Eagle Arms Shoulder Stretch

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This pose will give you some quick relief from shoulder and neck discomfort. It's great for beginners and can be done anywhere. Sitting on a chair is absolutely fine for this one! The short sequence in this video brings a range of different movements and stretches into your shoulders, exploring and working to extend their range of motion. Perfect when you’ve been stuck in one position for a while. It can also help to improve the range of motion of elbows, wrists and fingers…other very important body parts for musicians!

Think about what your arms and shoulders are doing when you play your instrument: a lot of what we do involves bringing the arms forward, rotating them and often holding them asymmetrically. And just think how much time you spend in this position. Hours, right? Unless we counteract these movements, over time this repetition can lead to changes in our bodies, undermining the natural alignment which is needed for good posture and ease of movement and eventually leading to possible physical problems and pain. I find that stretches which involve the shoulders are the ones where musicians notice the most immediate relief, precisely because these are the parts of our bodies which bear the brunt of our work. This video is one of a series of videos here with stretches and yoga postures focussing on the shoulders. You can do them before you practice, or in breaks or after you’ve finished playing. They’ll all help to stretch and move different parts of your shoulders and work to retain movement and flexibility there.

Always listen to your body when doing stretches and don't push too far. You shouldn't feel any pain whilst getting in to a stretch or yoga posture. If you do come out of the pose.

Not all exercise programs are suitable for everyone. Check with your doctor before beginning any fitness or health programme. Perform these exercises at your own risk. Sally is not responsible or liable for any injury sustained as a result of doing any exercises found here.