How to Do Shoulder Exercises in Yoga
Try some simple breathing exercises first., Get into position for Mountain Pose., Do the Crescent Moon Pose., Do the Upward Facing Dog Pose., Take a short stretching break., Relax and breathe., Do the Gate Pose., Take a short stretching break., Do...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Try some simple breathing exercises first.
Stand straight ahead and breathe deeply while slowly stretching your arms out to the side and lifting them over your head.
This will help relax your body as you move into more strenuous positions., Mountain Pose is one of the basic yoga poses, and many of the more advanced poses start with it.
By doing this simple pose early on you'll be able to loosen up the muscles of your legs, arms, and shoulders, giving you good stamina and balance for the rest of your workout.
Stand with your arms at your sides, your big toes together, and your heels separate.
Put all your weight on your heels, then slowly shift your weight to your toes.
Stretch your entire torso while breathing slowly and deeply.
Slowly raise your hands above your head, clasping your hands together.
Your index finger should be pointing upwards., Crescent Moon Pose begins as a Mountain Pose and is very easy to do! This is another simple, basic yoga pose that will help your shoulders gain strength and flexibility.
Begin in Mountain Pose.
Move your hips to the left and move your torso to the right at the same time.
Hold the pose for a moment while breathing deeply, then return to Mountain Pose.
Do the same motion as before, only with the opposite side of your body.
Let your arms fall and relax before beginning the next pose., This pose will help you exercise shoulder muscles you don’t use often and will prepare you for higher-intensity workouts later.
Lie flat on your stomach with your arms at your sides.
Rest the palms of your hands on the mat and slowly slide them back until your elbows are pointing upward.
Lift your torso up on your hands until your hips are off the ground.
This should look and feel somewhat like a half-push-up.
Hold the Upward Facing Dog pose for a few moments while breathing slowly and deeply, then return to a relaxed position., Be careful of pushing yourself too hard, especially if you’re a yoga beginner! Always do a short stretching break between poses, especially difficult ones.
Stretch each arm and leg as far as it will go, then stretch your neck and back, rotating each once., These poses can be difficult, so it’s important to prepare your mind and body.
After your stretching break, take a few minutes to simply relax all your muscles.
Breathe slowly and deeply for several minutes to return your body to a resting state before beginning more advanced poses., The Gate Pose is perfect for improving your lung capacity and shoulder flexibility.
This pose will help you gradually increase your strength and flexibility in preparation for the next pose.Kneel on your mat.
Stretch your right leg out to the side so that your foot is resting on the floor.
It’s okay if you can’t get your foot all the way to the floor! Stretch your right arm out and downward until it is touching the floor past your foot.
If you can’t reach the floor, resting your hand on your leg or foot is fine.
Stretch the left side of your torso, gradually bringing your left arm against your left ear.
Hold the pose for a moment.
Repeat Gate Pose with the left side of the body. , Think about what muscles and poses you found the most difficult, and try to gently stretch those muscles a little before moving on to the next position.
Pay special attention to your shoulders, especially if your shoulder muscles seem sore or tight., You'll be using every muscle in your body in this challenging pose to enhance your chest, back, and shoulder strength.
Don’t worry if you can’t get this pose right the first few times--it takes practice! Lie face-down on the mat and breathe deeply.
Bend your knees upwards and grab your ankles.
While inhaling, lift your head and body up.
Your body should be in a cradle position, with your knees, arms, and head completely off the mat.
Hold the pose while breathing slowly four times.
Return to the starting position and relax your body.
Rest for a moment and get ready for the cool-down! , It’s especially important to stretch after a difficult pose like the Upward Facing Bow--otherwise, your muscles might tense up and cause strain.
Use the same stretches you did during your warm-up., This pose might look familiar to you--it’s very similar to a seated toe touch! Like the Upward Facing Dog Pose, this pose stretches your arms and shoulders gently, helping to develop new muscle definition and ease any tightness or cramping.Sit upright on the mat with your arms at your sides and legs pointed straight out in front of you.
Raise your arms above your head while stretching your back.
Slowly bend forward while keeping your arms raised.
Remember to bend from the hips only--don’t let your back bend! You can stop as soon as you can’t bend your hips anymore.
Lower your hands onto your legs or feet.
It’s okay if you can’t touch your feet.
Slowly lift your arms up so that they are parallel to the floor.
Slowly raise your torso back up into a sitting position while breathing deeply. , Mountain Pose is a great way to end your workout--it’s a simple, basic position that lightly stretches you and gets your mind and body ready to transition out of workout mode., End your workout by resting in a sitting position on your mat and breathing slowly and deeply for several minutes.
While breathing, be sure to check for any signs of strain or soreness! -
Step 2: Get into position for Mountain Pose.
-
Step 3: Do the Crescent Moon Pose.
-
Step 4: Do the Upward Facing Dog Pose.
-
Step 5: Take a short stretching break.
-
Step 6: Relax and breathe.
-
Step 7: Do the Gate Pose.
-
Step 8: Take a short stretching break.
-
Step 9: Do the Bow Pose.
-
Step 10: Take another short stretching break.
-
Step 11: Do the Seated Forward Bend Pose.
-
Step 12: Return to Mountain Pose.
-
Step 13: Breathe slowly and deeply.
Detailed Guide
Stand straight ahead and breathe deeply while slowly stretching your arms out to the side and lifting them over your head.
This will help relax your body as you move into more strenuous positions., Mountain Pose is one of the basic yoga poses, and many of the more advanced poses start with it.
By doing this simple pose early on you'll be able to loosen up the muscles of your legs, arms, and shoulders, giving you good stamina and balance for the rest of your workout.
Stand with your arms at your sides, your big toes together, and your heels separate.
Put all your weight on your heels, then slowly shift your weight to your toes.
Stretch your entire torso while breathing slowly and deeply.
Slowly raise your hands above your head, clasping your hands together.
Your index finger should be pointing upwards., Crescent Moon Pose begins as a Mountain Pose and is very easy to do! This is another simple, basic yoga pose that will help your shoulders gain strength and flexibility.
Begin in Mountain Pose.
Move your hips to the left and move your torso to the right at the same time.
Hold the pose for a moment while breathing deeply, then return to Mountain Pose.
Do the same motion as before, only with the opposite side of your body.
Let your arms fall and relax before beginning the next pose., This pose will help you exercise shoulder muscles you don’t use often and will prepare you for higher-intensity workouts later.
Lie flat on your stomach with your arms at your sides.
Rest the palms of your hands on the mat and slowly slide them back until your elbows are pointing upward.
Lift your torso up on your hands until your hips are off the ground.
This should look and feel somewhat like a half-push-up.
Hold the Upward Facing Dog pose for a few moments while breathing slowly and deeply, then return to a relaxed position., Be careful of pushing yourself too hard, especially if you’re a yoga beginner! Always do a short stretching break between poses, especially difficult ones.
Stretch each arm and leg as far as it will go, then stretch your neck and back, rotating each once., These poses can be difficult, so it’s important to prepare your mind and body.
After your stretching break, take a few minutes to simply relax all your muscles.
Breathe slowly and deeply for several minutes to return your body to a resting state before beginning more advanced poses., The Gate Pose is perfect for improving your lung capacity and shoulder flexibility.
This pose will help you gradually increase your strength and flexibility in preparation for the next pose.Kneel on your mat.
Stretch your right leg out to the side so that your foot is resting on the floor.
It’s okay if you can’t get your foot all the way to the floor! Stretch your right arm out and downward until it is touching the floor past your foot.
If you can’t reach the floor, resting your hand on your leg or foot is fine.
Stretch the left side of your torso, gradually bringing your left arm against your left ear.
Hold the pose for a moment.
Repeat Gate Pose with the left side of the body. , Think about what muscles and poses you found the most difficult, and try to gently stretch those muscles a little before moving on to the next position.
Pay special attention to your shoulders, especially if your shoulder muscles seem sore or tight., You'll be using every muscle in your body in this challenging pose to enhance your chest, back, and shoulder strength.
Don’t worry if you can’t get this pose right the first few times--it takes practice! Lie face-down on the mat and breathe deeply.
Bend your knees upwards and grab your ankles.
While inhaling, lift your head and body up.
Your body should be in a cradle position, with your knees, arms, and head completely off the mat.
Hold the pose while breathing slowly four times.
Return to the starting position and relax your body.
Rest for a moment and get ready for the cool-down! , It’s especially important to stretch after a difficult pose like the Upward Facing Bow--otherwise, your muscles might tense up and cause strain.
Use the same stretches you did during your warm-up., This pose might look familiar to you--it’s very similar to a seated toe touch! Like the Upward Facing Dog Pose, this pose stretches your arms and shoulders gently, helping to develop new muscle definition and ease any tightness or cramping.Sit upright on the mat with your arms at your sides and legs pointed straight out in front of you.
Raise your arms above your head while stretching your back.
Slowly bend forward while keeping your arms raised.
Remember to bend from the hips only--don’t let your back bend! You can stop as soon as you can’t bend your hips anymore.
Lower your hands onto your legs or feet.
It’s okay if you can’t touch your feet.
Slowly lift your arms up so that they are parallel to the floor.
Slowly raise your torso back up into a sitting position while breathing deeply. , Mountain Pose is a great way to end your workout--it’s a simple, basic position that lightly stretches you and gets your mind and body ready to transition out of workout mode., End your workout by resting in a sitting position on your mat and breathing slowly and deeply for several minutes.
While breathing, be sure to check for any signs of strain or soreness!
About the Author
Virginia Patel
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: