You know all the stretches we do near the beginning while in a mini squat (known as chair pose)? The funny ones, where we roll shoulders forwards and back, and flex our wrists up and down? Those are all combinations of mudras (hand and arm gestures or poses). Their purpose is to stretch the fascial tissue of your neck, shoulders, arms and hands. That’s the connective tissue between muscles and around nerves. Stretching it can help joints and muscles release tension.
And you guessed it, you can find a much deeper stretch if you go through some of these movements thinking of pulling your armpits down to your hips while keeping your arms soft.
I’m using this as the perfect excuse to revisit a favourite pose for trampers and mountaineers who need strong legs – chair pose:
- Start with your feet hip width apart – toes straight ahead.
- Bring your hands to your hips first.
- Bend your knees and squat as if you are sitting back in to a chair.
- Keep a neutral spine – it shouldn’t round. It will feel like a slight arch in your back or as if you are sticking your butt out behind you looking for the chair.
- Then reach your arms up with palms facing each other.
- Gently shrug your shoulders up, then relax them down. You might need to move your arms wider to make more room for your shoulders if they are tight.
- Now try pulling your armpits down towards your hips for a few breaths, relax and repeat a few times.
- Then relax your arms down, straighten your legs and shake them out.
