Routine 1: seated Desk Reset
Nine moves for neck, upper back, torso and hips, all from your chair. Timed back to back with no rest gaps, it takes just under 5 minutes.
| # | Move | Work | Rest after |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chin Tuck | 35 sec | — |
| 2 | Seated Lateral Neck Stretch (left side) | 25 sec | — |
| 3 | Seated Lateral Neck Stretch (right side) | 25 sec | — |
| 4 | Seated Back Squeeze | 35 sec | — |
| 5 | Seated Torso Twist (left side) | 30 sec | — |
| 6 | Seated Torso Twist (right side) | 30 sec | — |
| 7 | Seated Figure-4 Stretch (left side) | 35 sec | — |
| 8 | Seated Figure-4 Stretch (right side) | 35 sec | — |
| 9 | Seated Toe & Heel Pumps | 35 sec | — |
Total time: 4:45
How to do each move
Chin Tuck
- Sit tall with your shoulders relaxed and gaze straight ahead.
- Gently glide your chin straight back as if making a double chin.
- Hold for two seconds, then release smoothly.
Form cue: Keep looking forward without tilting your head up or down. Feel length in the back of your neck.
What Swayni says: “Glide your chin straight back” · “Keep your gaze forward”
Seated Lateral Neck Stretch
- Sit tall and hold the edge of your chair with the named hand to anchor that shoulder.
- Tilt your head gently to the opposite side, bringing your ear toward the shoulder.
- Breathe steadily and hold the stretch.
Form cue: Do not pull on your head. Keep the anchored shoulder relaxed and down away from your ear.
What Swayni says: “Keep the anchored shoulder down” · “Breathe smoothly and relax”
Seated Back Squeeze
- Sit upright with elbows bent at your sides, thumbs pointing outward.
- Exhale and drive your elbows back, firmly squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Open your chest, pause briefly, and return with control.
Form cue: Keep your shoulders down away from your ears. Focus on drawing the shoulder blades toward your spine.
What Swayni says: “Drive elbows back and open your chest” · “Squeeze shoulder blades firmly”
Seated Torso Twist
- Sit tall with both feet flat on the floor and hips anchored.
- Place one hand on the opposite thigh or chair armrest.
- Exhale and gently rotate your chest toward the named side, looking slightly behind you.
Form cue: Keep your lower body completely still. Let the twist come from your ribs and mid-back.
What Swayni says: “Keep hips square and feet planted” · “Rotate smoothly through your ribcage”
Seated Figure-4 Stretch
- Sit tall and cross the named ankle over the opposite knee.
- Flex the top foot to protect your knee and keep your spine straight.
- Hinge slightly forward from the hips until you feel a gentle stretch in your glute.
Form cue: Avoid rounding your lower back. Lead with your chest and hinge from the hip crease.
What Swayni says: “Keep your foot flexed” · “Hinge forward from the hips with a flat back”
Seated Toe & Heel Pumps
- Sit with both feet flat on the floor.
- Lift both heels high onto your toes, contracting your calves.
- Lower heels and immediately pull your toes up toward your shins, alternating steadily.
Form cue: Move with a smooth, controlled rhythm to stimulate lower leg circulation.
What Swayni says: “Lift heels high, then pull toes up” · “Keep a steady, rhythmic pace”
Routine 2: standing Shoulder & Back Break
Stand up by your desk and give your shoulders, chest and upper back a reset. Eleven moves, 5 minutes, no gaps between moves.
| # | Move | Work | Rest after |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoulder Rolls | 30 sec | — |
| 2 | Shoulder Shrugs | 30 sec | — |
| 3 | Neck Turns | 30 sec | — |
| 4 | Arm Circles | 30 sec | — |
| 5 | Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch (left side) | 20 sec | — |
| 6 | Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch (right side) | 20 sec | — |
| 7 | Overhead Triceps Stretch (left side) | 20 sec | — |
| 8 | Overhead Triceps Stretch (right side) | 20 sec | — |
| 9 | Arm Openers | 30 sec | — |
| 10 | Chest Opener | 30 sec | — |
| 11 | Standing Cat-Cow | 40 sec | — |
Total time: 5:00
How to do each move
Shoulder Rolls
- Stand or sit tall with your arms relaxed.
- Roll both shoulders in smooth, comfortable circles.
- Change direction halfway through the interval.
Form cue: Keep the movement slow and controlled, and let your neck stay relaxed.
What Swayni says: “Keep shoulders relaxed” · “Slow, smooth circles”
Shoulder Shrugs
- Stand or sit tall with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Inhale and slowly lift your shoulders toward your ears, then pause.
- Exhale and let your shoulders drop completely.
Form cue: Move slowly and let the shoulders fall naturally. Reduce the range if your neck feels uncomfortable.
What Swayni says: “Inhale and lift” · “Exhale and let them drop”
Neck Turns
- Stand or sit tall with your chin slightly tucked and shoulders relaxed.
- Slowly turn your head to one side toward your shoulder and pause for two seconds.
- Return to center, then turn to the other side and keep alternating.
Form cue: Stay within a comfortable range and don't swing or tilt your head back. Stop if you feel dizzy.
What Swayni says: “Turn slowly to one side” · “Back to center, switch sides”
Arm Circles
- Stand tall and extend your arms out at shoulder height.
- Make small, controlled circles without shrugging.
- Change direction halfway through the interval.
Form cue: Use a comfortable circle size and keep breathing. Lower your arms briefly if your shoulders fatigue.
What Swayni says: “Small, smooth circles” · “Keep breathing steadily”
Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch
- Stand or sit tall and bring the named arm straight across your chest.
- Hold the upper arm just above the elbow with your other hand and gently pull it closer.
- Keep your shoulder down and feel the stretch in the back of the shoulder.
Form cue: Don't shrug or pull into pain. Hold the upper arm, not the elbow joint.
What Swayni says: “Shoulders down” · “Gently pull it closer”
Overhead Triceps Stretch
- Stand or sit tall, raise the named arm overhead and bend the elbow so your hand drops behind your back.
- Hold that elbow with your other hand and gently guide it back.
- Keep your chest lifted and feel the stretch along the back of the upper arm.
Form cue: Don't let your head drop forward or your lower back arch. If your shoulder feels tight, keep the hand lower.
What Swayni says: “Chest up, head neutral” · “Gently guide the elbow”
Arm Openers
- Stand tall and raise your bent arms in front of your chest at shoulder height.
- Pull your elbows back twice, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Then open your straight arms out to the sides and bring them back in.
Form cue: Keep a steady rhythm without flinging your arms. Let your upper back do the work and don't arch your lower back.
What Swayni says: “Elbows back” · “Squeeze your shoulder blades”
Chest Opener
- Stand or sit tall and place your hands behind your back or on your hips.
- Draw your shoulders gently back and down.
- Lift your chest slightly without arching your lower back.
Form cue: Keep the neck relaxed and use a comfortable range; do not force the arms backward.
What Swayni says: “Open your chest wide” · “Neck and shoulders relaxed”
Standing Cat-Cow
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, hands resting on your thighs.
- Exhale, tuck your chin and round your back up.
- Inhale, lift your chest and gently arch your spine.
Form cue: Move with your breath and keep your hands on your thighs. Shorten the arch if your lower back complains.
What Swayni says: “Exhale and round” · “Inhale and open”
Make them fit your day
You do not need a perfect schedule. Pick a moment that already exists: between meetings, after lunch, or when you notice your shoulders creeping toward your ears. Use the seated routine when you cannot stand up, and the standing one when you can.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on your headIn the neck stretch, do not pull on your head and keep the anchored shoulder relaxed and down, away from your ear.
- Shrugging into stretchesFor the cross-body shoulder stretch, do not shrug or pull into pain, and hold the upper arm, not the elbow joint.
- Twisting from the hipsIn the seated twist, keep your lower body completely still and let the rotation come from your ribs and mid-back.
- Rounding your lower backIn the seated figure-4 stretch, lead with your chest and hinge from the hip crease instead of rounding.
- Pushing past comfort in neck turnsStay within a comfortable range, do not swing or tilt your head back, and stop if you feel dizzy.
Let Swayni run the break for you
A stretch break works best when you can look away from the screen. Swayni counts each hold, announces the next stretch and tells you when to switch sides, so you can close your eyes or keep them on the horizon. Voice guidance works offline, and cues keep playing if the screen locks.
Both routines are official workouts in the app: Desk Reset and Office Shoulder & Back Break. You can also pin a favorite workout to a weekday in the weekly plan (a Pro feature) so it shows up on your Today page.
- Find Desk Reset or Office Shoulder & Back Break in Swayni’s official workouts.
- Preview the timeline, then start and sit or stand comfortably.
- Follow the spoken cues; each side of a stretch is announced separately.
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