10-minute office yoga: the Office Reset sequence

10 min Beginner 11 poses

Neck, shoulders, and chest after the desk

A short practice for people who spend the day at a computer: it unloads your neck, shoulders, wrists and chest. The level is beginner, though three of the poses, Eagle, Cow Face and Fish, are level two. If your shoulders are tight, don't force your fingers to clasp behind your back in Cow Face Pose; use a strap or towel.

You'll need a mat: after standing Eagle the poses are done seated on the floor and lying down, so a chair won't work for them. With acute neck pain or dizziness, keep neck rotations small or leave them out, and avoid Fish Pose with neck injuries, hypertension or migraines.

  1. Neck Warm-Up Neck Warm-Up 1
  2. Shoulder Rolls Shoulder Rolls 2
  3. Wrist Warm-Up Wrist Warm-Up 3
  4. Eagle Pose Eagle Pose 4
  5. Cow Face Pose Cow Face Pose 5
  6. Cross-Legged Backbend Cross-Legged Backbend 6
  7. Cross-Legged Forward Fold Cross-Legged Forward Fold 7
  8. Revolved Thunderbolt Pose Revolved Thunderbolt Pose 8
  9. Puppy Pose Puppy Pose 9
  10. Fish Pose Fish Pose 10
  11. Relaxation Pose Relaxation Pose 11

Why this order

First, neck, shoulder and wrist rotations bring mobility back to joints that have been stuck in one position. Garudasana spreads the shoulder blades apart and stretches the space between them, and Gomukhasana takes your shoulder joints in opposite directions. Sitting cross-legged, you first arch back to open the chest, then fold forward, and then twist while kneeling on your heels.

Puppy Pose and Fish Pose keep opening the chest, which tends to cave in over a workday at the desk, and two minutes of Savasana round off the break.

Cautions

  • Acute neck pain (Neck Warm-Up)
  • Dizziness (Neck Warm-Up)
  • Acute wrist injuries (Wrist Warm-Up)
  • Knee injuries — don't hook your foot behind your shin (Eagle Pose)
  • Shoulder injuries — use a strap (Cow Face Pose)
  • Knee injuries — sit on a prop (Cow Face Pose)
  • Wrist problems — rest on your fists (Cross-Legged Backbend)
  • Knee discomfort — sit on a prop (Cross-Legged Forward Fold)
  • Knee injuries — place a blanket under your knees (Revolved Thunderbolt Pose)
  • Lumbar disc herniation — twist more gently (Revolved Thunderbolt Pose)
  • Shoulder injuries (Puppy Pose)
  • Neck injuries (Fish Pose)
  • Hypertension (Fish Pose)
  • Migraines (Fish Pose)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.