No matter what you do for a living, chances are your shoulders at some point have bothered you. Shoulder stretching is one of the most common requests that I get as a yoga instructor. Forget the wear and tear of sitting at a desk or having a job as a server or construction worker – just being hunched over on our phones all day can lead to shoulder stress and discomfort! If you want to make sure your shoulders stay healthy, flexible, and strong, check out these videos for healthy shoulders below.
3 Exercises for Healthy Shoulders:
Thread the Needle
Try this for a good stretch to the neck and shoulder blade. Once you’re loose there, give the next 2 exercises a try
Shoulder T Lift Offs
Make sure that your shoulders aren’t lifting too much towards your ears here. If you feel this in the space between your neck and shoulder, try lowering your shoulder blades and pinching the lowest part of your shoulder blades together. You may still feel it in the space between your neck and shoulder, but you should also be feeling it in your back.
Controlled Shoulder Circles
This is HARD, so if you’re struggling that is OK! Do your best not to lean to 1 side and not to backbend. The floor will stop you from the back-bending a bit. Also do your best to keep your head down. The goal is here to use only the shoulder joint to move – not the rest of our bodies.
If shoulder mobility is something you’re looking to improve, check out my mobility classes every Wednesday at 8am EST. These classes draw from science-backed movement practices and are not yoga (but they will help your yoga practice!). Click the link below to sign up!
If you ever have any questions about anything feel free to drop a comment below or shoot me an email at kateformanyoga@gmail.com or DM me across all social media platforms @kateformanyoga