by Mina Sinai: We’ve all heard that sitting wreaks havoc on our bodies, but when you’re working an office job…

how are you supposed to avoid the damage that a desk job does to you? Yoga! Many yoga poses will help the body bounce back from an uncomfortable and inactive day at a desk. Try these:

Downward Facing Dog

A classic yoga pose, downward facing dog is a great way to start to unwind after a long day of work. After being cramped at a computer all day, downward facing dog helps open the shoulders and decompress the spine.

Perfect your pose:

1. Start on your hands and knees. Spread your palms, with your index fingers parallel and turn your toes under.
2. Press firmly into your hands and life your knees up off of the floor, keeping knees slightly bend and heels lifted.
3. Lift your tailbone towards the ceiling, elongating your arms and legs until fully straight. Don’t lock out your knees!
4. Keep the index fingers pressed firm into the floor. Try to bring your shoulder blades close together to open and stretch your chest.
5. During the pose, keep your head active between your arms, don’t let it hang freely.
6. Hold this pose for 30 seconds before releasing.

Cat/Cow Pose

This transition between two simple poses will help bring flexibility back to your spine. These helpful poses are great for desk dwellers as they stretch out compressed shoulder, chest and back muscles. An added bonus? Breathing deeply throughout this pose will also help relieve stress!

Perfect your pose:

1. Start on your hands and knees with fingertips pointed forward and toes pointed backwards. Make sure your knees and hands are hip-distance apart.
2. To move into a cat pose, draw your belly into your spine by pushing through your hands and feet. Round your back into a C-shaped curve.
3. Let the crown of your head fall towards the floor.
4. Hold for one breath and then prepare to move into a cow pose.
5. Drop your belly towards the floor and lift your chin to gaze up at the ceiling.
6. Pull your shoulders away from your ears and bring your shoulder blades together to open your chest.
7. Repeat this sequence as many times as needed to feel lengthened and stretched through tense areas.

Upward Plank Pose

Being hunched over your desk all day causes poor posture and a tight upper body. Use the upward plank pose to alleviate this tightness, especially in the shoulders, which tend to crowd around the neck and ears after a day at the office.

Perfect your pose:

1. Start by sitting on the mat with your legs stretched straight in front of you and hands by your hips.
2. Bend the knees and place your feet about one foot away from your tailbone.
3. Press firmly into the ground with your hands and feet, lifting your torso and thighs parallel to the floor.
4. Without sacrificing the height, begin to slowly extend the legs until completely straight.
5. Once the legs are straight, slowly drop your head back to hang comfortably.
6. Hold for thirty seconds before slowly releasing back to your mat.

Plow Pose

The plow pose works wonders on reducing stress and fatigue, while also easing symptoms of backaches which are common to desk workers. Don’t get frustrated if your feet do not reach all the way to the floor behind you! No matter how far you can go, you’ll still reap the many benefits of this useful pose.

Perfect your pose:

1. Start lying flat on your back with your arms by your side.
2. Begin to lift your entire torso and lower body off the mat, using your hands to hold and support your back, as if you are moving into a shoulder stand.
3. Slowly lower the toes behind your head, keeping legs fully extended and the torso perpendicular to the floor.
4. Continue to keep your neck and throat relaxed.
5. Once your toes have reached the floor, move hands to the mat, lengthen your arms, and clasp together your hands.
6. Firmly press through the arms to provide support to the rest of your body.
7. Hold this pose for five breaths before slowly releasing back down to your mat.