Unhunch & Unwind
A postural reset for office workers. A sequence by Vidya Heisel
In today’s fast-paced digital age, kyphosis, or in layman’s terms, bad posture, characterised by an excessive curvature of the upper spine and rounded shoulders, has become a lot more prevalent, primarily due to prolonged phone usage, sedentary office work and hours spent hunched over computer screens. This postural imbalance not only leads to physical discomfort and chronic pain but can also affect self-confidence and overall wellbeing.
Yoga offers a powerful antidote to this modern affliction. Through the practice of specific poses to strengthen the back muscles and stretch the pectoral muscles of the upper chest, yoga can help to prevent and counteract bad posture. This mostly restorative yoga sequence can easily be practiced a few times a week at home, enabling better posture, a more open chest and more relaxed and mobile shoulders.
You can practice this sequence in 30 minutes, either incorporating it into a longer practice, or on its own, to help you relax and unwind after a day at the office. Repeat this practice three times per week for a noticeably positive effect on your posture.
You will need a few yoga props:
- 2 yoga bricks
- A yoga strap
- A folded blanket or towel
Photos: Linda Shuh Photo model: Cat McLaughlin
1. & 2. Scapular Push-Ups
Start in tabletop with some scapular push-ups, alternating between protracting the shoulderblades, or spreading the shoulderblades apart, and retracting or moving the shoulderblades closer together. This is different from cat-cow, in that you keep your torso still, and simply dome and then hollow your shoulder blades repeatedly. Do this for one minute.
3. Variation of Anahatasana or Heart Melting Pose
Place two bricks on floor, in front of you. From tabletop place your elbows on the blocks, palms together, fingers pointing straight up towards the ceiling. Sink your heart down towards the floor. Hold for two minutes.
4. Variation of Matsyasana or Restorative Fish
Place two blocks behind you on the floor. Place one like a bus behind you, which will be positioned at the lower tip of your shoulder blades. The second block is flat and has a folded blanket on top to pillow the head. Lay with straight legs or feel free to bend the knees, if it bothers your lower back. Hold for five minutes, breathing long, slow deep breaths in and out of your nostrils.
5. Windshield Wiper Legs
Bend your knees, placing feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Slowly windshield wipe your bent knees from side to side, massaging the shoulder area more deeply. Do this for one minute.
6. Shoulder Mobility Exercise
Come to sit. Take your strap and wind around the hands. It should be wider than the shoulders but as short as is comfortable for you. Keep your strap taut, and as you exhale draw it back as far as you can, without bending the elbows. If your elbows bend, make the strap longer. Do this 10 times slowly.
7. Supported Setu Bandhasana or Supported Restorative Bridge, Against the Wall
Place one brick against the wall to rest your feet on. With feet facing the wall, lift the hips and place a brick, on its highest height under the sacrum. Straighten your legs, keep your feet together and rest the heels on the first block. Press the soles of the feet into the wall. Interlace your fingers underneath you. Roll your shoulders firmly underneath you and towards each other. Hold for five minutes.
8. Uttanasana, Standing Forward Fold, Variation
Come into a variation of Uttanasana with soft knees and fingers interlaced behind you. Try to draw the arms closer towards the floor. Hold for one minute.
9. Gomukhasana, Cow-Face Arms Prep A
Lift the right arm, bend the elbow and reach your palm between your shoulder blades. Use your other hand to draw the elbow closer to the midline. Hold for one minute. Do the same movement on the other side.
10. Gomukhasana, Cow-Face Pose Arm Prep B
Now take the right arm, bend the elbow and place the back of your hand on your back. Slide the hand up between the shoulder blades or as close as you can get. Hold for one minute. Do the same movement on the other side.
11. Gomukhasana or Cow Face Arms
Use a strap and over time walk your hands towards each other little by little. Try to reach and interlink your fingers. If you cannot reach, clasp a strap with both hands and slowly creep your hands towards each other. Hold for one minute each side.
12. & 13. Dhanuarasana or Bow Pose
Laying on your belly, bend knees, clasp outer ankles and lift up. Hold for one minute. Come down and turn palms outwards, with thumbs facing up and this time come up holding inner ankles. Hold for one minute.
14. Heart Opening Savasana
Make your blanket into a tight thin roll and place under the lower tips of the shoulder blades and rest back on it, so the chest is slightly lifted. Relax deeply hold for five minutes.
Vidya Heisel is the director of Frog Lotus Yoga Academy and runs yoga teacher training programmes at her award-winning retreat centre, Suryalila, in southern Spain. Find out more at: froglotusyogainternational.com and suryalila.com
Om Magazine
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