Top yoga stretches for your lunchtime break
Most people talk about being a morning person or an evening one when it comes to their workouts, but there are plenty of people who take advantage of their lunch break to exercise. And, believe it or not, they might be onto something!
Now, we are not saying you should opt for a run instead of lunch, after all your body needs to be refueled and skipping lunch in favour of exercise is not beneficial. But finding 10-30minutes for a workout or stretch break can really bring a few benefits to your day!
Working out for a part of your lunchtime can really invigorate you, after all exercise can reduce feelings of fatigue, as well as lower your stress levels. It also means you don't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to get those 30 minutes in, or get home later because you have to hit the gym after work.
So even if it is just a stretch on your office desk or you manage to find an empty room for you to lie down, we’ve put together some of our favourite yoga poses to try out at lunchtime.
Goddess pose
This is a pose that looks easy (and it is!) but works out your entire body - and it is a little harder to hold than imagined. It lengthens the spine and improves posture (which is great for those who work in front of a computer) while also strengthening your leg muscles and tones the core and glutes.
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How to do it:
Start in mountain pose
Take a big, open step with your right foot toward the back of your mat. Turn your toes out to a 45 degree angle.
Bend your knees so they land directly over the ankles, sending the knees outwards slightly.
Drop the tailbone down and sink the hips while engaging the core. Lift up on the pelvic floor & draw the navel in toward the spine.
Open your arms out, elbows bent, and spread your fingers, allowing your pinky fingers to rotate inward. Hands can face each other, allowing shoulder blades to glide down your back.
Lift through the heart center and take the floating ribs in, lengthening through the spine.
Take five deep breaths, allowing your exhalation to grow longer than the inhalation.
Repeat as many times as you’d like, enabling your body to feel grounded and open.
Reverse prayer pose
This pose helps relax tight shoulders, relieve back pain and improve your posture. The shoulder movements also help open up the chest and promote digestion, helping you breathe better and maintaining your metabolism and energy levels.
How to do it:
Start either in mountain pose or sitting down.
Relax the shoulders and bend your knees a little.
Bring your arms behind your back and join the palms with fingertips facing downward.
As you inhale, turn the fingertips inwards towards the spine and bring them to face upwards.
Ensure that the knees are still slightly bent and the palms are pressed firmly against each other.
Stay in the position for a couple of breaths.
As you exhale, slowly turn the fingertips downward.
Bring the arms to the side of the body and slowly come out of the pose
Tip: If you can't put your hands together behind your back, try holding your elbows or using a strap to get the same chest opening feeling
Forward fold
This is an incredibly versatile pose, as you can do it in a normal stance, a wide stance, and even sitting on a chair! It’ll help stretch the hamstrings, calves, and back while allowing you to relax. It also helps calm the brain and relieve stress.
How to do it:
Stand in mountain pose, hands on hips.
Exhale and bend forward from the hip joints, not from the waist.
If possible, with your knees straight, bring your palms or fingertips to the floor slightly in front of or beside your feet, or bring your palms to the backs of your ankles. Alternatively, cross your forearms and hold your elbows. Press the heels firmly into the floor and lift the sitting bones toward the ceiling.
Let your head hang from the root of the neck, which is deep in the upper back, between the shoulder blades. Breathe deeply, and focus on releasing tension through your neck and shoulders.
To come out of the pose, don’t roll the spine, instead bring your hands back onto your hips and reaffirm the length of the front torso. Then press your tailbone down and into the pelvis and come up on an inhalation with a long front torso.
Chair pigeon
Pigeon Pose is a great yoga pose to stretch your hips and lower back, which supports mobility. This area is commonly tight due to prolonged sitting, so stretching these muscles regularly may alleviate mild lower back or hip pain.
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How to do it:
Sit up straight in a chair, with your back off the chair and your ankles just under your knees
Bring your right knee up to the chest and give it a good hug.
With the knee bent deeply, flex the right foot and begin to drop the knee open by rotating the thigh outward from the hip joint.
Rest your right ankle on your left thigh, just above the left knee. Keep pressing out through the balls of the right foot to protect the knee.
Stay and breathe. Send the breath down to the belly and the right outer hip, and breathe out, release and soften as much as you can.
Do the other side. Feel free to hold longer on the tighter side.
Tip:
Everyone’s body and flexibility is different so only goes as far as it feels comfortable and never painful. If resting your ankle on your thigh hurts, stretch your base leg immediately and move the ankle lower down your leg to where it feels comfortable yet still stretching your bent leg.
If you can feel a deep stretch sitting up tall, then please stay there. If not, hold onto the seat of the chair and breathe in to lengthen the spine. Breathe out, draw the pelvic floor and the lower belly in and up.
Fold forward from the hip creases, keeping the spine long to begin with. Only go as far as is comfortable, then allow the spine to gently round to get an extra back stretch.
Fire Log pose
Another deep hip opener to stretch the hip flexors, thighs, calves and abdominal muscles. It also helps calm the mind so you can have a proper break from your workday and come back refreshed. Not one for people with knee pain or problems
How to do it:
Start by sitting on the floor in a simple cross legged position
Place the left foot or ankle on top of the right knee
Then slide the right foot forward until it is directly below the left knee
Inhale and press the hips down and reach the crown of the head up towards the ceiling. Gently allow the knees to relax down towards the floor to open the hips.
Keeping the back flat and the chest open, exhale and gently reach your torso forward as far as comfortable and either hold onto the knees or walk your hands forward.
Hold for a few breaths, then repeat on the other side.
Tips:
Props are your best friend, if you can’t place your foot or ankle on top of the right knee, place a block under your left knee, for example.
Also, to help release the hip, grip your thigh at the hip crease and forcefully rotate it outward (or laterally) before you lean forward.
Bridge pose
One of our favourite, Bridge pose helps stengthen your back, glutes, legs and ankles, whilst opening your chest, heart and hip flexors. It really is a whole-body pose as it also helps stretch the chest, neck, shoulders and spine. Beyond all the physical benefits, it also has a positive effect on the mind as it helps alleviate stress. The best thing about this pose is that it can be adapted to suit every person’s needs, including pregnant women.
How to do it
Start lying on your back with your feet planted on the floor and knees bent, about hip width apart and as close to your sitting bones as possible. Have your arms by your sides.
Exhale and bring your hips and bum upwards by pushing actively through your feet and arms. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel.
If comfortable, clasp your hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to stay on the tops of your shoulders.
Lift your bum until your legs are parallel to the floor, keeping your knees directly over the heels but pushing them forwards, away from the hips
Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.
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