Fitness Coach Who Trained Deepika Padukone During Pregnancy Shares 5 Yoga Asanas To Fix Your Posture

Sitting for long hours at the office and sinking into the couch while binge-watching your favourite show often leads to stiffness in the back, tightness in the shoulder and neck strain.

Over time, it can affect your posture and cause spinal problems. In such cases, yoga can be a lifesaver. 

Celebrity yoga trainer Anshuka Parwani, who trained Bollywood star Deepika Padukone during her pregnancy, shared five simple couch-friendly yoga asanas that can help you maintain your posture.

“We've all been there… slouching on the couch during a Netflix binge. But that slouch = stiff back, tight shoulders, and neck pain. The fix?

"Simple couch-friendly stretches you can do without even pausing your show! These moves open up the chest, release shoulder tension, and support better posture,” wrote the coach in an Instagram post who also works with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt.

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A post shared by Anshuka Parwani - Yoga | Ayurveda | Wellness (@anshukayoga)

Decoding the benefits of these five simple couch-friendly yoga asanas that can help you maintain your posture - 

1. Seated Cat-Cow (Upavistha Marjaryasana/Bitilasana) - 10 sets 

This gentle yoga asana is a variation of the classic cat-cow stretch pose, which helps to mobilise the spine while sitting. When you arch your back and lift your chest, it opens up the body from the and counteracts the slouching.

2. Wide-Leg Forward Fold (Upavishta Konasana) - 10 sets

For this pose, you have to sit with your legs stretched wide and folded forward. It releases tightness around the hamstrings, lower back, and hips. By gently elongating the spine and opening the pelvic area, this asana promotes better alignment of the lower back and encourages an upright posture. 

3. Seated Side Stretch (Upavishta Parsva Urdhva Hastasana) - 5 sets

This side stretch targets the obliques, intercostal muscles, and shoulders, which might tighten due to prolonged hunching over the screens. Stretching the sides of the body while keeping the spine intact aids in lengthening and decompressing the vertebrae, enhancing lateral flexibility. 

4. Seated Pigeon (Upavishta Kapotasana) - Hold 30 sec to 2 mins

Seated pigeon is excellent for stretching the hips, glutes, and lower back, areas that become stiff from long hours of sitting. Tight hip flexors are a major contributor to poor posture, causing the pelvis to tilt and the lower back to round

5. Seated Lateral Stretch (Upavishta Parighasana) - 5 sets

This stretch engages the sides of the torso, shoulders, and spine, helping to relieve tension that accumulates from slouching or leaning forward. Extending the arms overhead and stretching laterally promotes spinal length, improves flexibility in the ribcage and shoulder area, and encourages proper alignment of the neck and upper back. 

Yoga is the way to go to fix one's posture, with many people leading a sedentary life and busy work schedules. 

Also Read | Malaika Arora "Turns Discipline Into Effort" With Yoga Belt Poses: 5 Reasons To Try It