6 Best Office Yoga Exercises You Can Do During a Zoom Meeting

Sometimes, I spend half the day before I become annoyingly aware of my slumped position on the keyboard. And here I remind myself: “I have to take a yoga break.” But then I hear the Zoom meeting reminder chime and I sigh. “I’ll stretch after the meeting,” I assure myself.

Sometimes, I follow up after the meeting. Although by the time I got to my yoga mat, my back and hips were screaming. Other times, I’m busy with deadlines and suddenly it’s 8pm when I lift my body out of the chair.

Not long ago, during a Zoom meeting that was running particularly long, I started moving my body out of necessity, moving my limbs into different positions until I felt a hamstring stretch here and a neck release there. That’s when I realized I was doing seated yoga.

By the time the meeting was over, I stood up from my desk feeling less nervous and nervous than usual. The best part? The stretching exercises required very little movement in my upper body, so no one on Zoom suspected I was in my secret yoga session.

6 separate yoga poses you can do during a Zoom meeting

I’ve practiced the Bound Angle, Fig 4, Cat-Cow, and Tree Pose at my desk during virtual meetings, but they’re accurate enough to try during in-person meetings as well. You can practice yoga variations in a chair, or if you prop your laptop on a standing desk, dresser, or other elevated surface, you can also do them while standing.

1. Restricted angle position on the chair

This pose is a much-needed reminder that you can change the way you sit in your chair, and that doing so makes your body feel more supported despite long work hours. Keeping your feet on the floor, simply bend your knees and bring the bottoms of your feet together, creating a diamond shape for sitting bound angle. I like to take a different variation where I press the balls of my feet into the floor to straighten my legs a little.

2. Figure 4 sits

A sneaky cross-leg yoga pose, Figure 4 awakens your hips when you’re sitting just as much as it does standing. After you place your ankle on your opposite knee, it’s up to you how much force you want to exert by pressing your raised leg toward the ground. (It can’t get any more annoying than the meeting you’re in.) Just remember to switch sides.

3. Sitting cat cow

You might be thinking: “Don’t people at my meeting notice that my head is moving up and down? cat–cow“The answer is maybe. But you can have a split version of Cat-Cow all you want, raising and lowering your gaze less than you normally would. Or just give yourself permission to do so! (Although maybe not while presenting in the meeting… that might be weird).

4. Tree pose, sitting or standing

Balance poses are physically and mentally stimulating, which means practice Tree pose It can bring an unexpected energy boost while working.

If you are practicing sit-ups, lean forward so that you are sitting toward the edge of the bench. Straighten one leg and bend the opposite leg, pressing the ball of your foot into the floor. (You’ll also experience a gentle, satisfying straight-leg hamstring stretch that’s unique to the seated version of Tree.)

If you’re standing, you can use your standing desk, dresser, or other sturdy object that your laptop rests on within easy reach in case you need to focus after a wobble.

5. High lunge exercise while sitting or standing

There’s a lot of talk about how your hips get sore from desk jobs, but your calves need some love, too. High rush It extends to both.

To practice while sitting, it’s best to use an armless chair (or an armchair that can be moved out of the way). Sit on the chair so that the back is next to your rib cage. Plant one front foot on the floor and straighten your back leg, pressing the ball of your foot into the floor and reaching your heel toward the wall behind you.

You can also practice a “high lunge” exercise with your hands on your desk or your hips to help you balance. Raising your arms is optional, and people in the meeting may notice it, but who says you can’t stretch your arms at work? Whichever version you play, be sure to switch sides.

6. Warrior sitting or standing 1

Channeling his fierce energy Warrior 1 In a Zoom meeting (when no one knows you’re doing it!) this is an underrated flexibility.

This is the same sitting position as the High Lunge, but this time, you turn on the toes of your back feet and plant your heels on the floor. If you dare to be bold, one arm can extend forward and the other back in a typical warrior pose.

Or practice standing Warrior 1 pose. Again, place your hands anywhere that helps you balance.