home I hear a lot about that sensation of tightness after a long day in the office. A hunched posture over a computer can be the culprit for many neck and shoulder aches as it creates muscle imbalances between the back muscles and the front of your chest. This can also lead to more permanently protracted head and shoulders that can in time weaken all those stabilizing structures that keep us both able to move freely and strong in our upper back and shoulder region.
At Pilatestudio in Wimbledon we look after both strength (using light elastic bands called therabands or our Cadillac equipment) and opening through targeted stretches. Here is a short programme for you to do at home and rebalance those precious shoulder muscles. I made a video to accompany the exercises so you can see how to move.
Stretch
Use a doorframe to place the palm of your hand at shoulder height and stand with the opposite leg forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your chest. Hold for 30/60 seconds. You can then raise your arm higher to stretch a different part of your pecs.
Stretch & Strength
Lay on your back on a half foam roller (or a long rolled up towel) with a small pillow under your head but keeping your shoulders off the pillow. Raise your arms at 90 degrees shoulder width apart and the chest open. Reach up towards the ceiling (protracting the shoulders) then down wrapping your shoulder blades around the curve of the half roller. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes. You can enhance the strength part of this exercise by using a light theraband held under your back, level with the shoulders as demonstrated in the video.
In the same position you can also strengthen your arms by doing openings with or without weights (you can use two 400gr. cans of beans too): start at 90 degrees and shoulder width apart: take arms to the sides being careful not to overstretch your shoulders; repeat 10-15 times.
Then scissor your arms, taking one arm by your waist and one arm by your ear; repeat 10-15 times. Finish by holding a pecs stretch for 30-60 seconds. If your shoulders are particularly mobile support them by placing a small pillow under each shoulder during the stretch.
Shoulder stability and strength
Sit or stand ideally in front of a mirror to check your posture and opening of the chest: use a light thereaband to engage the deep shoulder muscles (rotator cuffs) and avoid involving too much the superficial muscles (pectoralis major and deltoids for ex.). Have a small pillow under your elbow to make the movement more specific to the shoulder joint.
Internal rotation with arm and elbow at 90 degrees take the palm if your hand towards your belly button against the resistance of the band. Repeat 10-15 times.
External rotation with arm and elbow at 90 degrees take the palm if your hand away from your belly button as if to open a small door against the resistance of the band. Repeat 10-15 times
Hope you enjoy these exercises and the videos. Come back for more tips and exercises in the next few days.
