Often in a yoga class you will ask your upper body to support your weight. Either fully or partially, however much weight you're transferring into your arms here are five exercises to bring into your warm up or flows to help warm and strengthen your upper body
Cactus arms A personal favourite of mine, this exercise strengthens the arms, shoulders and upper back muscles. Sitting or standing bring your arms out to shoulder height. Bend the elbows 90 degrees, hands to the sky. Shoulders fall away from the ears and ground down the back. Inhale and lift the hands to the sky straightening the arms. Keep the shoulders away from the ears to keep the shoulder muscles engaged. As you exhale bring the elbows back in line with the shoulders bringing the arms back to that cactus shape. Squeeze the shoulder blades together as you bring the elbows down. This will help engage the back muscles even more. If introducing these exercises for the first time start with three repetitions in your warm up or weave into other poses such as Anjaneyasana/Low Lunge, Suhkasana/Easy Pose and Tadasana/Mountain Pose. Gradually add more reps over the course of several flows.
Arm Circles This exercise may seem simple at first but it can strengthen your shoulders and arms in no time. Simply extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height and begin circling the whole arm in little circles. Start forwards for 5-10 rounds of breath, and then circle backwards for 5-10 rounds of breath. This exercise really targets the small supporting muscles within the shoulder and upper back. When combined with sitting or standing it also creates challenge for the whole of the back and core of the body. A little can really go a long way.
Prayer Pulses This exercise can be done in two stages. Stage one, is to bring the forearms together as much as feels comfortable, palms pressed together. Squeezing the elbows towards one another. Hands point up to the sky. From here pulse the fingertips up to the sky as you inhale. As you exhale allow the arms to move back down. This targets the rotator cuff, pectorals, upper shoulders and biceps. Repeat for 3-5 rounds of breath, increasing reps as you grow stronger. Stage two of this is to combine cactus arms. See above for the cactus arms tutorial, from the down position bring the forearms together and continue with stage one. After your exhale with the arms coming back down extend the elbows outwards and continue with another set of cactus arms.
Shoulder shrugs Shoulder shrugs are an excellent exercise for targeting the smaller muscles within the rotator cuff and help provide more stability within the shoulder during the rest of your practice. A great thing about this exercise is that it can be tailored and bright in throughout the practice. One option is to sit in a comfortable seat and slowly shrug the shoulders up and down in time with the breath. Repeat for 5-10 rounds of breath. Another option is to take a table top position (shoulders over wrists, hips over knees) and press equally into both hands to press your upper back up towards the sky. It may look/feel like your chest is slightly caving inwards as your shoulders round. This version separates the shoulders blades and uses gravity and body weight as resistance adding an increase in sensation. Another option is to shoulder shrug in downward facing dog. Ensure you have a stable base and feel strong and grounded in downward facing dog, and then press equally into both hands to bring the shoulders up towards the ears, then as you exhale release. This targets the same muscles but adds more resistance.
Shoulder rolls A great exercise to bring into warms ups for that first Tadasana. This exercise encourages warming and mobility within the shoulder joints. This can be done seated or standing. Let the arms relax by your sides and then take the shoulders forward, up, back and down. Repeating in a circle 3-5 times in time with the breath. Option to stay here or to bring the hands to the shoulders and use the elbows to draw large circles forwards and then backwards. Option to stay here or to then use the hands to extend far out and draw even bigger circles. Forward for 3-5 breaths and backwards for 3-5 breaths.
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By Laura Carey
200hr YAI Yoga Teacher
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