Staff pose – stretches the shoulders and chest, strengthens the back muscles and improves posture.

Step 1: Sit on the floor with your legs extended in the front keeping the back straight and pelvis slightly raised using blanket or a cushion ensures perfect alignment of the upper body or else you can sit against a wall but the sacrum and shoulder blades should touch the wall not the lower back and the back of the head.

Step 2: Sit on the front so that the pubis and tailbone are equidistant from the floor keeping the thighs firm down against the floor without hardening the belly and flexing your ankles and feet.

Step 3: Need to Visualise your spine as the “staff” so that the vertical core of your torso rooted in the ground and hold the pose for a minute or two.

Cat and Cow pose – combining the Cat pose (Marjaryasana) and Cow pose (Bitilasana) gently stretches the body and warm-up it up to relieve stress and massage the spine and stomach organs.

Step 1: Starting to keep your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under the hips look down at the mat.

Step 2: Move into Cow pose by inhaling and drop your belly towards the mat to lift your chin and chest and gaze up toward the ceiling to broaden your shoulder blades.

Step 3: Move into Cat pose by exhaling and draw your belly to your spine and pull your back toward the ceiling just like a cat stretches its back.

Step 4: Release the crown of your head toward the floor but don’t let the chin drop then again Inhale back to Cow pose and then exhale returning to Cat pose need to be repeated 5-20 times.

Butterfly Pose – stretches the inner thighs, groin and knees, and improves flexibility, removes fatigue from long hours of standing and walking.

Step 1: Sit with your spine erect and legs extended in the front then bend your knees and bring your feet towards the pelvis so that the soles of your feet touch each other.

Step 2: Hold your feet tightly with your hands, you could also place them under the feet for support to bring the heels as close to the pelvis as possible and take a deep breath in.

Step 3: Breathe out and press the thighs and knees downward gently towards the floor.

Step 4: Start flapping both the thighs up and down like the wings of a butterfly with gradually increasing the speed but breathing should be normal throughout the asana.

Step 5: Take a deep breath in, then exhale and bend forward keeping the chin up and spine erect and to Feel the stretch in the inner thighs need to press your elbows on the thighs, pushing them towards the floor with long and slow breathing to relax the muscles. Take a deep breath in and bring the torso up. Exhale and gently release the posture.

Pigeon Pose – stretching your thigh, groin and back works as an antidote to the strain of sitting for long hours, and calms your mind and also stretches outer hips to prepare you for seated postures and backbends.

Step 1: Start on all fours, bring your right knee forward towards your right wrist, so that your right ankle will be in front of your left hip then slide your left leg back and point your toes and heel towards the ceiling.

Step 2: Draw your legs in towards each other to Inhale and come onto your fingertips then stretch your spine to pull the navel in and open your chest.

Step 3: Exhale and walk your hands forward and lower your upper body towards the floor to rest your forearms and forehead on the mat. Stay for a count of 5 breaths or more.

Step 4: Push back through the hands, lift your hips and move your leg back into all fours. Repeat on the other side.

Source: Medindia