RE: [Ashtanga Yoga] Re: tight shoulders

05-02-2004, 08:10 AM

One of the best exercises that I've found for opening the shoulders was
given to me by a physical therapist when I had broken my shoulder blade in a
car accident. After several weeks of having my arm bound to my torso my
shoulders were practically frozen in place. The exercise was quite painful,
at the time, however now it feels great. Just take a strap, towel, belt of
some sort and hold it at either end with each hand. Then try to lift the
arms over the head and behind you without bending the arms. Then back over
the head and in front of you. Going back and forth as often as you feel.
As the shoulders open you slowly work the hands towards each other so that
the strap is shorter and shorter.
Another thing I've found helpful is lying on my bed with my head and
shoulders over the side of the bed, arms hanging over the head. Just
staying there and breathing deeply for as long as I can.
And the arm position of "eagle" posture opens the shoulders. YOu can lift
the arms higher and lower to get the stretch in the exact place you need it.
Or interlocking the fingers behind the back (as in Prasarita Padungustasana)
and standing with the arms over the head (maybe getting a friend to push the
hands slightly towards the floor>
Lastly, sitting in any position on the floor and then bringing the palms on
the floor behind you as far as you can (fingertips towards you), bending the
elbows, then trying to work the shoulder blades towards each other as you
slowly sink closer and closer towards the floor.

Hope my descriptions make sense and that they help you. I find that the all
work slightly different parts of the shoulders.
Namaste,
Linda

Linda Munro
Ashtanga Paris
www.ashtangaparis.com

From: "trulyscrumshess"
Reply-To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
To: ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com
Subject: [Ashtanga Yoga] Re: tight shoulders
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2004 02:26:39 -0000

--- In ashtangayoga (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, "dmtaviv" wrote:
> I have very tight shoulders to the point where downward facing dog
> puts an incredible strain on my triceps and delts. What is the best
> stretch or exercise to loosen them? Thanks

I had that so badly that I could not do downward dog without lots of
pinching pain in the shoulder. I released this with constant shoulder
and pec stretches and after one particularly good release in a
restorative class I was finally able to begin doing downward dog
without incredible pain. The pose that released it was a lying twist
using sandbags to hold the shoulder down on the ground. I also did
side-lying shoulder clocks daily. Once I got the release from the
restorative pose that day the shoulder clocks became less painful.
Then I was able to start back to yoga. I didn't have frozen
shoulders, per se, but they were pretty tight. If yours are not that
tight then yoga might be all you need. I just needed a little (OK a
lot) of remedial stretching.

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