Sit straight: these four simple chair exercises will stretch your chest, improve your posture, and calm your mind

Natural Health, Nov, 2007 by Joanne Eglash

CHANCES ARE you spend at least a few hours each day hunched over a computer or slumped in the driver's seat of your car. Not surprisingly, all that slouching takes its toll on your body: It can tighten and shorten your chest muscles, restricting your range of motion and causing you to take shallow breaths instead of deep, cleansing ones. The result? "You might have shoulder tension, get headaches, and feel tired, overwhelmed, and depressed," explains Jennifer McCasland Daly, founder of Kinespirit (kinespirit.com), a studio in New York City specializing in gyrotonic exercise (a blend of yoga, dance, and tai chi).

To help you open up your chest and improve your posture, Daly recommends the following four moves. You won't be holding these stretches; instead, you'll flow through them slowly, as if practicing tai chi. The exercises should clear your head and help you release stress. They're designed to be done while sitting--just make sure your feet are touching the floor and you are able to sit upright.

Arch & Curl

Benefits: Opens your chest and upper back.

A. Sit tall in your chair with your arms on your legs, your feet placed firmly on the floor, and your legs a little more than hip-width apart.

B. Inhale to elongate your spine and exhale as you gaze diagonally upward, gently arching your back. Bring your shoulder blades toward each other to open your chest. Inhale to return to your upright position.

C. Exhale as you gaze diagonally down and curl your back. Imagine rounding your spine over a large ball. Inhale as you return to your upright position and exhale to rest. Repeat the arch-and-curl sequence a total of 4 times.

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Spiral

Benefits: Stretches your spine and opens your upper back.

A. Sit tall in your chair with your arms resting on your legs, your feet placed firmly on the floor, and your legs a little more than hip-width apart.

B. Inhale to elongate your spine and exhale as you look over your left shoulder and gently twist your entire spine counterclockwise while keeping your knees facing forward.

C. Inhale to return to the starting position and exhale to look over your right shoulder, this time twisting your spine in a clockwise direction. Inhale to return to the starting position and exhale to rest. Repeat the spiral sequence 4 times.

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Sideways Arch

Benefits: Opens your rib cage and stretches your neck.

A. Sit tall in your chair with your arms resting on your legs, your feet placed firmly on the floor, and your legs a little more than hip-width apart. Inhale to elongate your spine and exhale as you bend to the left (as far as is comfortable), reaching the ribs on your right side up toward the ceiling. Inhale to return to your upright position and exhale to bend to the right. Inhale to return to center and exhale to rest. Repeat the sequence 4 times.

B. For a more intense stretch, bring your left arm over your head and place your left hand behind your right ear as you bend to the left. Repeat the move with your right arm when bending to the right.

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Shoulder Circles

Benefits: Eases tension in your shoulders and neck.

A. Sit tall in your chair with your feet placed firmly on the floor and your legs a little more than hip-width apart. Raise and bend your arms so your elbows are as high as your shoulders and your arms resemble 90-degree angles.

B. In a slow, fluid motion, trace a circle with your shoulders, maintaining the angle in the arms. Begin by inhaling and reaching your shoulders forward, shrugging them up to your ears.

C. & D. Exhale and allow your shoulders to rotate behind your body. Repeat the shoulder circles 8 times.

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LEARN MORE: For another chair exercise that eases stress and improves posture, visit naturalhealthmag.com/thewave.

Photography by CARRIE PROPHETT