If you are anything like the vast majority of adults living in the Western hemisphere, your body has probably lost the majority of the amazing flexibility you were born with. From the moment you get up in the morning, your day may include: sitting at the dining room table for breakfast, sitting in your car as you drive to work, sitting at a desk for the next 9 hours, and so on, ending with sitting on the couch watching TV for a few hours before bed.
All that sitting, standing, walking, and lying down can result in shockingly tight knees and hips – and you won’t even notice it, until you actually try to move them into an unfamiliar position.
Lately, I’ve taken to incorporating a yoga pose – Agnistambhasana – into my day. The great thing is, this is a pose that you can do WHILE sitting at your desk (unless you wear tight skirts to work). And it’s a fantastic pose for loosening up those tight knees and hips, and lubricating the joints.
How to do it?
– spread your legs
– bend your right knee, rotate it out, and place your right foot on your chair
– bend your left knee, place it on top of your right foot, and place your left foot on top of your right knee
– aim for a 90 degree angle between your legs
Every so often, switch legs, so that your left leg is at the bottom.
If doing this at home, on the floor, take it a little further by straightening your back, and leaning forward from the hips.
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