5 Yoga Poses for Shoulders

With hours of sitting at desks, increased use of smaller gadgetry and decreasing activity levels, the neck and shoulders are taking a beating. Here are 5 easy Forrest Yoga moves to help you navigate the tension in your neck and upper back.

1. Eagle Arms

Seated or standing, bring your left elbow over your right elbow and take a hold of the hands. If that is tricky, hold the upper arms. Lift the elbows to the height of the shoulders and either relax the head onto the arms or keep the head upright. Do 8 breaths and then change sides.

  2. Shoulder Shrugs

Take a deep breath in. Hold your breath and bring your shoulders up by your ears and draw the shoulderblades back. Exhale, drag the shoulders down.

Stage two, Inhale to spread the breath into the upper back. Exhale, drag the middle part of the shoulders back and drag them down.

Stage three, Inhale to expand between the shoulderblades. Exhale, drag the bottom of shoulderblades towards each other, elbows towards each other and drag down. Do three rounds.

4. Neck Release

In a seated position, sit on your left hand, palm faces down. Sit up straight and relax right ear towards right shoulder while leaning to the right. For an extra stretch, bring the right arm up and hook the fingers around the jaw. Hold for about 5 breaths.

5. Unlocking the Shoulders 

With a block between the elbows, lift the elbows to the height of the shoulders, arms bent 90 degrees. Inhale into the upper back. Exhale, draw shoulders back and shoulderblades down the back. Inhale to reach the upper arms forwards. Exhale to squeeze the block, forearms parallel. Hold for about 5 breaths.

And finally...

Cuddles

Everyone knows that relaxed shoulders are good for something.

Check out this class for shoulders on YouTube: