Are you feeling fixed to your computer? Believe it or not, you can stay limber even while working a desk job! Use this quick and simple desk stretch sequence to combat tight muscles and keep your body loose during the day!

If you’ve ever worked in a sedentary field, you know how tight your body can get. This is especially true for your hips, shoulders, and back. Your desk doesn't need to be your body's worst enemy. Use your workspace, instead, as a station for stretching throughout your work day. If you are able to do that, your desk is going to facilitate limber muscles rather than tight ones.

Desk Stretch One: Standing Shoulder Extension

This first exercise is a GymnasticBodies Training essential, and one of the most effective ways to open your chest, shoulders, and back.

Enter the shoulder extension stretch. A commonly overlooked action in our daily lives is bringing our arms back behind us. When we do this, it feels surprisingly refreshing and can even alleviate much of our tension!

Let’s get down to the how-to of the exercise. It’s simple: stand up tall, pull your shoulders back (open your chest), and interlace your hands behind your back. Now, keeping your chest open with your shoulder blades pulled together, slowly straighten your elbows, bring your palms together, and lift your hands up high.

If you can’t quite touch your hands behind your back, hold onto a small towel or piece of cord to widen your grip as needed.

Gently hold this stretch for 30 seconds and enjoy feeling the tension in your chest and back disappear.

Hint: If you feel comfortable during this stretch, get a little more out of it by folding forward for a bonus hamstring stretch!

Shoulder extension work is a GymnasticBodies Training essential. Start mobilizing now!

Stretch Two: Elevated Cat

Here’s another simple and highly effective stretch to keep your shoulders open and your spine aligned throughout the day (countering your turtle posture and your shoulders rounding around your keyboard). Your desk is usually the cause of tight muscles, but in this case, it’s the perfect surface for stretching out.

Start by kneeling on the floor next to your desk and place your hands flat on its edge. You should be able to completely straighten your arms so scoot back a bit if necessary.

Drop your chest down towards the floor, hold for 30 seconds, and enjoy this refreshing chest and shoulder opener. Pay attention to your lower back so the stretch doesn't fall into your lumbar spine. Focus the curve closer to your neck. You might feel tightness through your armpits as you pull them toward the floor.

Stretch Three: Piriformis Stretch

Sitting wreaks havoc on our hips and glutes. Thankfully, this final desk stretch is a SUPER effective weapon against tightness in that area. Let’s use your desk or office chair to stretch out your piriformis, one of the muscles most heavily impacted by desk work.

Let’s go for it. Stand up, face your desk or office chair, and place the outside of your foot on its surface. Use your hands for balance as you gently lower your knee towards the floor.

Hold for 30 seconds and enjoy an amazing stretch through the outside of your hips and glutes.

Complete this sequence a few times throughout your workday and you’ll quickly notice postural improvements and killer flexibility gains! If you loved this routine and feel your body craving more, then our Stretch Courses are for you!

GymnasticBodies desk stretches are designed to ward off tension and imbalances from day to day life, so get started now!