Sitting at a desk all day wreaks havoc on your body and brain. Moving around releases muscle tension, reduces pain, gives your eyes a break from the screen, and lets your brain relax. Here are a handful of practical ways you can stretch and sneak in movement at work, directly from CoPilot certified trainers.
The seated figure 4 stretch is one of my favorites to do during the day. It stretches your hips and glutes. Sit tall in a sturdy chair (no wheels) with your feet on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left, letting the right knee open to the side. Hold the stretch and then repeat on the other side.
My go-to is doing squats at my desk. You can do any type you like (half, full, sumo).
Set a timer and get up to do a lap around your office or house every hour. This gives your boy and brain a much-deserved break.
Try the straddle stretch. Stand feet hip-width apart while letting your head and arms hang. When you're done, slowly roll up one vertebra at a time. This releases tension from your shoulders.
When reading, I’ll get up and do push-ups or squats after every chapter. If I'm just at my desk for a long time, I get up after 30 minutes and do jumping jacks. It’s a nice energy boost to wake myself up.
Loosen your arms and wrists with forearm stretches. Extend your arms in front of you with one palm facing you and facing away from you. Use your fingers to bend your hand down at the wrist.
March in place for 30 seconds while doing arm stretches. While seated (or standing), do ankle and feet rotations. To stretch your back, try the cat-cow pose.