5 Pilates Moves You Can Do at Your Desk (No Equipment Needed)
If you sit at a desk all day, your body is slowly rounding forward ā shoulders caving, hip flexors tightening, core checking out. Here are 5 Pilates-inspired moves that take less than 5 minutes and require zero equipment.
1. Seated Spine Twist
Sit tall, feet flat. Place your right hand on your left knee and gently rotate your torso left. Hold for 3 breaths. Switch sides. This decompresses your spine and wakes up your obliques.
2. Desk Roll-Down
Push your chair back slightly. Sit at the edge, feet planted. Slowly roll your spine down, chin to chest, vertebra by vertebra until your hands touch the floor (or your shins). Roll back up. Do 3.
3. Seated Leg Lift
Sit tall, engage your core. Lift one leg straight out in front of you, hold for 5 seconds. Lower. Alternate 5x per side. Your quads and deep core will light up.
4. Shoulder Blade Squeeze
Sit up, arms at your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together like you're holding a pencil between them. Hold 5 seconds, release. Do 10. This reverses the forward hunch.
5. Standing Hip Flexor Stretch
Stand up, step one foot back into a slight lunge. Tuck your pelvis slightly and lean forward. You'll feel a deep stretch in the front of your back hip. Hold 20 seconds each side.
Do these once mid-morning and once mid-afternoon. Your back will thank you.
I teach full mat and reformer classes inside Reform & Flow ā workouts designed for real people who want to feel stronger without spending $40 per studio class. š¤