UP & OVERHEAD WITH THE PALMS FACING EACH OTHER. AGAIN PRESS THE FEET INTO THE FLOOR & FIRM UP YOUR LEGS, STRETCH THE SIDE TORSO. AFTER A FEW BREATHES INTERLOCK YOUR FINGERS AND PRESS THE PALMS UP TO THE CEILING, STRETCHING THE FINGERS & PALM OPEN. REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE. THIS CAN ALSO BE DONE SEATED ON YOUR DESK. YOU PRESS THE THIGH BONES DEEPLY INTO THE CHAIR AS YOU STRETCH UP.

5. SITTING POSTURE: PRACTICE SITTING WITH AN UPRIGHT TORSO, THE SIDES OF THE TORSO EXTENDING AND THE HEAD RESTING COMFORTABLY ON THE NECK. BRING THE HANDS DOWN TO THE SEAT OF THE CHAIR. & ROLL THE SHOULDERS BACK, BRINGING THE SHOULDER BLADES INTO THE BACK. SOME OF THE FOLLOWING POSES CAN BE DONE EITHER STANDING OR SITTING. IF SEATED MOVE FORWARD YOUR CHAIR & PLACE THE FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND, PRESS YOUR THIGH BONES INTO THE CHAIR & EXTEND YOUR TORSO UPWARD THE SHOULDERS DROPPING DOWN. IF STANDING KEEP THE FEET FIRMLY AND LEGS STRONG ON THE GROUND.

6. RELEASING THE NECK: SHRUG THE SHOULDERS HIGH UP TO THE EARS & THEN RELEASE & DROP. REPEAT 3 TIMES.

7. TWISTING THE TRUNK: WITH FEET FIRM ON THE GROUND & THIGH BONES PRESSING INTO THE CHAIR, EXHALE & LIFT & TURN BELLY TO THE RIGHT. LET YOUR HANDS HELP YOU TURN BY PRESSING INTO THE SEAT OR BACK OF THE CHAIR. GRADUALLY INCREASE THE TWIST & LET YOUR EYE GAZE TURN TO THE RIGHT AROUND YOUR SHOULDER. REPEAT THE OTHER SIDE. REMEMBER TO KEEP BREATHING SLOWLY & DEEPLY AS YOU TWIST.

8. STRETCHING THE FINGERS: PLACE THE INDEX FINGERS ON THE EDGE OF THE DESK, KEEPING YOUR WRIST STRAIGHT. GENTLY PUSH INTO THE DESK & HOLD A FEW BREATHS. REPEAT WITH ALL THE FINGERS EXCEPT THE THUMB.

9. SHAKING OUT TENSION: SHAKE OUT YOUR WRISTS & ARMS, LETTING THEM DANGLE FROM YOUR SHOULDERS.

10. RELAX THE EYES AND BREATHE: TURN YOUR HEAD RIGHT AND LEFT, LOOKING INTO THE FAR DISTANCE WITH YOUR EYE GAZE. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TAKE SOME DEEP, SLOW BREATHES.