Long working hours in front of the computer do no good to your lower back. It’s a different story if you have been diagnosed with any spine condition or have an acute pain – please consult your physician in this case. If you’re sure that it’s just the tiredness, stiffness or sore muscles from the yesterday gym workout, then take few minutes per day and fix it with 6 easy yoga asanas with me!

1. Balasana / Child pose – kneel on the floor, touch your big toes together and sit on your heels. Use a small pillow under your knees if this posture feels uncomfortable. Bend forward, placing your torso on your thighs, stretch your arms forward and feel the nice stretch at the lower back. You can “roll around” a little, twisting your upper body to the sides to feel even better stretch, and try to reach as much ahead with your arms as possible. Stay there, keep breathing and feel free to place pillow or yoga block under your forehead if you cannot reach the floor with it – you should be relaxed in this position.
2. Uttanasana / Standing forward bend – stretches out the lumbar vertebras, giving more space to pressed disks. Stand straight, pressing the surface of your sole to the floor equally. Bend your legs in the knees a little – it will help to move the stretch emphasis to the back from the hamstrings. Slowly start to bend from the lower back – imagine that there is a hinge there and it just bends only in that place. Don’t force yourself to go deeper, trust your body to gravity. Try to keep your back straight and feel your neck as the part of the spine.
3. Trikonasana / Triangle pose  –  this posture stretches the deep muscles and helps to develop equal and harmonious posture. Take 3-3.5 feet distance between your legs, turn right foot out and left one – 45 degrees same direction, the heel of the foot which is out should be on the same line with the middle of another sole.  Raise your arms on the level of the shoulders, inhale and extend the right arm and let it pull your upper body into the side bend. Try to have your shoulders in straight line, pushing them a little back and the hips to the front.  Use the block if your hand is not reaching the floor or simply place it on the shin bone (just like me). Breathe and feel the stretch. Repeat on the other side.
4. Pavanmuktasana / Wind-Relieving Pose – lay on your back, bend your legs and bring them close to your chest, pulling your shin bone a little. Try different variations – without lifting your lower back off the floor, trying to press it to the floor a little. Then opposite, try to touch your nose or forehead to the knees, lifting your head and lower back off the floor – be careful here and do just as much of posture as gives you pleasant stretch. Then try the Ardha Pavanmuktasana – half pose, where it’s done with one leg, the second one is straight on the floor.
5. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana / Bridge pose – fully controlled backward bend in this asana allows you to get the contrary stretch of the vertebral column comparing to our usual sitting position. Keep laying down on the back, then bend your knees and place your soles as close to your buttocks as possible, stretch your arms towards the ankles and grab them if you can. Is your back of the neck on the floor? Great! Slowly rise up your pelvis and chest? keeping your feet evenly on the floor, keep pushing up with your pelvic area (but just until you have a pleasant sensation). Interlock your fingers if you cannot reach the ankles.
6. Supta Vakrasana / Twisting pose – lay down on your back, bend both legs and bring the arms in T-position. Slowly bring the knees to one side, keeping yourself facing another side. Don’t let your shoulders go off the floor. Feel how your spine is getting released in this posture and give even more attention to your hip joints – release the tension and breathe. You can also use a pillow under the lower knee if it’s not reaching the floor.

This simple complex will keep your lower back healthy. You can do it every day, and it is especially helpful after the working day. Have fun!