Neck & shoulders release
I thought i'd be useful today by dropping some hints on releasing stiffness and aches in the neck and shoulders. Often these areas are too tight due to poor sleeping postures, pillows that are just not right and 'computer necks' - when you crane your neck out too far forward to peer into that computer screen. Ive been experiencing some aches in the upper back myself and i think these mini exercises do help.
These helpful hints are also useful in creating deeper upper back bends like in Kapotasana.
Thank you Raquel for pics.
Gomukhasana arms (cow face arms)
Reach for the fingers or a towel behind you, making sure the towel is tight, then hold for few breaths. Challenge: do shoulder shrugs up and down, still holding on to the towel. Remember to repeat other arm.
Similar to cow face arms, this time, hold on the the triceps or the elbow and lower the straightened arm as low as comfortable. Hold for few breaths. As you get better, you should be able to hold on to your triceps (closer to your armpits, and lower the arm down parallel to the floor) In pic: raquel struggled with this, so hung on to her elblow instead. Repeat other side.
garudasana arm (eagle arms)
Clasp palms together, making sure elbows are shoulder height. Stay few breaths, then lift the elbows up and look up, creating a little bit of a back bend, feeling an openness in the upper back and shoulders. Hold for few breaths then switch other arm.
Have a chair handy and place the elbows at the edge of the chair. Elbows are shoulder width apart, knees are under your hip bones. Clasp palms together in namaste, making sure not to drop the head too low, neck and spine is on 1 line. Stay few breaths.
Challenge: release palms and place behind shoulders. Repeat as comfortable.
Shoulder release with strap or towel. Ola la..love this one. Hold each ends of a belt, strap or towel, wider than the shoulders. With arms straight, lift arms up then try and lower towel or strap behind you and hold for few breaths. Then lift the arms back up and infront of you and repeat.
Challenge: hold strap or towel shoulder width apart!
Uttanasana (standing forward bend with variation). Keep legs bent for , hinge from the hips and let everything drop to the floor, fold your arms infront of you and just hang loose! Keep the weight of the body to the balls of your feet. Feel that nice release in the back of the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Halasana or the plough with a chair. The plough is the sweet ending to a class as it rejuvenates the entire nervous system.The neck and the shoulders are released from any habitual tension and the spine is stretched to its maximum. Advance students can do this without the chair. Keep supporting your lower back. Pressure in the ears and head, please release. Otherwise, hold as comfortable.
This is very iyengar. If you have a block, place it just under your bra strap and rest the head onto the mat, arms out behind you. If you are not comfortable with this, do without the block as shown below, matsyasana or the fish.
prepare for the fish by propping yourself with your elbows and lower the crown of the head to the floor. Feel the chest opens.
After all that, rest in savasana or in child's pose.
Note: Danura is my principal, i used to model some of her Yoga articles. Just visit www. danurasana.blogspot.com for further info.
Gomukhasana arms (cow face arms)
Reach for the fingers or a towel behind you, making sure the towel is tight, then hold for few breaths. Challenge: do shoulder shrugs up and down, still holding on to the towel. Remember to repeat other arm.
Similar to cow face arms, this time, hold on the the triceps or the elbow and lower the straightened arm as low as comfortable. Hold for few breaths. As you get better, you should be able to hold on to your triceps (closer to your armpits, and lower the arm down parallel to the floor) In pic: raquel struggled with this, so hung on to her elblow instead. Repeat other side.
garudasana arm (eagle arms)
Clasp palms together, making sure elbows are shoulder height. Stay few breaths, then lift the elbows up and look up, creating a little bit of a back bend, feeling an openness in the upper back and shoulders. Hold for few breaths then switch other arm.
Have a chair handy and place the elbows at the edge of the chair. Elbows are shoulder width apart, knees are under your hip bones. Clasp palms together in namaste, making sure not to drop the head too low, neck and spine is on 1 line. Stay few breaths.
Challenge: release palms and place behind shoulders. Repeat as comfortable.
Shoulder release with strap or towel. Ola la..love this one. Hold each ends of a belt, strap or towel, wider than the shoulders. With arms straight, lift arms up then try and lower towel or strap behind you and hold for few breaths. Then lift the arms back up and infront of you and repeat.
Challenge: hold strap or towel shoulder width apart!
Uttanasana (standing forward bend with variation). Keep legs bent for , hinge from the hips and let everything drop to the floor, fold your arms infront of you and just hang loose! Keep the weight of the body to the balls of your feet. Feel that nice release in the back of the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Halasana or the plough with a chair. The plough is the sweet ending to a class as it rejuvenates the entire nervous system.The neck and the shoulders are released from any habitual tension and the spine is stretched to its maximum. Advance students can do this without the chair. Keep supporting your lower back. Pressure in the ears and head, please release. Otherwise, hold as comfortable.
This is very iyengar. If you have a block, place it just under your bra strap and rest the head onto the mat, arms out behind you. If you are not comfortable with this, do without the block as shown below, matsyasana or the fish.
prepare for the fish by propping yourself with your elbows and lower the crown of the head to the floor. Feel the chest opens.
After all that, rest in savasana or in child's pose.
Note: Danura is my principal, i used to model some of her Yoga articles. Just visit www. danurasana.blogspot.com for further info.
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