Your office chair called, it wants you to do these stretches.
Most of us spend way too much time sitting. And all that desk time doesn’t just zap your energy—it’s linked to serious health risks like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and unwanted weight gain. On a less serious but still frustrating note, hours in a chair can leave your muscles feeling stiff and tight, making it harder to move comfortably through the rest of your day. The good news? There are several simple stretches you can do right from your home office to help loosen things up and fight back against that all-day stiffness.
In a recent video, certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of ATHLEAN-X, Jeff Cavaliere, broke down the top five simple stretches he uses to instantly reduce sitting-induced tightness.
5 Stretches to Undo Hours of Sitting
Chair Twist
- Start by sitting straight forward in a chair.
- Put your hands behind your head, rotate your upper body to one side, and reach for the ceiling with the opposite elbow.
- This will promote both thoracic rotation and will also stretch out your lats and the muscles running down your ribcage.
Seated Pretzel
- Start by sitting in a chair with both legs on the ground.
- Cross one leg over the other.
- Pushing your crossed leg down, reach forward and towards the ground in front of you.
- Hold the stretch for 5 seconds and return to the starting position.
- That’s 1 rep.
- Repeat 3 times with each leg, holding 5 seconds each.
Wall Slide
- Stand up with your back against a wall, to start.
- Make a goal post with your arms and place them against the wall, with your palms facing outward.
- Slide your hands up the wall for 5 seconds, reaching as high as you can before returning to the start position.
Glute Activator
- Lean toward a wall, using you palms to support you.
- Bend your right knee and hold this position for 5 seconds.
- Then, extend the right leg back behind you in the air and hold for 5 seconds.
- Do this for 3 reps and then repeat on the opposite side.
Hip Flexor Stretch
- Stand next to a wall with your left leg closest to it. Get into a lunge position with your left leg forward.
- Then, with your left hand against the wall for balance, reach with your right arm up in the air and towards the wall.
- Do this for 3 reps and repeat on the other side.
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/**** Right Rail Recommendations ****/
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