Zenbody The practices Get the app

A Zenbody practice · Nº 33

The full seated stretch

For whenever it fits. Neck to ankles in ten minutes, without leaving your chair.

16 movements · about 10 minutes · chair · no equipment

The sequence

1
Chin Tuck and Squeeze
45s
2
Seated Ear to Shoulder
30s* left
3
Seated Ear to Shoulder
30s* right
4
Seated Chest Opener
45s
5
Seated Cat-Cow
30s
6
Seated Side Bend
30s left
7
Seated Side Bend
30s right
8
Seated Twist
45s left
9
Seated Twist
45s right
10
Seated Forward Curl
45s
11
Seated Figure Four
45s left
12
Seated Figure Four
45s right
13
Seated Hamstring Reach
45s left
14
Seated Hamstring Reach
45s right
15
Seated Ankle Point and Flex
30s left
16
Seated Ankle Point and Flex
30s right

The movements

Chin Tuck and Squeeze, chair position

Chin Tuck and Squeeze

45s

Chin straight back. Shoulder blades into the chair. Hold.

  1. Sit tall with your back against the chair, feet flat.
  2. Slide your chin straight back, keeping your eyes level.
  3. Press your shoulder blades gently into the chair back.
  4. Hold both, breathing easily, then release.
Where you feel itBack of the neckBetween the shoulder blades

Easier: Do the chin tuck alone, hands resting in your lap. Hold for a few breaths at a time and rest between.

Seated Ear to Shoulder, chair position

Seated Ear to Shoulder

45s each side

Hold the seat. Drop the other ear toward your shoulder.

  1. Sit tall and take hold of the side of the seat with your left hand.
  2. Lower your right ear toward your right shoulder.
  3. Let the held arm keep your left shoulder down.
  4. Breathe, and let the weight of your head do the rest.
Where you feel itSide of the neckTop of the shoulder

Easier: Let go of the seat and rest the hand in your lap.

Seated Chest Opener, chair position

Seated Chest Opener

45s

Hands on the chair back behind you. Lift your chest.

  1. Sit toward the front of the seat with your feet flat.
  2. Reach both hands back and hold the top of the chair back.
  3. Lift your chest and draw your shoulders back and down.
  4. Breathe into the front of your chest and stay.
Where you feel itFront of the chestFront of the shoulders

Easier: Hold the sides of the chair back, lower down. Clasp your hands behind your back instead of holding the chair.

Seated Cat-Cow, chair position

Seated Cat-Cow

30s

Hands on your knees. Round, then arch. Keep it slow.

  1. Sit toward the front of the chair, feet flat, hands resting on your knees.
  2. Breathe out and round your back, letting your head drop and your shoulders roll forward.
  3. Breathe in and arch, lifting your chest and drawing your shoulders back.
  4. Keep moving between the two, one breath each way.

Easier: Make the range smaller. Rest your hands on the desk instead of your knees.

Seated Side Bend, chair position

Seated Side Bend

30s each side

One hand on the seat. Reach the other up and over.

  1. Sit tall with both feet flat and hold the side of the seat with one hand.
  2. Reach the other arm straight up.
  3. Lean up and over toward the hand on the seat, keeping both hips heavy on the chair.
  4. Stop where the whole side of your body feels long, and breathe there.
Where you feel itSide of the ribsSide of the waist

Easier: Rest the reaching hand on the back of your head instead of reaching up. Keep the bend small.

Seated Twist, chair position

Seated Twist

45s each side

Hold the chair back. Turn toward it. Hips stay square.

  1. Sit sideways on the chair with the backrest at one side, feet flat, knees pointing straight ahead.
  2. Turn your upper body toward the backrest and take hold of it with both hands.
  3. Use the chair to ease the turn a little further, keeping your hips facing forward.
  4. Breathe, and let your head turn last.
Where you feel itMiddle of the backSide of the ribs

Easier: Turn without holding the chair, hands resting on your thigh. Keep the turn small.

Seated Forward Curl, chair position

Seated Forward Curl

45s

Fold over your thighs. Hands down your shins.

  1. Sit with your feet flat and a little wider than your hips.
  2. Fold forward slowly and let your chest rest toward your thighs.
  3. Slide your hands down your shins and hold them, letting your head lower toward your knees.
  4. Breathe into your back, then roll up slowly, head last.
Where you feel itLower backBetween the shoulder blades

Easier: Rest your forearms on your thighs and fold only part of the way.

Seated Figure Four, chair position

Seated Figure Four

45s each side

Ankle over the knee. Lean forward with a long back.

  1. Sit near the front of the chair with both feet flat.
  2. Cross one ankle over the other knee, the crossed knee dropping out to the side.
  3. Rest a hand on the crossed shin and sit tall.
  4. Lean forward from the hips until you feel the outer hip, and breathe.
Where you feel itOuter hip of the crossed legGlute of the crossed leg

Easier: Sit upright without leaning forward. Rest the ankle lower, on the shin instead of the knee.

Seated Hamstring Reach, chair position

Seated Hamstring Reach

45s each side

Heel down, toes up. Hinge forward with a long back.

  1. Sit near the front edge of the chair, feet flat.
  2. Slide one leg forward, heel on the floor and toes pointing up.
  3. Rest your hands on your thighs and lean forward from the hips.
  4. Stop where you feel the back of the straight leg, and breathe.
Where you feel itBack of the straight legBehind the knee

Easier: Lean forward less. Bend the straight knee a little more.

Seated Ankle Point and Flex, chair position

Seated Ankle Point and Flex

30s each side

Point your toes away, then pull them back.

  1. Sit tall and lift one foot a little off the floor, knee still bent.
  2. Point your toes away from you as far as is easy.
  3. Pull your toes back toward your shin.
  4. Keep moving slowly between the two.

Easier: Keep the heel on the floor and lift only the toes and the ball of the foot.

More practices

Standing head to toe

Neck to ankles in ten minutes, all on your feet.

about 10 min · 18 movements · standing

Ankle reset

Balance work, not just stretching.

about 7 min · 11 movements · standing

Ankle rebuild

The long ankle session. As much strength and balance as stretching.

about 12 min · 19 movements · standing to kneeling

All 38 practices

Zenbody

Take this with you

Zenbody picks the practice, holds the timer, and remembers where you left off. All you do is follow along.

Get Zenbody on the App Store
The full seated stretch · 10 min