Two Shoulder Openers You Can Do at Your Desk

Many of us sit at a desk, hunched over a computer for the majority of the workday, and our posture suffers. Considering this, it’s no wonder that shoulder openers feel so good in yoga class. Here are two simple poses that you can do at home - or even at your desk - to open your shoulders and achieve better posture.

Eagle arms: Instead of doing the full eagle pose, simply focus in on your upper body. Bringing your arms in front of your body, wrap your right arm under your left and then if you can, bring your palms to touch. For a deeper stretch that will reach across the shoulder blades, start to lift the arms higher. Once you’ve gotten a good stretch, unwind your arms and repeat on the opposite side.

Reverse prayer: Generally, we hold our hands with palms together in front of the heart for prayer pose. In reverse prayer pose, aim for the same hand position, but behind your back. This is an intense opener for the front of the shoulders, so it may be wise to slowly build up to the full pose. Eventually, your pinky fingers will rest vertically along the spine, and the forearms will be parallel to the ground.

In both of these poses, be sure that you are sitting or standing up straight and remember to breathe deeply. Adding the meditative breath will help to bring additional tranquility to your day.