Hunched Shoulders? Try These Yoga Poses
3 Yoga Poses for Tight, Rounded Shoulders
In today’s society, we are constantly hunched over our desks and steering wheels and carrying heavy bags on our shoulders. This causes the common problem of the hunchback, a.k.a. rounded shoulders, and tight chest muscles. There are two ways to address and correct shoulder rounding. First, stretch the overdeveloped and tight muscles. Second, strengthen the upper back to help you pull the shoulders back and hold them in the correct place.
Check out the three recommended yoga poses below to fix your shoulder slump.
Shoulder Opener
To get into this shoulder opener begin by lying flat on your stomach. Bring one arm straight out beside you in a T-shape with the palm placed on the floor. Begin to roll your bodyweight towards the extended arm so that your chest is lifted towards the other side of the room. You can gently press into your opposite palm to help you get deeper. The head can either rest on the floor or on a block if it’s more comfortable for your neck. Make sure there is a straight line from shoulder to wrist. Hold for about a minute or as long as you’d like to stay in it.
Chest Opener
This is a variation of the shoulder opener that gets deeper into the chest muscles. Everything is the same as the shoulder opener but the elbow is bent at a 90-degree angle with palm pressing into the floor. Hold for about a minute or as long as you’d like to stay in it.
Dragonfly
This pose stretches the front of the shoulders and also unlocks the upper back. To get into it lie facedown on your stomach. Thread one arm underneath the other, trying to bring both arms out in a T-shape with palms down. Come high onto the tips of your toes and shift weight forward and relax into the pose again to help you get your shoulders over your elbows. Rest your chin in the space between the elbows. Hold for about a minute or as long as you’d like to stay in it.
All images courtesy of peanutbutterrunner.com.
