Lately I have been talking a lot about loosening up the muscles with rolling and strengthening with specific warm up drills, but the question is what is in between?

I know it is hard to do any yoga or stretching exercise right after the session, but trust me this will be the only beneficial solution for a healthy shoulder in long term. 

Let’s  start implementing the downward facing dog because if you don’t, you will likely end up feeling the pain everywhere.

Benefits

Here is how the drill effect your every day movement as well as your sport performance:

The must-know yoga pose.

If you are looking for an effective shoulder stretch, this will be you favorite drill.

So right after you finished any sport specially which was demanding on your arms, here is on of my favorite stretching drill and why this is useful.

When you are tired, staying in this pose for a spell will restore your energy. 

It can also help ease shoulder stiffness. 

It requires strength and flexibility in the same time.

What are the possible modifications?

If you are stiff, the pose will feel challenging, because of tightness in the shoulders and hamstrings.

Therefore there is a wonderful modification that I call puppy dog will teach you the actions and alignment that allow you to experience a perfect Downward dog position in the future.

Puppy dog

Modified version of the full downward dog.

If you have shoulder or back pain you should definitely practice this easier version. 

• Stand facing the wall
• Place both of your hands on the wall (shoulder distance apart)
• Step back so that your arms and torso are parallel to the wall
• Hips are stacked over your feet
• Elongate your spine as you press your hips away from the wall
• The movement should originate from your palms.
  

The goal is to keep your back straight by pushing through the palms. 

Aim upward with your butt and concentrate on pushing the heels to the ground.

If you do it precisely you should feel a nice stretch alongside the back of your body.

Use something (foam roller) to get into the position easier

How long should you be stretching?

Probably about 30-60 sec in each position.

We try to think breathes these days so 3-5 breathes will do it.

During stretching try to take a deep breath through your nose for 2-4 sec and than exhale through the mouth for 5-7 sec.

Full dog

• Assume a push up position on the floor
• Arms should be straight and your hands should be shoulder-width apart
• Lift your hips so that your body forms an upside down V
• Turn your hands out slightly to help you extend out of your shoulders 
• As you press down with your hands, try to lift your forearms away from the ground
• It is an important intention which will stabilize your shoulders 
• Take a deep breath in the starting position and exhale during the movement

Check out the common mistakes

Bendy and rounded back:Typical mistake is keeping your back rounded and only concentrating on the legs. Try to keep your back straight (slightly bend your knees in order to achieve this)

Head and face pointing too much towards the palms: One of the most common mistake is lifting the head and overloading the neck. Let your head hang. 

Bent elbows: Will block the whole movement and your shoulder won’t be stretched.