Tightness across the shoulders and upper body can affect posture and restrict breathing and create more problems that physically manifest so it is important that we pay attention to these areas and work on releasing the tension held.
We live in an ever increasingly busy society. With the wonders of technology ensuring that we are always available and ‘always on’, expectations of our abilities to perform tasks and multiple tasks at that, become much higher.
Often these expectations are coming from ourselves. We can be our very own worst enemy!
Unfortunately, a lot of this stress we create can be held in the body. Have you ever been sitting somewhere and noticed you were holding unnecessary tension? You let your shoulders drop and think, why was I sitting that way? It’s really our body’s instinctive way of protecting itself.
By holding tension in our chest, neck and shoulders, we are creating armour around our vulnerable hearts. It is, however, simply a coping mechanism and not really a solution.
Tightness across the shoulders and upper body can affect posture and restrict breathing and create more problems that physically manifest so it is important that we pay attention to these areas and work on releasing the tension held.
Eagle Pose for the upper body (Garudasana)
Usually practised standing and intertwining the legs also, this is a nice pose that can be done seated at your desk or cross-legged on the ground to open across the upper back and release that sweet spot of tension between the shoulder blades.
Extend both arms out in front of the body and bend at the elbows with the palms facing each other. Then raise the right arm up, cross it over the left upper arm, then wrap the left forearm around the right to bring the palms together.
If you cannot bring the palms together, let the backs of the hands touch instead. Keep the elbows up at shoulder level and begin to work them away from the chest until you begin to feel more space between the shoulder blades. Hold here for a couple of breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Cowface Pose for the upper body (Gomukhasana)
A nice counter pose to Eagle and another common shoulder stretch, Cowface can be accommodated to all levels of flexibility. It can be done seated at your desk also or on the ground cross-legged.
Extend your right arm straight up in the air with the upper arm in line with the right ear. Rotate the entire arm so that the palm of the right hand is facing the back of the room. Then bend from the elbow and bring your right hand down onto the upper back.
You have an option to stay here by bringing the left hand to the right elbow and breathing into the opening of the right arm. If you want to take it a little further, extend the left arm outwards at shoulder level. Rotate the entire arm so that the palm of the left hand is facing the back of the room. Bend at the left elbow and bring the back of the hand to rest on the lower of middle back.
See if both hands can meet and grab on to each others’ fingers. If they do not connect, try holding on to a belt or a scarf and gradually work the hands towards each other over time. You can also hold on to your t-shirt. Be mindful not to jut the chin and ribcage forward here. Try to bring the ribs back in over the hips and work the back of the skull back.
Hold here for a couple of breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Dolphin Pose Ardha Pincha Mayurasana
This pose is a wonderful way of strengthening the shoulders while also working on the hamstrings. Used as a preparation for inversions, Dolphin pose may look easy but it is most definitely not for those of us with tight shoulders!
Starting on all fours in table top position, bring your elbows, forearms, and palms of the hands to the floor.
Elbows directly beneath the shoulders. Spread your fingers wide and keep the arms parallel as you tuck the toes and raise the knees off the ground and lift your hips up and back.
Bring the ears in line with the upper arms and maintain space between the shoulders and the neck. Keep the legs active by pressing down through the feet and lifting the hips away from the shoulders.
Avoid rounding the back. If this happens, step the feet back a little further but aim to keep the shoulders over the elbows and hug the arms towards each other.
Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)
A lovely pose to open across the chest and counteract the positioning we may hold for most of the day hunched over a computer and the likes. Begin by lying on your belly with your arms alongside your torso. Palms of the hands facing upwards.
On the exhalation, bend the knees and bring your heels in close to the buttocks. Roll the shoulders back and reach back with the arms to grab the outside of each ankle rather than the feet.
Make sure the knees don’t splay apart and keep working them inwards to keep them hip width apart for the duration of the pose. As you inhale, lift your heels away from the buttocks and the thighs away from the floor keeping the feet flexed and active.
The connection of the arms holding the ankles means the chest and head will also lift from the floor. Pressing the shoulder blades against the back, release the tops of the shoulders down from the ears. Lengthen through the tailbone.
Inhale, and with each exhalation, see if you can lift a little higher while keeping the back muscles relaxed. Stay here for a couple of breaths, then release on the exhalation and relax for a moment. Then repeat once or twice more.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
By now it may be apparent that I am a big fan of Child’ Pose! A really nice resting pose it can be modified for all bodies and abilities and offers the opportunity to breathe into and open across the back of the torso.
Sitting on your knees and feet, lean forward and rest the forehead either on the mat or on a block. Lengthen the arms along the side of the body and let go. Let the shoulders completely round.
With space restricted in the chest and belly, direct each inhalation into the back of the torso, expanding upwards and outwards. Release a little more deeply into the pose with each exhalation.
