The Joy of Exercise

These exercises focus on the upper body and arms, and define and strengthen the arm and chest muscles while at the same time strengthening the mid-back and spine. This in turn creates the foundation for that all- important Thoracic girdle of strength, which supports and protects the neck and aids in upper limb movement.

It is imperative throughout the exercises that you draw the navel to the spine and pull up on the pelvic floor muscles to activate the Abdominal and Pelvic girdles and their connection at the pelvic platform. This ensures the spine and pelvis are protected during movement. I will refer to this activation of muscles simply as ‘navel to spine‘. Remember to always keep the facial muscles relaxed and the jaw soft; this ensures there is no undue tension as you work.

Virasana (Supported)

Kneel supported by your cushion, place feet in line with the hips, toes pointing directly away from you, and sit back onto your heels.

Take a moment to sense your balance. Sit up tall, place even weight between your left and right sides, creating length in the hips, waist, torso and neck. Extend through the crown of the head and slightly tuck the chin, lengthening through your spine.

You can feel the ribcage balanced over the hips, the shoulder girdle balanced over the ribcage and the head balanced on top. This is your neutral spine.

Shoulder Hunches

Sit in supported Virasana, hands resting on the thighs. Maintain neutral spine, and without moving the spine or neck:

1. Inhale, hunch the shoulders up around the ears.
2. Exhale, slide them down and repeat 3 times.
3. Isolate — inhale, hunch the right shoulder up, then the left.
4. Exhale, slide the right shoulder down followed by the left.
5. Repeat leading with the left shoulder.

The mid-back muscles are warmed and limbered in this exercise, preparing them for the activation of the Thoracic girdle. Correct placement of the shoulder blades is learned, allowing the release of tension in the neck and shoulders.

Rotate and Isolate

Sit in supported Virasana.

1. Inhale and extend the arms out to the side in line with the shoulders, lengthening through the fingers.
2. Exhale and draw the shoulders down away from the ears, activating the mid- back muscles.
3. Inhale, rotate both palms up towards the ceiling, sensing the shoulder blades move down towards the lower back, opening the chest.
4. Exhale, rotate the palms around in the opposite direction — sense the shoulders hunching forwards and up towards the ears.
5. Repeat 5 times.
6. Isolate — keep right palm up and rotate just the left back around.

Reverse rotation, alternating one shoulder blade up then one down. Repeat 5 times.

This exercise massages the mid-back muscles and teaches co-ordination between the right and left side of the body. The mid-back muscles receive a massage, making it excellent for anyone who works on computers as it releases tension in the nerves which run from the neck all the way to the fingers. Through this exercise you learn to sense the natural function of the upper limbs as the arms and shoulder blades work together in synergy to produce movement, creating definition in the arms.

Side Push-Up

Sitting with your legs to the side (beginners may sit on cushions), place hands shoulder distance apart onto the floor. Keep the neck long and in line with the upper spine.

Beginners:

1. Inhale to prepare.
2. Exhale, draw navel to spine; bend elbows out to the side taking the face towards the floor. Feel your abdominals grip to support this move.
3. Inhale, push the palms into the floor and back up. Repeat 10 times.
4. Advanced one-arm push-up:
5. Start with the legs to the left of the body, left hand to floor, right palm on the chest, taking right ear to the floor.

Turn the body to the front, still maintaining the upper spinal alignment.

1. Inhale to prepare.
2. Exhale, draw navel to spine; bend the elbow to the side taking the ear to the floor. Feel the side upper abdominals working to support you here.
3. Inhale, push back up. Repeat 5-10 times.

This exercise strengthens and tones the tricep muscle at the back of the arm and shoulder cuff.

The entire shoulder girdle is toned and strengthened during this exercise. Particularly targeted are the muscles around the armpit and tricep at the back of the upper arm.

Mermaid Stretch

Still sitting with legs to side of body:

Inhale, raise the outside arm up and drop the shoulder, creating length in neck; other hand to the floor.

Exhale, draw navel to spine and bend the body to the side, taking the arm over the head and creating a lateral C-curve. Breathe into the upper lung, flaring the ribcage towards the ceiling, elongating the spine and carving an arch between your body and the floor as you do so.

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Category: Exercise, Fitness, Relax, Yoga, gym, muscle

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