Your Free Yoga Lesson

• Limbers shoulder joints and shoulder blades, lumbar vertebrae, and neck
• Gives an intense stretch to respiratory muscles
• Helps correct breathing difficulties
• Massages internal organs
• Strengthens legs and back
• Improves posture
  

This is an excellent exercise for relieving tension that lodges in the shoulders, upper back, and neck. If you sit at a desk for long stretches, get up every hour or so, walk around, and try this exercise to renew circulation in your upper body and bring fresh oxygen to your brain, leaving you refreshed and energized.

Stand straight, with hands clasped behind you and arms straight. Breathe in deeply through your nose to a count of three as you pull your arms up and away from your body, trying to keep the elbows straight. This is a small motion: your arms will lift just a few inches.

Breathe out through your nose to a count of three as you relax your arms.

Repeat three times.

Clasp hands and lock elbows.
Breathe deeply and slowly without straining.
Keep knees straight.

For more tension-relieving exercises, see the chapter on Stress Management in our book The American Yoga Association Beginner's Manual.

For previous lessons, click on the links below:

[Complete Breath]