Yoga can helps us get out of our heads, even for a few minutes.
I find myself once again in throws of an app project, my shoulders tensed and hunched so high I can almost brush my earlobes. I barely remember the last time I’ve eaten real food, let alone exercised, and while my brain is telling me that a 30 minute break on my yoga mat is time that I could be spending finishing this one last feature, my body knows the truth.
I have a recurring pain in my upper back I not-so-affectionately refer to as ‘stress shoulder.’ Stress Shoulder has been with me for years and was a frequent feature of my pre-pandemic life—commuting 2–5 hours a day into Manhattan, running from meeting to meeting. A pain, somehow simultaneously dull and sharp, would radiate from a place nestled deep against my left shoulder blade.
But then the world shut down, and I started working from home. Suddenly, I was sleeping more, I was able to get things done around my apartment off and on during my day that were relegated to weekends—all of which contributed to a decrease in anxiety and stress. And, best of all, I could use my lunch breaks to roll out my mat right next to my desk, and get in 30–45 minutes of yoga.
‘Stress shoulder’ vanished. For months.
Then came bootcamp.
Anyone who has worked on any kind of project can attest that’s it can feel almost impossible to find time for activities other than eating, sleeping, and working. But the benefits of regular movement—whether going for a short walk, stretching, or engaging in more focused exercises like yoga—are real and include things like improved concentration, sharper memory, and increased creativity.
However, for many people yoga can seem intimidating and exclusionary. We can have a media-curated image of what ‘doing yoga’ looks like in our head, dissuading us from getting started. But the more you learn about yoga, the more you can discover that yoga is not a monolith, nor is there one type of yoga practitioner. Beyond the Western coopted representations of yoga as exercise, is the idea of yoga as movement, breathing, and quieting the mind.
Yoga is meant to be an accessible practice for anyone to enjoy and can be especially useful to those of us looking to get out of our own heads.
So, where to start if you’re looking to incorporate yoga into your day or your coding routine?
Accessible Seated Moves to Start
The best place to start can be where you already are, and for many of us, that is sitting down in front of our computers.
Let’s look at a few accessible seated postures.
Seated Mountain Pose
Based on the standing pose tadasana or samasthiti, mountain pose is done by sitting in a chair.
With your spine straight and shoulders relaxed, you can take a few breath with your hands by your side, palms facing in toward your body or facing out.
With an inhale, raise your arms over your head. You can keep your hands apart, or bring your palms together. If it feels good, you can bring the focus of your eyes to your hands for a gentle spinal extension. Repeat for 5 breaths.
Seated Cat-Cow
A modification of the poses bitilasana and bidilasana, start seated in a chair.
With your hands on your knee caps, take and inhale and being to gently pull your chest forward and up, creating a slight extension in the spine. Keep your chin level and your gaze forward.
With an exhale bring your chin toward your chest and allow your spin to round as you curl in on yourself. Repeat for 5–10 breaths.
Seated Twist
Twisting poses in yoga usually prefixed by parivrtta meaning ‘revolved.’ For this pose, you’ll begin seated with your spine upright. Take an inhale, lengthening your spine (imagine bringing the top of your head toward the ceiling without getting out of your seat), and on your exhale, twist toward one side, leading with your chest. Breath in twist for 3–5 seconds, thinking ‘inhale—lift; exhale—twist.’ Your gaze can follow the direction of your twist, but make sure not extend your gaze too far. When ready, you can repeat on the other side.
Moves Beyond the Chair
If and when you feel ready to explore further with yoga, I recommend checking out YouTube channel Yoga With Adriene. Created by Adriene Mishler, her channel provides inclusive, free content on YouTube to her over 9 million subscribers.
Her content is accessible and her style is welcoming and non-judgmental, making her the perfect place to start for those looking to learn about yoga or expand their practice.
