STRETCHING YOGA EXERCISES TO RELEASE TENSION FROM THE BACK, SHOULDERS, AND NECK
BHARADVAJASANA
Many people hold tension in their neck, shoulders, and back leading to stiffness, bad posture, and strain.
Yoga practice can ease tension, increase flexibility, and tone the muscles.
Doing yoga poses will make your back, shoulders, and neck more flexible and your circulation improves dramatically providing a renewed burst of energy.
Now, you too can free yourself from neck pain, back pain, and shoulder pain by practicing simple yoga exercises to stretch muscles and strengthen weak ones and by learning to properly align your body when performing everyday activities that may be contributing to your pain.
Here is a mini yoga set that can help release tensions.
You can do them at home or work, especially if you are working in front of the computer all day.
SPINAL STRETCHING
This exercise is good for the back, opens up the ribcage, and is wonderful for improvements in breathing.
- Sit in an easy pose with your legs crossed.
- Take hold of your outside ankles with both hands. If you prefer sitting on a chair place your hands flat, palms facing down on your thighs.
- Inhale as you flex your spine forward and lift your chest, arching your back forward.
- Exhale as you flex your spine backward and tilt your pelvis back.
- Keep your head and chin at the same level while keeping your neck still.
- Continue this movement for 1-3 minutes.
- Relax and rest for a couple of minutes.
BACK RELEASE
This pose releases shoulder tension, upper back pain, and relieves pain in the neck. It opens your heart to release tension and improve circulation.
This is a great pose you can do anywhere and anytime.
- Sit in an easy pose or on a chair, with your spine straight.
- Take your hands behind your back, interlace the fingers.
- Straighten your arms and pull your hands down towards the base of the spine and try to press your elbows together.
- Breathe long and deeply.
- Continue sitting in this pose for 1-3 min.
- Relax and rest for a couple of minutes.
NECK ROTATION
NECK ROTATION
This exercise relaxes the muscles in the neck and throat. It opens up the circulation to the brain. Activates pineal gland, pituitary gland, and thyroid.
- Sit in an easy pose or on a chair with your spine straight.
- Begin rolling the neck slowly clockwise in a circular motion.
- Relax the jaws and keep the shoulders relaxed and motionless, and the neck should be allowed to gently stretch as the head circles around.
- You can imagine drawing a circle with your chin in front of you in a smooth and relaxed motion.
- If you have problems and pain in your neck, draw a smaller circle and expand it until it feels comfortable.
- One direction takes 10 seconds and after 10-15 laps reverse the direction and continue for another 10-15 laps.
- Bring the head to a central position and relax.
You can do these poses at work and at home to release muscle tension for immediate relief.
These exercises also increase the flexibility of the back, shoulder, and neck. So add effective yoga poses to your daily routine.
Twist Pose for Lower Back Pain Relief
Practicing Bharadvajasana (Twist Pose -Torso Twist) consistently helps in extending and fortifying your arms, shoulders, spine, thighs, waist, calf muscles, and lower legs.
Twist Pose
BENEFITS OF BHARADVAJASANA – Bharadvaja’s Twist
- It relieves lower back agony, neck pain, and sciatica pain
- Strengthens core and back body
- Stretches shoulders, body, and hips
- Stimulates digestion
- Improves posture
- Reduces stress
- Improves the blood circulation in the body
- It stretches the belly and reduces belly fat
- Daily practices help in burning side fats of your body
- Enhances your lung capacity
HOW TO DO TWIST POSE BHARADVAJASANA – Bharadvaja’s Twist
1) Begin sitting on the mat with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
2) Lift your left buttock slightly off the mat transitioning your weight onto your right buttock.
Bend your left leg and sweep it to the left side, so that your knee points forward and your calf is planted next to your left side.
3) Keeping your knee on the mat, bend your right leg, and lift your right foot off the mat.
Place the top of your right foot on top of your left thigh, tucking your foot close to your hip crease, as in half lotus pose.
Flex your right foot to protect your ankle.
4) Bring your left buttock to the mat. Shift your weight so that both your seat bones are planted firmly on the mat.
5) Plant your right palm behind your back, as close to your body as possible.
Inhale and press through your right arm to elongate your spine.
6) Press the bottom corners of your shoulder blades together and forward to open your shoulders and chest.
Rest your left arm on your right knee.
7) Exhale and twist your torso to the right. Lead your body into a twist with your gaze by looking over your right shoulder as you turn. Keep your gaze soft. Press through both your arms to deepen the twist.
8 ) Breath and hold the pose. As you hold it, keep the pose active. Every inhale should elongate the spine upwards. With every exhale, deepen the twist.
9) Exhale. Slowly turn your torso back to the center and release your arms. Inhale and gently counter twist your torso to the left.
10) Exhale and come back to the center. Release your right leg.
Repeat the pose on the opposite side.
PRECAUTION:
This pose should not be practiced by those who have a history of spine, hip, or disc problems or injuries.
YOGA POSE BAKASANA CROW POSE FOR STRONG ARMS
Bakasaana comes from the Sanskrit word “baka” and is translated as crow pose.
Initially, some people find it difficult to do this pose, but regular practice of this pose will make it easier.
A woman doing yoga cow pose in Uppsala, Sweden.
BENEFITS OF YOGA POSE BAKASANA CROW POSE:
- Makes the wrists and the arms stronger
- Builds confidence and healthy self-awareness
- Improves your sense of balance and focus
- Strengthens and tones the abdominal region
- Opens the groin area
- Strengthens the inner thighs
- Strengthens the spine
- Aids indigestion
- Stretches the upper back
HOW TO DO YOGA POSE BAKASANA CROW POSE
Begin by squatting in garland pose (malasana).
In malasana, plant your feet wider than hip-distance apart on the mat, squatting with knees bent and toes pointing slightly outwards.
Stretch arms in front of you. Bring them together in a prayer pose.
Rest upper arms against the insides of legs.
Press legs apart with arms to open up your hips.
Work arms down shins until legs are nestled against armpits.
Plant palms in front of you, less than hip-distance apart. Spread fingers wide. Point middles finger forward. Bend elbows straight backward.
Rise onto balls of the feet and lean forward, resting body weight on upper arms.
As you transfer more weight onto them, make sure to distribute it evenly through your fingers to avoid putting stress on your wrists.
Exhale and lift your feet off the mat, so you are balancing only on your arms. Squeeze your inner knees into outer arms to keep your hips high. Look forward.
If you are comfortable in the pose, inhale and straighten your arms.
Breath and hold the pose.
Exhale and, with control, lower your feet to the mat.
Bring your palms together and come back into malasana.