Standing for eight hours while hovering over a counter with a butcher knife in one hand and a sauté pan in the other can put the kibosh on the kebobs.
Chefs, prep cooks and other kitchen workers will find the following yoga poses helpful in maintaining vitality so their energy doesn’t sink like a tired soufflé.
Poses to Practice in the Kitchen
For a tight lower back, place both hands shoulder width apart on the edge of a clean and solid counter. Step back about a leg length in distance from the counter and fold forward from your hips so that your spine is parallel to the floor with both arms straight. Hold this stretch for up to one minute while breathing deeply. Repeat as often as you can throughout your work shift.
For rounded shoulders, interlace your fingers behind your back. If this is not possible grab a belt, a rope or an apron. Draw your shoulders back and press your chest forward. Gently lift your arms away from your back and then look up. Feel the stretch across the front of your chest, shoulders and neck. Hold for up to 30 seconds and then repeat up to five times. Breathe deeply.
Poses to Practice at Home
For tired feet, lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat. Raise your right leg straight up to the ceiling and take the back of it in both hands. Rotate your ankle slowly in one direction and then the other, wiggle your toes a few times and then point and flex your foot. Do this for one to three minutes and then switch legs.
For varicose veins, lie on the floor on your back with your hips next to your couch or a bed. Prop your legs up onto the cushions of the couch or on top of the bed and relax them completely. Let gravity take over and allow the veins and arteries in your legs to rest, recover and be refreshed from standing for hours on end.
Whether it is Boeuf Bourguignon or a Bologna Biscuit Sandwich that you are skillfully preparing, don’t let the heat of the kitchen pressure cook your passion. Your health is worth more than the price of dinner.
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