“Is there anything I can do to open up my shoulders?” I hear these words — in different ways — A LOT. Here are two simple yoga poses to open your shoulders, relieve tightness, improve flexibility and strength. Plus, we recommend helpful yoga equipment to use at home.
Over time, you will be amazed at the results after doing just these two poses to open your shoulders. While Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) may be one of the most popular yoga poses, it can be very painful and difficult for those with wrist pain or carpal tunnel syndrome.
As a variation, the Dolphin Pose is done on the forearms. This relieves wrist pressure while providing all of the benefits of Downward-Facing Dog. I invite you to give both poses a try once every day for a week, and see how much better you feel!
As always, work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.
Benefits of Dolphin Pose
- Dolphin Pose strengthens and stretches the shoulders, arms, upper back, and legs.
- It helps bring flexibility to the spine, hamstrings, calves, and arches.
- Relief from headaches, insomnia, fatigue, and mild depression
- Improved memory and concentration
- Relief from stress and anxiety
- Improved digestion
- Relief from back pain
- Prevention of osteoporosis
- Relief from sinusitis, asthma, flat feet, and menstrual discomfort
Read More: How Pilates and Yoga Can Ease Digestive Discomfort
Benefits of Downward-Facing Dog
- It deeply stretches your hamstrings, shoulders, calves, arches, hands, and spine
- Builds strength in your arms, shoulders, and legs
- It is considered a mild inversion because your heart is higher than your head in this pose but less strenuous than other inversions, such as Headstand
Read More: Burning Belly Fat Through the Power of Yoga
Our 5-Minute Barre series on YouTube can help too! Watch below and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more fitness videos.
Helpful Yoga Products
