shoulder stretches

Restorative yoga back bend

You may have heard me mention restorative yoga. It’s a very different type of yoga – all of the postures are lying on the floor and we use blankets and pillows to support our body. This style of yoga is

Child’s pose with deep shoulder stretch

This is a less common version of child’s pose. It’s known as hare pose, though even this is a variation of hare pose. It’s a great way to find a deep shoulder and chest stretch while calming. Caution: You will

Extended child’s pose

There are a number of variations of child’s pose that offer ways to stretch while resting. This is one of my favourites, especially after taking a heavy pack off. Think of the action you see cats do when they dig

Plank variations for core and strength work

Plank is one of those poses that appears in just about every yoga class. A lot. Sometimes, we just see it as a transition pose – just getting from down dog to the floor for a rest. But plank requires

Forearm down dog for shoulder stretch and strengthen

I enjoyed the long weekend on a climbing trip on the South Island. When I started to write this week’s tip, there were calls for a shoulder stretch. This pose is most known for strengthening the shoulders, but it can

Build upper body strength to step from down dog to lunge

Most yoga classes will at some point ask you to step from down dog to a lunge. It seems like a simple request, but it requires a combination of flexibility, strength and coordination that takes time to practice. In addition

The opposite to a press-up (stretch chest and shoulders)

We’ve been working on building strength in the shoulders and back through plank and chattaranga (press-up), down dog and cobra. Purvottanasana (or up dog) is often called the counter pose to press-ups because it stretches the muscles across your chest,