Is seaiza better than seating in a chair?

[Joss Delage]

I need to spend a fair amount of time at my computer. Would it be a bad idea to work in a seiza position, as an alternative to a chair or even a standing desk?

 

Thanks,

 

JD

[Jon Douglas]

Unless you are very used to seiza, and I mean hours daily used to it, expect serious numbness and cramping in your feet. You will also need to hit the ankle stretches pretty hard, although this could be facilitated by doing the 'active' seiza, with the toes curled under and grabbing the ground. You will certainly have a good looking toe point though

Standing or walking desk with good posture is probably #1 choice if possible. Seiza is not an ideal position to spend large amounts of time in, although switching between time in it and sitting as per chair specs would probably be better than either for longer periods. Pretty much anything is better than slouching and / or slumping for 8 hours a day.

[Mattmattmatt]

You could squat down instead?

Matt

[Blairbob]

 My friend rigged her desk so she can be in an asian squat against the wall while typing on the desk. It's very low of course.

 You could do seiza but remember, Seiza was designed to make the legs go numb while sitting in the Imperial court in the presence of the Shogun or Emperor from the Ogasawara ryu. Can't try to assassinate from seiza if your legs are numb. Of course, you can train this besides seiza tricks.

 I think my friends way of sitting in an Azn squat would be better than seiza. However, doing lots of seiza means getting up and down from it which encourages hip flexibility and using your legs besides ankle and knee flexibility (quads I think).

[Michael Jordan]

Your friend could try siddhasana on a zafu. I find it easiest to maintain for the longest peoiods of sitting time and it does not require any extreme flexibility.

 

For seiza there is also this nifty chair.