Yoga for STANDING A LOT
I’ve worked both sitting down all day jobs (desk work, call center, etc.) and standing and walking all day jobs (retail, waitressing/serving) and what I learned from both is:
If you work a standing up job, you will need a LOT of forward folds, bending, etc.
If you work a sitting down job, you will need a LOT of backbends!
YOGA FOR STANDING JOBS
The typical Western world has a “sedentary lifestyle” problem, meaning that most people in America are sitting all day, and not moving their bodies. From my experience in yoga classes, teachers often speak to the sedentary lifestyle body, offering cues to reverse the spinal atrophy that comes with sitting all day. When I was working a primarily standing job, the cues just weren’t hitting for me. What would hurt on my body after a long day of working was my low back and my tight hamstrings. What I noticed was the best remedy was uttanasana forward fold that really brought relief to my tight lower back and hamstrings.
The following are poses that you can explore in your body after a long day of work or a long day of standing that don’t require a warm up because these poses are essentially the warm up!
Standing Forward Fold / Halfway Lift - Uttanasana/Ardha Uttanasana
This is your typical forward fold/halfway lift vinyasa combo found in your standard SUN A sequence. Click here to view a GIF to see it in motion. This is essential if you stand a lot because folding forward bends your spine the opposite way it does when standing. On the other hand when you are a person that stands a lot, backbends actually tend to exaggerate the tension in your spine. The halfway lift part of this sequence, with the use of your breath, helps to lengthen to spine out of the low back and further lengthen your hamstrings. Here’s how to do this sequence below:
For forward fold, stand with your feet together or hips width apart. Take a slight bend at the knees for hard bend in the knees as you EXHALE, reach for the ground to lengthen your hamstrings. Forward fold is NOT about touching your toes, so BEND YOUR KNEES to protect your low back and your knees. For halfway lift, as you INHALE, lift your gaze up ahead and place your palms on your shins or thighs. Your hands should not be dangling in the air! I see this a lot in beginner yogis. If I catch you danglin’ your arms around like this, I’m gonna come by and slap your knees with a really long ruler like those mean private school teachers in the movies lol. Anyway, create a long flat back, lengthen through the crown of your head down to the base of your spine. Breathe, and repeat forward fold/halfway lift until your back and hamstrings feel better. This is great to do while you’re on the job as well. Extra good vibes if you throw in a Ragdoll Uttanasana in your routine.Seated Forward Fold - Paschimottanasana
Taking a forward fold seated can provide you with extra length on your low back, where your range of motion may be limited while standing! The great part about taking this fold seated is you can add props to deepen the stretch. A strap can be used around the feet to pull the upper body closer to the feet, or a block can be placed at the sole of your feet if you’re super flexible and add more length for your arms to reach for. If you have a tight low back or tight hamstrings, a block or pillow can be placed underneath the knees as you reach for your toes. How to seated forward fold:
Sit down and extend your legs forward like staff pose. As you INHALE, root your tailbone into the Earth and reach your arms up overhead. As you EXHALE, reach forward for your feet but keep your spine straight. There are two types of seated forward fold: active and passive. In this variation for people who stand all day, we want an ACTIVE fold by keeping the belly engaged (uddiyana bandha) and the spine nice and long to help relieve lower back pain and tight hamstrings. KEEP YOUR HEAD up, be sure not to drop the head as your neck is an extension of your spine. Continue to breathe as you pull your upper body closer and closer to your feet to help pull your spine forward out of your low back. It is absolutely okay to bend your knees when folding, especially if to grab your toes. As you breathe, you begin to create more space in the body as you witness your legs begin to straighten with each breath. This means that your spine is decompressing and your hamstrings are getting some love!Reclined Hand to Big Toe - Supta Padangusthasana
You’re gonna want a strap for this one, TRUST ME. This pose is perfect for loving attention to mainly the hamstrings because your spine is already grounded and neutralized by laying on the Earth. How to reclined hand to big toe:
Lay down on your back and extend your legs forward. Start with the right side (or whatever side needs most love), extend your right leg into the air while keeping your left leg extended forward on the ground. If you feel any pain or tension, feel free to bend your left leg and plant your foot on the ground. If not, keep the left leg extended and foot flexed. With your extended right leg in the air, take a hard flex in your foot and pull your leg close to your head, with either your hands wrapped around your calf or ankle, or take a strap around the ankle or sole of your foot. Resist the urge to lift your head up. Be sure to keep your head on the ground to keep your spine on the Earth, don’t be this guy. Again, this is not about being the most flexible person in the room, this is about releasing tension and feeling better.
As you pull your leg to your forehead, keep a steady rhythmic breath as you create more length in your hamstrings. Switch legs!
If that feels good, you can work on the rotation of the hip joint by sending your right leg over to the side, or even take a spinal twist.
Click here to learn the best asana for sitting down all day!
