Yes, yoga at the office to restore and focus—we dare you to try it!
We have prepared a few postures to help you get through each work day a little happier and healthier. This sequence incorporates quiet meditation, invigorating breathwork, and deep stretches. When practiced regularly it can give your immune system a boost, open your interior spaces, and clear your mind so you can perform at your peak.
In order to create this article, we contacted a real yoga pro - Naza Zhurtanova, and we asked her a few questions.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Naza, and I am a former banker turned certified Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and business owner.
I am passionate about teaching yoga, mindfulness and meditation and about spreading this amazing practice and lifestyle to the entire world. Right now I am creating a signature program for overwhelmed millennial women, which aims to assist my clients with embarking on a physical and mental transformation journey towards a life filled with peace, abundance, joy, love and happiness.
I myself am a perfect example of someone who has started her yoga journey in her 30-ties and managed to transform my body and my mental health tremendously. In the fall of 2019, I have made a life-changing decision to leave my corporate career at a bank and pursue my dreams of teaching yoga. My goal is to inspire my followers and clients to embark on their yoga journeys, to open their eyes to the power of meditation, to encourage them to pursue their own dreams, and to teach them how to live more conscious and healthy lives.
I was born in Almaty, Kazakhstan, moved to Denmark in 1998, and I have lived in 5 different countries so far.
What are the benefits of doing yoga at work?
The physical benefits of moving your body and stretching it after sitting at the desk or the computer for many hours include increased strength and flexibility, better blood circulation in the body, and nourishment for the bones and ligaments.
Besides that, doing a little bit of stretching and conscious breathing can help reduce stress, anxiety, release tension and even benefit the work culture by changing the mindset of the people to be more compassionate, kind and gentle with themselves and others. Besides, doing office yoga is a good way of taking a break from the work and thus making space for more creativity and new ideas.
Can you give us your office yoga sequence?
The Sequence is called "Corporate Yoga Or Yoga Sequence At Your Desk". Connect, Balance, Center, and Empower while at Work. It is a 10 minutes sequence for beginners, engaging the whole body.
1. Chair Mountain Pose • Chair Tadasana
Seated on the chair, bring the knees together, feet together, chest out, shoulders back, and chin slightly up and straight. Place your hand on your belly and the other hand on your chest and notice how your body moves with breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply for 1 minute.
2. Mountain Pose Raised Hands Chair • Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana Chair
Inhale and raise the arms up keeping the palms facing each other inwards. Extend the arms and feel the stretch at the upper shoulders, neck, and upper back.
3. Chair Upward Hand Stretch Pose • Chair Urdhva Hastasana
Exhale and extend the arms up as you interlock the fingers with palms facing up. Extend as you feel the stretch at the shoulders and upper back and chest.
Release and sit comfortably connecting to your breath for a few rounds. Then, turn and place your right hand on the chair behind and the other hand on the left thigh. Inhale and slowly turn towards the right twisting the torso from the hips and gaze behind you and exhale completely. Stay in this twist in Chair Seated Twists for 6 breaths. With each exhalation turn further back in a twist to feel the stretch at the neck, upper back, abdomen, lower back, and hips. Release and come to the center to relax. Inhale and repeat with the left side and hold for 6 breaths. Release and relax coming back to the center.
5. Chair Cat Cow Pose • Chair Marjaryasana Bitilasana
Exhale and release the hands and place them on the knees and lock the chin to come to Cat Pose Inhale and throw the chest out taking the shoulders behind and come to Cow Pose.
6. Chair Pigeon Pose • Chair Kapotasana
Come to sit in Mountain Pose Chair and take few rounds of breathing. Then: Inhale - bring the right foot over left knee as you use the hip flexion. Exhale - use the right hand to push the right thigh down as you feel the stretch at the upper hamstrings and inner thighs Inhale / Exhale keep the back straight and stay here in Chair Pigeon Pose Inhale / Exhale stay for 6 breaths, closing your eyes and feeling the deep stretch Inhale / Exhale - release and'sit back in Mountain Pose Chair. Inhale - bring the left foot over the right knee Inhale / Exhale - stay for 6 breaths as you sit extending the spine.
7. Downward Facing Dog • Pose Variation Chair
Stand in front of the chair, facing the seated portion of the chair. Stand about a four-foot distance away from the chair.
Inhale - raise the arms up.
Exhale - come forward bending from the hips and extend the arms and reach for the chair.
Inhale - loosen the body.
Exhale - extend the arms, shoulders, upper back, hips, and chest to go forward to stretch the spine as you use the chair to support the hands.
Inhale/Exhale - stay here going deeper with each exhalation.
Inhale/Exhale - stay for about 6 breaths.
Inhale/Exhale - release to look up and stand back in Mountain Pose.
8. Upward Facing Dog Pose With Chair • Urdhva Mukha Svanasana With Chair
From Mountain Pose (standing in front of the chair):
Inhale - and extend the arms up Exhale - come forward and stretch the arms as you rest them on the chair
Inhale - pushing the chair, raise the chest and shoulders
Exhale - to come to Upward- Facing Dog Pose
Inhale/Exhale - balance and stretch the legs, shoulders, chest, and arms as you push the chair (without moving the chair ) with the hands on the chair for better support.
Inhale/Exhale - stay for about 6 breaths, inhaling to go deeper in a backbend.
Inhale/Exhale - release and come to stand in Mountain Pose in front of the chair.
9. Downward Facing Dog Pose Variation Both Knees Bent Chair • Adho Mukha Svanasana Variation Both Knees Bent Chair
Stand in Mountain Pose in front of the chair:
Inhale - stretch the arms out and place them on the chair
Exhale - bend the torso and extend the arms, shoulders, back, and hips. While doing this keep the knees bent if needed. Inhale/Exhale - to stay in Downward Facing Dog Pose Variation Both Knees Bent Chair Inhale/Exhale - to stay here extending with each exhalation, for about 6 breaths. Inhale/Exhale - release and relax.
10. Dancer Pose With Chair • Natarajasana With Chair
Rest left hand on the chair.
The right arm reaches back and grabs the right foot from the inside.
Soft bend in the standing leg, the bent knee is pointing straight down
Make sure your pelvis is tucked. Breath here for 3 full breaths. Repeat on the other side.
We hope that all of you will be able to do this simple sequence in your offices! Thank you, Naza, for providing us with your knowledge and great sources!
Make sure to check out Naza's channels: