having trouble relaxing my shoulders...

kurlin_kween · 02-13-2006, 08:39 PM

hello all. just so you know im new here, but not new to yoga so all is good and im rele pumped to get some good advice and improve my practice even more from you guys!!!

anyways: i have always had trouble with my shoulders. i can get them to relax and all, but whenever i bend back i cannot help but to hunch my shoulders. i run and curl also so both my shoulder muscles and trapezios muscles (im pretty sure this is what they are called---the muscles going down your back pretty much skirting your shoulderblades) seem to be tight. i also have difficulty simply putting my head back without hunching my shoulders, and if i do (which is rarely) succeed in doing this it is extremely painful. i have tried th fish, but it just doesnt seem like my head bends that way. i have a home practice, and only my mom who can rele help me out. (im only 16 by the way) would simply practicing putting my head back without hunching my shoulders regularly fix this problem of mine?? or are there any other neck exercises. i believe that the hunched shoulder problems is due to the many hours i am in front of the computer do to schoolwork.
thanx for any suggestions

spyderette · 02-13-2006, 10:56 PM

first of all, how is your posture? do your shoulders slump forward and your back round when seated? if so, you may need to do some chest openers to re-lengthen the muscles there and re-strengthen the muscles in the back.

also, it sounds like you need to do some simple neck stretches daily until you are able to release the tension you are holding in your neck and shoulders.

sitting in easy seated position on the floor, root down through your sitting bones and lengthen the spine, reaching the crown of your head skyward. drop your chin to your chest and hold for 5-10 breaths, then keeping your chin to your chest, tilt the crown of your head right for 5-10 b and then left. bring your head back to center. let your head drop to your right shoulder and hold 5-10, repeat on the left. next, turn your head all the way right and all the way left, holding each time. at the end of these stretches, let your head fall forward then roll the head gently to the right shoulder and then to the left shoulder 2-3 times. finally, let the head fall gently back, making sure not to tense your shoulders and neck. you can do the rolls here as well, moving slowly and only rolling the head to each shoulder and back.

kurlin_kween · 02-14-2006, 04:20 PM

thanx ill try the exercises...and i have way better posture than most teenagers. yoga certainly helps this. anything else?? will the exercises alone release the tension so that i can better do the camel w/o hunching my shoulders???

spyderette · 02-14-2006, 05:34 PM

they will help. also, in tadasana and other poses (upward facing dog, easy seated position, etc) try lifting the chest and rolling the shoulders back and down (think sliding the shoulder blades down the back). i'm also guessing that you tend to hunch your shoulders when you raise both arms above your head as in warrior I or tree pose?

kurlin_kween · 02-14-2006, 05:50 PM

surprisingly i dont hunch my shoulders when i raise my arms above my head, its only when i go to put my head back. ill try and take a picture later.

02-13-2006, 08:39 PM	#1
kurlin_kween Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 13	having trouble relaxing my shoulders... hello all. just so you know im new here, but not new to yoga so all is good and im rele pumped to get some good advice and improve my practice even more from you guys!!! anyways: i have always had trouble with my shoulders. i can get them to relax and all, but whenever i bend back i cannot help but to hunch my shoulders. i run and curl also so both my shoulder muscles and trapezios muscles (im pretty sure this is what they are called---the muscles going down your back pretty much skirting your shoulderblades) seem to be tight. i also have difficulty simply putting my head back without hunching my shoulders, and if i do (which is rarely) succeed in doing this it is extremely painful. i have tried th fish, but it just doesnt seem like my head bends that way. i have a home practice, and only my mom who can rele help me out. (im only 16 by the way) would simply practicing putting my head back without hunching my shoulders regularly fix this problem of mine?? or are there any other neck exercises. i believe that the hunched shoulder problems is due to the many hours i am in front of the computer do to schoolwork. thanx for any suggestions __________________ a champion is someone who gets up even when they cant. if someone says you cant, prove them wrong impossible is nothing

02-14-2006, 04:20 PM	#3
kurlin_kween Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 13	thanx ill try the exercises...and i have way better posture than most teenagers. yoga certainly helps this. anything else?? will the exercises alone release the tension so that i can better do the camel w/o hunching my shoulders??? __________________ a champion is someone who gets up even when they cant. if someone says you cant, prove them wrong impossible is nothing

02-14-2006, 05:50 PM	#5
kurlin_kween Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 13	surprisingly i dont hunch my shoulders when i raise my arms above my head, its only when i go to put my head back. ill try and take a picture later. __________________ a champion is someone who gets up even when they cant. if someone says you cant, prove them wrong impossible is nothing

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02-13-2006, 10:56 PM	#2
spyderette Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19	first of all, how is your posture? do your shoulders slump forward and your back round when seated? if so, you may need to do some chest openers to re-lengthen the muscles there and re-strengthen the muscles in the back. also, it sounds like you need to do some simple neck stretches daily until you are able to release the tension you are holding in your neck and shoulders. sitting in easy seated position on the floor, root down through your sitting bones and lengthen the spine, reaching the crown of your head skyward. drop your chin to your chest and hold for 5-10 breaths, then keeping your chin to your chest, tilt the crown of your head right for 5-10 b and then left. bring your head back to center. let your head drop to your right shoulder and hold 5-10, repeat on the left. next, turn your head all the way right and all the way left, holding each time. at the end of these stretches, let your head fall forward then roll the head gently to the right shoulder and then to the left shoulder 2-3 times. finally, let the head fall gently back, making sure not to tense your shoulders and neck. you can do the rolls here as well, moving slowly and only rolling the head to each shoulder and back.

02-14-2006, 05:34 PM	#4
spyderette Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19	they will help. also, in tadasana and other poses (upward facing dog, easy seated position, etc) try lifting the chest and rolling the shoulders back and down (think sliding the shoulder blades down the back). i'm also guessing that you tend to hunch your shoulders when you raise both arms above your head as in warrior I or tree pose?