Buzz
I've been struggling to find time to write this post, especially with the constant stream of COVID-19 updates. It makes me wonder: who even has time for shoulder stretches? But maybe that's exactly when we need them the most. Are you hunched over your desk? I know I am.
Let’s take a moment, breathe deeply, and stretch together:
Gently roll your shoulders forward and backward.
Cross one arm over your body and perform a cross body shoulder stretch. Repeat with the other arm.
Lift one elbow toward the sky and use your opposite hand to gently press it further into a stretch. Your bent arm’s hand will reach down your back. Do both sides.
Feeling a bit better? Let's continue with some more stretches.
Cow Face Pose
Cow Face Pose is the name in yoga for that stretch where one arm reaches down your back while the other arm reaches up. (There's also a leg variation, but let's leave that out for now—we're focusing on the shoulders.) If you can't get your hands to meet, it can feel like a tough or even impossible stretch.
But there's a simple trick: use a towel, a yoga strap, or anything available to you, and hold onto that. Gradually move your hands closer together as you deepen the stretch. Personally, I like to grab the towel or strap with my top hand and pull it behind my back with the bottom hand, but if you want a more detailed approach, here’s a video from a yoga instructor offering a more structured guide.
External Rotation
The cross-body stretch we just did pulls your shoulder inward, but how about stretching in the opposite direction? You can extend your arms out, like when you're stretching after waking up, or you can use a broomstick to do this stretch.
As shown in the video, you'll use the stick as a lever to open up your shoulder externally. I know this as a stretch for weightlifters because it helps when you hold a bar on your shoulders, but it feels great for everyone. Give it a shot!
