Hi, I am Chad. I’ve got some great stretches you can do at work to counteract the negative effects of being seated all day long.
I encourage you to move at work [1] so you don’t get stuck in the forward flexion or bent spine position, causing frequent pain that many people are experiencing.
We have an easy concept that we would like you to follow in our Sitting Solution Program. It’s important to move for 2 to 4 minutes every 30 to 45 minutes to prevent things like stagnation and adaptation. Today, we’ve got a great mini-routine for you to do that doesn’t involve any equipment. It’s very simple. You can even do it if you are in a cubicle or have limited space.
What we are going to do here is 2 Rounds of:
- 30 seconds Crucifix Stretch
- 30 seconds Womb Squat
Have your clock or timer in the background. Do these movements twice. These two movements address many of the issues we face from frequently sitting. You can go through these great stretches [2] to do at work with me. I will explain how to do these movements as we go along.
The clock is starting. Let’s go for it.
These are Samples of Great Stretches To Do at Work:
1. Crucifix Stretch
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, and maintain good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands at your sides. Engage your core. Squeeze your glutes and straighten your legs. Retract your head and raise your arms at your sides to shoulder height. Rotate your arms to point your thumbs behind you, then rotate them back to the forward position. Keep your gaze forward. Make sure you squeeze your glutes and your legs. Extend your thoracic spine as you externally and internally rotate your shoulders.
Crucifix Stretch
2. Womb Squat
Now, we are going to move on to the Womb Squat.
Begin in an upright standing position with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and your toes pointed slightly outward. Bend your knees and hinge from your hips to lower your seat into a deep squat. Try to lower your seat below your knees and hold this position. Clasp your hands together at chest height and use your elbows to push your knees further apart. You can shift your hips from side to side if that is comfortable.
Womb Squat
This exercise is great for ankle mobility. Make sure that your knees are over the middle of your foot. Think about planting your feet solidly into the ground and keeping your spine long.
After 30 seconds, raise to a standing position and move back into the crucifix stretch. You should start to feel your muscles waking up. This combination is great for your posture, opening up the front part of the chest and resetting your muscles.
Variation Exercise – Womb Squat with Support
I will show you another way of doing the Womb Squat, as some people may have difficulty doing it without some support. Put your hands on a chair or a desk for help with balance and go through the same movement.
Womb Squat with Support
This is difficult for most people at first. I recommend doing something like this to address big issues from hours spent in a seated position. That’s two minutes of work you can do in almost any workspace. Just keep doing it, and over time you will see the benefits.
Thank you.
Dr. Chad
Sitting for prolonged periods of time can negatively impact your posture and create back hip, and neck discomfort. So check out now this Advanced 10 Gentle Yoga Poses to Undo the Damage of Sitting All Day!
