Spending your day at a desk hunched over a computer causes your upper body to round forward, shoulders, neck and upper back tighten along with your lower back and hamstrings.
A few simple Pilates exercises can help you lengthen your spine and stretch out these tight areas.
Here are some more seated exercises for you to try!
Additional Seated Exercises
Mermaid:
With the left arm at your side with palm facing forward, exhale as you reach the Right arm up and over head as you side bend to the left, careful not to roll forward. Think of anchoring the right hip down as you feel the stretch on the right side of your body. Inhale as you lift back up to start, then repeat on the other side. Repeat for a total of 8.
Arm Press Back:
Sitting tall with the arms straight at your side, palms facing back. Inhale to prepare then exhale to press the arms back and hold, look left then right, arms return to start. Repeat for a total of 8.
Spine Twist:
Sitting tall, place the left hand on the outside right knee, add resistance with the right leg, right hand comes to the back of the chair. Exhale as your rotate and look all the way to the right and hold, return to start and repeat on other side. Repeat for a total of 8 each side.
Wrist stretch 1:
Extend the right arm out straight just below shoulder height gently pull the right had back toward the forearm and hold several seconds, release then gently stretch the right palm down and toward your upper body and hold several seconds. Switch arms and repeat.
Wrist Stretch 2:
Extend both arms out straight, palms facing each other, just below shoulder height. Fingers wrap around thumbs, extend palms down toward the floor and hold. Repeat ~ 3x
Oblique Twist:
Sitting on the front of a swivel chair, place your palms down on your desk. Squeeze your knees together and lift your feet 1 inch off the floor. Without moving your chest from its lifted and straightforward position, begin twisting the chair from side-to-side, simultaneously stretching and toning your oblique muscles. Imagine you are wearing a heavy armor suit and helmet and are unable to move your upper extremities as you perform the twist from your lower body. Repeat 10x each side.