Workdesk yoga tips

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WorkDesk Yoga Course Tips
© Rajesh Sengamedu
Rajesh dot Sengamedu at gmail dot com
(M) + 91 98805 97942

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Tip: Sit Straight
Method
• Sit on your chair, with both your feet resting firmly on the ground
• Adjust your chair height such that thighs are parallel to the ground; feet should be about
one feet apart
• Don’t rest your back on the backrest
• Stretch up your body (from your waist) & neck as if someone is pulling you from the top of
your head upwards.
• Consciously push your shoulders back
• Stay like this for 2-5 min and breathe normally

What to Observe
• Your chest & lungs are expanded
• You are breathing more deeply
• Are you tightening your body? If so, consciously relax your body
• Do you feel the skin from the base of your spine stretched upwards?

Brief Theoretical Explanation
• Keeping the spine erect eliminates blockages in the body.


Tip: Stand Straight
Method
• Stand near a wall, with your buttocks, back & neck touching the wall; feet together & heels
touching the wall [else, about 2”-3” away from the wall]
• Press your feet down firmly
• Stretch up your body (from your waist) & neck as if someone is pulling you from the top of your
head upwards.
• Gently pull your knee caps up; tighten your buttocks
• Gently pull your stomach muscles in
• Consciously push your shoulders back towards the wall
• Stay like this for 2-5 min and breathe normally

What to Observe
• Are all your toes touching the ground? Is your body weight equally felt on all parts of the feet?
• Are your buttocks & back of head touching the wall?
• Is your body stiff? Are you forgetting to breathe? If so, gently relax your body 

• Keeping the spine erect eliminates blockages in the body.


Tip: Deep Breathing - Sitting
Method
• Sit straight; close mouth firmly; close your eyes gently; keep right palm on your stomach
• Breathe in /out slowly & deeply through both nostrils in 3 sequential steps as below
• First fill the bottom of the lungs – push your diaphragm down (your stomach will expand – feel that with your palm);
second, fill the upper lungs with air (your chest will expand); & lastly, fill the throat area with air
• Do NOT hold the breath; Start breathing out as soon as your lungs are full
• Empty the lungs in the same sequence as you breathed in.
• Breathe in /out AS SLOWLY as you can & Keep as still as you can

What to Observe
• Observe your diaphragm movement
• Observe the difference in air temperature, pressure, breathing pattern
• Observe where your body is stiff [Consciously release the tension]
• Imagine that the air you breathe in is permeating all your body – right from toes till your head & not just the lungs
• Imagine that the air you breathe out is pushing out the toxins from your body & negative emotions from your system
• Over time, are you increasing your duration of inhalation /exhalation? You should ideally do that – but do NOT force it!

• Air is the ‘container’ of universal energy that has the power to cure your physical & mental illnesses.
• Breathing deeply from the three parts of your lungs exercises ALL your lung capacity
• Slow & deep breathing increases life-span [according to yoga texts, we die when we have ‘exhausted’ the # of breaths we
are given – increasing duration of each breath increases the life span.]


Tip: Deep Breathing - Standing
Method
• Stand straight as in fig 1; close mouth firmly; close your
eyes gently; keep both palms on your thighs.
• Gently slowly raise your hands above your head as in fig 2
[fingers point upwards & biceps closer to your ears] &
breathe in as you raise
• Gently lower your hands to the sides as in fig 3 [hand
parallel to ground, fingers pointing away from you in both
directions] & breathe in more as you lower the hands
• Breathe out as you get your hands back to your thighs.

What to Observe
• Observe how you are able to take in the ‘extra’ air in the
lungs

• Movement of hands in a particular fashion improves your
lung capacity. This is a training for you to start observing
your breath. Exercises & breath coordination helps you to
focus your body & mind, improves concentration, reduces
stress


Tip: Alternate Nostril Breathing
Method
• Fold your index & middle fingers. You will use your thumb & little finger +ring finger in this exercise
• Close your right nostril with thumb and breathe in as slowly and deeply as you can, through the left nostril.
• Now, close your left nostril with your little+ring fingers; release your thumb and breathe out through your right nostril.
• Breathe in through your right nostril; Once you are full, close your right nostril with thumb;
• Release your left nostril & breathe out with your left nostril.
• This is one cycle [Left in, right out; right in, left out]. Do as many cycles as you can.
• Always, breathe slowly, deeply and DO NOT over-exert yourself [your face muscles will start twitching if you are exerting
yourself]

What to Observe
• Are you maintaining a rhythmic breathing? Do you breathe in bursts? If you are breathing in bursts, maybe you should
reduce the volume of air you breathe in/out.
• Are you filling your entire lungs? As deeply as possible is necessary.
• How slowly are you breathing? As slowly as possible is the key.
• Are you able to maintain a calm face? You should not observe any twitches in your facial muscles.

• There are 72000 nadis [i.e., energy channels] in the body. They are blocked with toxins – physical & emotional.
• Alternate nostril breathing ‘blasts’ these toxins and creates a clear channel for the energy flow in your body & mind. You
can imagine this to be like ‘angioblasty’ for your energy channels


Tip: Meditation Technique #1 [Breath Observation]
Method
•
•
•
•

Sit straight; close eyes gently; place right hand on left palm and place your hands on your lap.
Observe your natural breath going in /out; don’t force your breath.
Continue observing as long as you can
Whenever your thoughts distract you, or you have a physical discomfort, gently ‘move’ your
attention back to breath from these distractions, discomforts

What to Observe
• Are you breathing evenly?
• Are your thoughts distracting you? If so, start shifting your focus on your breath
• After you come out of your meditation session, can you remember the physical discomforts or
distractions?

• This is called ‘Ana Pana’ meditation.
• Breath is the most universal (!) for anyone alive. Observing breath is observing that we live! It is
also the simplest things to start observing on.
• Breath observation gives control over the mind very easily.
• As you practice this for longer periods, you are able to focus on just one thing – your breath and
helps to build your concentration.


Tip: Meditation Technique #2 [Sensation observation]
Method
• Sit straight; close eyes gently; place right hand on left palm and place your hands on your lap.
• Take your focus from your toes to your head – in parts. First toes, then feet, ankles, legs, knees, thighs, pelvic
region, stomach, chest, neck, fingers, then hands, wrists, fore-arms, biceps /triceps, shoulders, neck, different
parts of your face, head. Don’t forget to observe your inner organs – intestines, heart, lungs etc.
• Observe different sensations in each of these parts – tingling? No sensation? Warm? Cold? Discomfort? Etc.
Don’t change /react to any of these sensations.
• Continue observing as long as you can.
• As you practice this, focus on smaller & smaller parts of your body {e.g instead of toes at once, just small toe, big
toe and so on]

What to Observe
• Are there any muscle tensions? Warm /Cold? Can you hear any sounds?
• Observe your inner organs? Are you conscious of them? Can you hear your heartbeat?

• This is the universal Buddhist meditation called Vipassana. It means, “observing things as they are”.
• When you observe things as they are, you are non-judgemental. You become an observer. You practice becoming
an observer. This ‘attitude’ flows in your daily life too; making you an observer to everything in your life. You stop
reacting. This lowers stress.
• As you practice this for longer periods, you are able to detach yourself from the day-to-day happenings. This does
not mean apathy, but it means intense involvement with a sense of detatchment (phew!)


Tip: Meditation Technique #3 [Repeating a Mantra or Chanting]
Method
• Sit straight; close eyes gently; place right hand on left palm and place your hands
on your lap.
• Mentally chant your favorite mantra. It can be anything [Om, Gayatri Mantra, any
other mantra, Jesus, Allah, Name of any God, a wish that you want in your life [I
want to be healthy] or just some mumbo-jumbo – although I recommend you to
pick something meaningful for you]

What to Observe
• Observe how your mind is fickle and keeps telling you that you are bored! Persist
and continue chanting.

• This is called Japa. Very easy to chant. When you chant something, the meaning of
that chant gets into your body & mind and starts working on your subconscious.
When the subconscious is instructed with your ‘wish’ in the japa, the
subconscious will find a way to make it happen for you in your life.


Tip: Hand Press #1 – Namaste
Method
• Press your palms together (like Namaste), ensuring
that you are aligning the fingers as in figure.
• Your palms should be closer to your chest area
• Lift up your elbows such that your hands are away
from your arm-pits.
• Apply gentle, but firm pressure when pressing
• Count till 3 -5 breaths.
• Release & repeat 3-4 times

What to Observe
• Pressure in your hands, wrists & shoulders

• Hands have several acupressure points and when
pressed together, they help in curing any imbalances.
• Applying gentle pressure in pressing, tones the
muscles in your hand.


Tip: Hand Presses #2 – Namaste@Back
Method
• Take your hands to your back and press your palms
together (like Namaste), ensuring that you are aligning the
fingers, as shown in fig 1.
• Your palms should be near the upper back /between your
shoulder blades.
• Lift up your elbows such that your hands are away from
your arm-pits.
• Count till 3 -5 breaths; release.
• Release & repeat 3-4 times
• Fine print: If you can’t get your palms together in the back,
atleast ‘get them as close as you can’, BUT observe!!

What to Observe
• Pressure in your hands, wrists & shoulders
• Observe how your hand muscles feel different than the
normal namaste



Tip: Head Presses
Method
• Press your right palm to the right side of your head as shown in
fig 1. Apply gentle pressure on the head. Push back with your
head.
• Count till 3 -5 breaths; release gently.
• Repeat with your left palm to the left side as shown in fig 2.
• Repeat 3-4 times before you move to below exercise
• Clasp your hands and press your forehead as shown in fig 3.
Apply gentle pressure on forehead. Push back with your head.
• Count till 3-5 breaths; release gently.
• Repeat with your hands on the back as in last figure.
• Repeat 3-4 times.

Fig 1

Fig 2

What to Observe
• Pressure in your neck, hands, wrists & shoulders

• When most of the work is in front of a computer, we hardly
move our necks! This leads to stiffness and over time, neck
problems. This loosens up your neck muscles & builds strength.

Fig 3


Tip: Garudasana -1 [Eagle Pose]
Method
• Spread your hands forward; fold & give yourself a warm hug,
with right palm on left shoulders & left palm on right shoulders.
[Observe if your right hand is above the left or the other way
around]
• Slowly release the forearms, with your elbows locked together;
lock them up as shown in fig 1, lift up & bring your shoulders
parallel to the ground, while breathing in; your palms should be
like ‘namaste’ as shown
• Hold the pose for 3-5 breaths; release slowly
• Repeat by changing the hands as in fig 2. [if your right hand was
above the left earlier; now you should have your left hand
above]
What to Observe

Fig 1

• Pressure in your neck, arms & shoulders; feel how your upper
back muscles are stretched.
• Feel how the hand muscles get stretched when you pull up the
shoulders parallel to the ground
• This pose ‘trains’ your hand muscles to stretch differently than
usual. Over a period of time, this is the MOST effective asana to
cure you of computer usage related problems.

Fig 2


Tip: Garudasana -2 [Eagle Pose]
Method
• Cross your legs; knees snugly together. Left leg on top of right
to begin with, as in fig 1.
• Interlock your legs by stretching your left ankle on your right
calf. If you can’t do this, keep your legs as in fig 3.
• Then do Garudasana -1 – interlocking your hands as shown in
the figure. When your left leg is on top, get your left hand on
top of right hand too!
• Hold for 3-5 breaths, release legs slowly and then release
hands
• Repeat by starting with other leg & hand as in fig 2 & fig 4.
What to Observe

Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 4

• Pressure in your neck, arms & shoulders; ankles, thighs,
calves
• Feel how the hand muscles get stretched when you pull up
your shoulders parallel to the ground
• Feel how your lower back straightens when you cross your
legs & intertwine them!
• Again, the calf muscles, ankles, thighs are stretched. Lower
back muscles are exercised in this asana.


Tip: Gomukhasana [Cow Face Pose]
Method
• First take your left hand to the back. If required, use your right hand to
push your left hand in position like ‘V’ as shown in fig 1.
• Stretch your right hand vertically above; while your left hand is
touching your left thigh. Breathe in while you get to this position
• Fold your right elbow and take your palms together to ‘clasp’ each
other as shown in fig 1. Breathe out when you do this.
• Hold the position for 3-5 breaths; release & alternate repeat with your
other hand as in fig 2.
• Use a handkerchief or your dupatta to hold as in fig 3., if you find it
difficult to clasp your hands.
• As you get more flexibility, keep ‘crawling your hands on the kerchief as
close as you can to each other.

Fig 1

Fig 2

What to Observe
• Feel the different muscles in your hand
• Does your chest expand?
• Are you able to breathe in more deeply than normally?
• The shoulders, arm pits, hands are stretched. Your chest expands so
you are able to breathe in more deeply

Fig 3


Tip: Finger Stretches
Method

• Spread your left hand forward; parallel to the ground, wrists
facing up.
• Bend all your fingers down as shown in fig 1., (incl. thumb, if
possible!) with your right hand; apply gentle pressure
• Hold the pose for 3-5 breaths; release slowly
• Bend each finger (including the thumb) as shown in fig 2; hold
for 3-5 breaths, release slowly.
• Repeat by changing the hands

Fig 1

What to Observe

• Feel how the hand muscles get stretched when you pull up the
shoulders parallel to the ground
• Is your arms parallel to the ground?

Fig 2


Tip: Wrist Circles
Method
• Ensure your wrists are together all the time
• Start with fig 1 [inside wrists touching together); rotate
your wrists – while you do this, you will have to pull your
arms towards yourself as in fig 2 and progressing on to fig
3, fig 4 and then come back to fig 5 [or figure 1)
What to Observe
• Feel how the hand muscles get stretched
• Fell how the tension peels away from your shoulders
when you circle your wrists



Tip: Spinal Twists
Method
• Sit straight sideways in a chair [if you have chairs with arm rests, try to
figure out if you can squeeze in one leg through the arm rest!], press feet
firmly; lift up your shoulders. Breathe in deeply.
• Turn right as shown in fig 1 by holding the back rests. Don’t force yourself
into the pose. Gently turn as slowly as you can, from the waist.
• Breathe out slowly when you turn; hold the position for 3-5 breaths and
turn back to the sideways position.
• Repeat on the other side as in figure 2.

Fig 1

What to Observe
• Are you forcing your waist to turn? Don’t do it? No torque should be
applied on your waist! Gentle twist of the spinal column is the
expectation.
• Are your feet firmly on the ground? Are your thighs parallel to the floor?
Are they turning too? They should not! (see fig 3 & 4)
• Is your back stretched upwards? Are you breathing out when you turn
gently?

Fig 2

• Gentle spine twists provide good flexibility to your muscles around the
spine. This works best for back aches!
Fig 3

Fig 4


Tip: Ardha Kati Chakrasana (Half Wheel Pose)
Method
• Stand straight, feet together, knee cap pulled in, buttocks
tightened.
• Lift right hand above as in fig 1; left hand by your left thigh.
Breathe in. Imagine a rope pulling your right hand fingers up.
• As you slide your left hand towards your left knee, bend leftwards
from your waist. Imagine that the entire skin from your right feet
(outer edge) till the tip of your right hand fingers is one
continuum. Breathe out, slowly & gently.
• Hold for 3-5 breaths; release; Breathe in when you get back to fig
1. Repeat the other side as in fig 3 & 4. Do for 3-5 times on both
sides

Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 4

What to Observe
• Are you feeling that the right side of your body is one continuum
as if you are holding a stick at its two ends and bending it?
• Are you breathing out slowly while going to the pose as in fig 2,4?
• Can you feel the ‘fat’ around your stomach area vanishing? If not,
imagine for a few days first and then you would start feeling it!!
• This asana expands the chest, improves spinal suppleness;
reduces fat around your waist!!!


Tip: Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)
Method
• Stand straight; pull knee caps; tighten buttocks, lift your body upwards
(from waist).
• Slowly lift your right leg off the ground and place it on your inner thigh
(toes in line with leg) as shown in fig 1 and hands on waist.
• Once you get balance, slowly lift up your arms as in fig 2. Breathe in
while you do this. Hold for 3-5 breaths and slowly come come back to
standing position.
• Repeat with other leg as in fig 3 & 4.
• Fine print: Keep a chair closer to the leg that is going to remain on
ground and use it to balance yourself! If you can’t find balance then you
can skip lifting your hands up!
What to Observe

Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 4

• When you are lifting up your leg, the other leg should be pressed to the
ground firmly; Are your toes spread out like a duck feet? That gives
more stability!
• Are you conscious and lifting your chest & stomach up?

• If you want to experience ‘balance’ and be ‘rooted’ all the time – in
your mental & physical balance, you need to understand a tree! Being
like a tree in this asana, helps you with poise & balance.
• The asana also helps to correct some defects due to posture,
straightens your back and strengthens legs.


Tip: Padanghustasana(Hand-Toes Pose)
Method
• Stand straight; pull knee caps; tighten buttocks, lift your body
upwards (from waist), while you lift up your hands. Breathe in
slowly. Ref fig 1.
• Keeping your shoulders & ears together, slowly bend down, while
you breathe out, as in fig 2. Pause for a while (3-5 breaths) when
your hands & body are parallel to the ground.
• Continue to bend down and touch your toes as in fig 3. Breathe
out while you do this. Alternately, you can place your palm besides
your feet if you are flexible!!
• Stay for 3-5 breaths and then slowly reverse to come back to fig 1.
Breathe in while you go back.
• Fine print: When you are touching your toes or placing your palms
by your feet, you can do a ‘micro-bend’ at your knees. I recommend
this micro-bend especially if you are not flexible as yet!

Fig 1

Fig 2

What to Observe
• Observe your waist/ lower back. Be very careful and STOP when
you notice any extreme pain in your lower back /waist.
• Front bends stretch your back and make your spine supple. When
the head is bent forward, it brings calmness to your mind. This also
helps to reduce your belly fat!!

Fig 3

Fig 4


Tip: Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)
Method

• Keep a chair close to your right feet. Spread legs approx 4 feet
apart. Turn the right feet 90 degrees to the right; turn the left
feet a bit towards your right – as shown in (1). Slowly breathing
out, bend to right, place hands as shown in (2) Raise your left
hand as shown in (3). Stay for 3-5 breaths and slowly come back.
• If you are flexible, remove the chair and do (4) and (5) instead of
(2) & (3).
• Repeat the other side
What to Observe

• Your leg should be 90 degrees to your body on the side you are
planning to bend. Your other leg should be a little tilted towards
your body.
• Do not keep the chair too far away. Experiment with the right
distance. You should feel a sense of balance
• Don’t drop your neck too much down. It should aligned with your
body.
• Stretches all your lower parts of the body and tones up thighs,
calves, legs, groin, hands. Excellent pose to relieve lower
backache. Ofcourse, this asana beats stress.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10


Tip: Veerabhadrasana (Warrior Pose)
Method
• Sit on a chair, legs around 3’ apart as shown in fig 1. Turn your right foot 90
degrees to your right. While you turn your right foot, straighten your left
leg as shown in fig 2. If you can keep your left foot flat, it is great, else lift
up on your toes as shown in fig 2.
• Turn your upper body (waist upwards) to the right as shown progressively
in fig 2 & 3. Breathe out while you twist. Your right thigh should be parallel
to the ground and resting fully on the chair; your right leg should be
perpendicular to the ground (from knee to foot).
• Lift your hands above as shown in fig 4. Breathe in while lifting hands up.
Stay for 3-5 breaths and return to starting position.
• Repeat the other side
• Chair is given for your support. You can remove the chair and do the same
asana (but remember that it is not that easy to do this asana without
support, especially if you are not flexible.

1

3

2

4

What to Observe

• Is your one leg like an ‘inverted L’? Is the other leg straight? If you cant keep
the other leg straight, do a micro-bend at the knees.
• Observe your stomach as to how it feels when you turn your waist.
• When you lift up your hands, imagine someone pulling you up with a string
from your head. Stretch up from waist!

• Stretches ALMOST all parts of your body – ankles to neck! . Excellent pose
to build balance in your body, especially doing this without the chair
support!

5

6


Tip: Bitilasana & Marjaryasansa (Cow & Cat Poses)
Method
• Bitilasana (Cow Pose)
• Sit on a chair, legs a foot apart and perpendicular to the ground. Keep
your arms on your knees; use the arms as support in this exercise.
• Slowly while breathing out, pull your stomach muscles in and bend your
neck forward so that your chin is closer to your sternum, as shown in fig 1.
• Stay for 3-5 breaths and release.. Do for 3-4 times.
• Marjaryasana (Cat Pose)
• Start as in Bitilasana;.
• Slowly breathe in while you stretch up your body and stretch your neck
backwards as in fig 2.
• Stay for 3-5 breaths and release. Do for 3-4 times.

1

What to Observe
• Are you consciously pulling your stomach muscles in while breathing out?
• Are you consciously stretching your body & neck while breathing in?
• Stretches your neck & upper body.
• Gently massages your stomach muscles.

2


Tip: Pavanamuktasana (Air-relieving Pose)
Method
• Sit on a chair.
• While breathing out, slowly lift your knee up and ‘kiss’ your knee. Stay in
the pose for 3-5 breaths and release.
• Repeat with the other leg.
• You can even do this with both the legs together at the same time!

1

What to Observe
• Breathe out while you lift your knees.

• Gently massages your stomach muscles.
• Releases any trapped air in your stomach and makes you feel lighter!

2


Tip: Prasarithapada(Spread-legs Pose)
Method
• Sit on the front edge of a chair with your chest erect as shown in fig 1.
• Spread your legs as wide as you comfortably can. Your knees can have a slight micro-bend if
you find it difficult to spread. Keep your feet entirely on the ground in this position, as
shown in fig 2.
• Slowly bend down from your waist and place both your hands on the floor as in fig 3 & 4.
Breathe out while you get to this position. The difference in fig 3 and fig 4 is that in fig 4, the
complete palms is pressed to the ground. Keep your head parallel to the ground
• Stay in this pose for 3-5 breaths and then slowly hold your ankles. If you can’t reach your
ankles, reach higher up (knees?). Bend your head to look under the chair!
• Hold the position for 3-5 breaths and come back to fig 4 or fig 3, then fig 2 and then on to
fig 1.
What to Observe
• Are the outer edges of your feet firmly on the ground? If you find it tough initially, lift them,
but try to consciously roll them outwards so that the entire feet is resting on the ground.
• Remember the breathing sequence.
• Bend from your waist – you can do this by first sitting erect and consciously focussing on
your waist!

1

2

3

4


• This is a great pose to relax you. Any forward bend pose, with the head downwards relieves
stress!
• This is also a good pose to stretch your legs, get rid of a few inches on your waist!

5

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