Eight yoga moves to reduce your aches and pains
Yoga expert Jill Miller
Poses to soothe pain
Jill Miller, the creator of Yoga Tune Up shows you how to do these eight yoga poses that will help take away aches and muscle pain. All you need are a few tools that will assist you in the techniques.
The tools
Therapy ball: Mimics the hands of a skilled massage therapist
Block: Help you target areas of tension
Strap: Gives you a fuller range of motion
1. Shoulder flossing
Arms and shoulders zone: Holding a strap, raise your right
arm and reach your left arm behind
you while maintaining tension on
the strap. Then rotate arms so your
shoulder joint is rolled through
its entire range of motion. Do 10
complete rounds.
Tip: Grip strap firmly for best stretch
Perfect your form: Don’t bend
elbows. Raise and lower shoulder
blades to allow full rotation.
Dial it down: Place hands farther
apart on the strap.
Amp it up: Try pulling strap apart.
2. Anteater
Arms and shoulders zone: Hold a strap behind your back with hands
about shoulder-width apart. Plant feet
apart wider than the mat, bend both knees
slightly and hinge your torso forward as
arms drop overhead. Allow your arms to
drop as close to the ground as possible.
Take 10 to 15 deep breaths, then slowly
unroll back to standing.
Perfect your form: Try pulling the
strap apart as shoulders melt toward
the ground. Keep neck muscles loose.
Dial it down: Place hands farther apart
on the strap.
Amp it up: Hold a block instead of a
strap and straighten your knees once
you’ve folded forward.
This routine helps you identify areas of your body that are overused, underused, misues and terribly abused – and helps you prevent them from becoming catalysts for injury and pain.
3. Shoulder surfing
Rear shoulder zone: Lying with knees together and over to
the right side, place balls in their tote
behind your right shoulder blade and
place right hand behind your neck. Shift
torso from side to side so that the balls
create a rolling-pin action along your
muscles. Repeat 10 times. Then inhale
and straighten your right elbow, stretching
your hand away from your body
while simultaneously tightening the
entire shoulder; return hand to head
as you exhale. Repeat 10 times, then
switch sides. Tip: Push into balls to increase pressure.
Perfect your form: Make sure your
legs are rooted to the floor to keep
you anchored.
Dial it down: Rest your head on a
block to relieve pressure on your neck.
Amp it up: Use only one free-rolling ball
and rest your head on the ground
to increase pressure on the ball.
4. Upper-back bliss-out
Upper back zone: Place the balls on either side of your
upper back, a couple of inches from
the sides of your neck. Keeping arms
straight and backs of hands on the
ground, bend knees and lift hips so that
your body weight sinks into the balls.
Shift your torso from side to side until
the balls rub the tension out of your
shoulder muscles. Tip: Make sure balls are equal distances from your spine.
Perfect your form: Coordinate your
breathing with the movement, and use
the balls to trace the lumps and bumps
that you feel in your back.
Dial it down: Place your hips on a
block to decrease the pressure. Move
less and breathe more.
Amp it up: Raise your arms toward
the sky and fl ow them as if they are
seaweed underwater.
5. Rib rock
Back zone: Place balls vertically along left side of spinal column.
Reach left hand across body to grab hold of the right rib
cage. Inhale deeply and, as you exhale, gently pull your
torso and rib cage toward the left. Inhale and return to
centre. Repeat for 10 to 15 breaths, then switch sides.
Tip: Let your back melt into the balls.
Perfect your form: Move consciously and slowly.
Dial it down: Don’t rock, just stay in place and breathe.
Amp it up: Lift hips and buttocks off the ground slightly.
6. Low-back loosener
Obliques and low back zone: Place one ball on a block and lie
with your left lower back on the
ball so it’s above the top of your
left hip bone. Tilt your pelvis and
legs to the left so the ball tucks
into the deep lower-back muscles.
Breathe deeply and gently rock
on the ball for 20 to 30 breaths,
then switch sides.
Tip: Use block on its lowest height with one ball on it.
Perfect your form: If you feel
sharp pains, you are in too deep
and need to dial it down. But if you feel as if your
lower back is letting out a silent
moan, increase the pressure into
the ball by dropping the bottom
knee completely to the ground.
Dial it down: Remove the block
and practise on the ground.
Amp it up: Try doing a mini side
crunch, bending your waist into
the ball and then releasing. Do
this mini contraction several
times, then return to rocking.
Regular exercise alone won't eliminate trigger points and knots – you have to address these congested areas with precision and focus for your body to become more efficient and functional.
7. Wheel on a roll
Chest, abs and legs zone: Lie with your abdomen on a tightly rolled yoga
mat so the pelvis can anchor into the floor.
Bend both knees and clasp ankles with hands.
Press thighs into the ground and open your
chest with 12 deep breaths. Tip: You can also use a foam roller if you don't have two mats.
Perfect your form: Press pubic bone down by
contracting your butt muscles. Try to straighten
the knees without allowing them to open.
Dial it down: Do one leg at a time, or wrap a
strap around both ankles and clasp it instead.
Amp it up: Try to push feet closer together with
your arms, but create resistance from the legs
to increase the stretch in the chest wall.
8. Quad roll
Legs zone: Place balls in tote horizon- tally under left
thigh a few inches above the knee. Move
your shin from side to side, allowing balls
to travel across the quads. After 10 to 15
“wipes,” move balls a few inches higher and
repeat. Switch sides.
Tip: Start with light pressure, increasing intensity only if it feels comfortable.
Perfect your form: Alternate between
moving swiftly and slowly.
Dial it down: Lie on the ground instead
of on forearms to decrease pressure
on the quads.
Amp it up: Keep the balls in place and
simply bend and straighten your knee.
Then attempt to crawl forward or backward
so the balls roll up and down the thigh
while you bend and straighten the knee.
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