In our previous Jock Yoga tutorials, we’ve discussed the reasons why most men and athletes suffer from tight shoulders and chests. Be it from jobs that require us to hunch over patients and/or continuously slouch over computer desks rolling our shoulders forward, or from weightlifting and holding our shoulders up to our ears while running, almost all of us have tightness in the upper body and could benefit from a good shoulder and chest stretch.
The following simple stretch can be practiced actively or passively to help you relieve tightness in the upper body.
Step 1: Come to lying on your belly on the floor or mat and extend one arm out to the side at shoulder height. *A shorter, more active variation of this stretch can be practiced while standing up against a wall*
Step 2: Keep the hand open with the palm facing down (this targets the chest) and the entire length of the extended arm pressing down into the floor. Bend the opposite elbow while drawing the hand inward toward your torso. *You can also use a closed fist, turning the fist forward one notch and pressing the arm into the mat. This is a weightlifter’s trick to stretch the inner line of the arm and also to stretch more of the shoulder than the chest*
Step 3: Push into the opposite hand and begin to roll open to the side of the extended arm. You can also step the foot up and over.
Step 4: You can remain as you are—pushing into the opposite hand to intensify the stretch–or you can reach the opposite arm up and behind you, letting it hang as you allow gravity to open up your chest shoulder more passively. *Ideally, if you are keeping the stretch active, it would be held for about 30 seconds while breathing deeply through the nose. If you would like to keep the stretch more passive, you can hold it for 3-5 minutes which will aid in the stretching of the connective tissues, and thus improving flexibility*
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For more information on Jock Yoga and Jock Yoga’s upcoming 40 Hour certification visit: www.jockyoga.com
