Shoulders 101-Part 2

So now that we've gone over basic anatomy points, let's look at some ways to warm up and open those tissues. 

To start with, here is a super simple demo of shoulder rolling.  (No, it's not just for Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda videos.)

http://www.yogatuneup.com Shoulder Circles is a Yoga Tune Up® exercise for shoulders. This shoulder exercise loosens stiff shoulders and is great for frozen shoulder pain relief or arthritis pain relief. Many of our yoga students who are seniors practice this move for arthritis pain relief.

This is a great, though initially perplexing, dynamic movement, excellent for the elbows, shoulders, and wrists, and great to do prior to or in between practice sessions. 

Take your arms through their complete range of motion with this exercise. In this Yoga Tune Up® excerpt ( http://www.yogatuneup.com ) Jill Miller demonstrates how to perform the Pranic Bath movement for shoulders, elbow, and wrists.

The first two videos are dynamic warm-ups intended to increase bloodflow and synovial fluid in the joints, as well as explore range of mobility.  This third stretch will instead test your range of motion in internal rotation, and depending on your flexibility, the pectoral tissue and rhomboids.

A dramatic stretch for all the muscles in the upper back and shoulders including the trapezius, the deltoids, and the rhomboids. This clip is from the Yoga Tune Up® Quickfix Rx for Shoulders DVD available at http://www.yogatuneup.com/quickfix-yoga-videos

So why did I pick these videos in particular?  I don't have the skills right now to make as aesthetically pleasing videos as these, to start, nor do have a photogenic location like this to film in.  I have also trained in Yoga Tune Up®, and do use these poses in my classes and my daily life.  Are there other good yoga poses, PT activities, and shoulder movements out there?  Absolutely!  These are only a few to start with, and I'll certainly keep collecting videos to share.