7 Yoga Poses for People Who Are on Their Feet All Day

It’s beginning to look a lot like . . . long work hours! For those of us who work in the service and retail industry, the holiday season can mean standing on our feet for hours on end catering lavish holiday parties and staying open late to accommodate shoppers – leaving our mind and body not so jolly.

And even if you don’t work in these industries, shopping all day (or any other activity that requires standing and walking for extended periods of time) takes the same toll on your body.

Find relief, both physically and mentally, by practicing yoga poses that release the lower back, stretch the spine, and melt away soreness in the legs. They’ll be the best (and cheapest!) gift you can give yourself all season.
 

Do You Experience Back Pain From Standing All Day? Try These 12 Yoga Poses to Alleviate Discomfort in Your Spine!

7 Yoga Poses for People Who Are on Their Feet All Day:

Here is a yoga sequence if you are on your feet all day.
 

1. Legs Up the Wall Pose

With this pose, you’ll do the exact opposite of what you were just doing all day. Your tired feet will thank you for this relaxing and restorative pose. Support the hips with a towel or block to raise the heart above the head, giving your body a cooling and calming effect. Fun fact: if you are traveling this holiday season, this pose is also great for jet lag!

 
Looking for more yoga tutorials and yoga tips? Check out our full library of Yoga articles here
 

2. Instant Maui Pose

This pose is so relaxing it can feel like you just took a mini-vacay!

It has similar benefits to Legs Up the Wall pose, but with a little extra added stress release because your legs are completely supported – making it so your body doesn’t work as hard. Use a chair (or stairs in the case of my photo) and a towel under your pelvis for support.

4 Yin Yoga Poses to Soothe Your Sore Feet
 

3. Cat-Cow Pose

Reverse the effects of standing – which over times compresses your spine – with this soothing asana flow that stretches and elongates the spinal column. And as with any yoga pose, don’t forget to coordinate the breath! This will only amp up the calming and therapeutic benefits.
 

4. Happy Baby Pose

If you haven’t noticed a trend yet, all of these poses are really focused on the spine. Because duh – that’s what really hurts the most after a long day of being on your feet! Happy Baby is a great pose because it simultaneously relieves back pain and opens the hips. Plus it’s fun!

Avoid Back Pain! Practice These 5 Yoga Poses For a Strong and Healthy Spine
 

5. Upside-Down Forward Fold

For those of you with a more advanced practice, this pose might look a lot like Plow pose. But seeing that we want to cause as little stress to the body, and reverse the effects of a grueling day, this slight variation is much less strenuous. It basically takes a forward fold up a notch – stretching out the hamstrings and lower back, without putting any stress on the neck.
 

6. Supine Twist

A good ol’ Supine Twist will open the lower back and ease up tension in the shoulders. Twists detoxify the spinal column and rinse the spine with fresh, new oxygenated blood. Oh! And this pose aids in digestion. You: 1. Cookies: 0.
 

7. Yogi Squat

Finally, give yourself a little more love with a nice squat. It’ll stretch out your tight calves, open your also-tight hips, increase ankle mobility, and help elongate the spine. Bonus tip: feel free to do this sitting on a block – make this and each pose listed here feel good for your body’s specific needs.
 
 

Give Your Feet (and Body) Some Love With this On Your Feet Yoga Sequence

Now you’re ready to tackle the holiday season with zen-like calm and peace of mind (and body too!). While it’s easy to get caught up in the stress and chaos of the holidays, your yoga practice is the perfect way to reflect on all the good, and flush out the negative.

Yoga for Feet: Learn 5 Key Benefits Plus How to Do It!

Special thanks to our lovely yogi friend Kat for being part of the photoshoot!
 
 

Looking For Video Tutorial of These Poses? Check Out YA Classes Learning Yoga Program

If you are looking for step-by-step instructions on how to do these yoga poses for people who stand all day, check out the Learning Yoga from YA Classes. Learning Yoga is a comprehensive workshop-style program that breaks down over 30 of the most common, foundational yoga poses. Not yet a YA Classes member? Try it out for free for 14 days.

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