Best stretches for back, neck and shoulders?

[Karen Beckwith]

There is a 17-ish minute neck section on this DVD that always makes my neck and upper body feel wonderful:

http://smile.amazon.com/Back-Health-...back+to+health

[Negin]

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[FirmDancer]

Oh my gosh - I just finished a YogaGlo online class on shoulder / upper back / spine stretching!! You have a lot of suggestions already, but here are some moves I just did:

• sit on floor, knees bent, hands behind, fingers pointing backward: roll your shoulders back (stretches front of shoulders)
• come down to have elbows on floor: "hammock" pose
• lay on floor, bring one knee into chest, twist to the side - if you can, grab ahold of your other foot (you have to bend your knee obviously) - stretches your arm/shoulder
• sphinx pose
• seal pose, and gently turn your head side to side
• child's pose (actually, years ago when I first started yoga, I could not even stretch my arms out in child's pose, it's an underrated shoulder stretch)

HTH! Good luck with your latest fitness routine!
-Anita

[beyond.omega]

Originally Posted by suzannaerin

I just got this DVD the other day and it is WONDERFUL. There are so many options, the instructions are so clear (excellent form pointers), and it's truly restorative. I have had chronic tight hips/hamstrings/glutes w/lower back pain, and just doing the hip section a couple times, I can feel my hips opening up.

I went ahead and ordered two more of her DVDs (Yoga for Beginners, and her 2013 Back-focused release).

I found out about Barbara here, possibly from you BeyondOmega, so I owe you a huge debt of gratitude. I can't wait to do try out the rest of the segments.

I'm glad it helped someone else besides me! Sometimes I feel like a broken record about that DVD...and I know there are other great restorative and healing dvds out there. But this one is my stand by to go to when I just want to be taken care of and supported by my workout. (But then with all the bolsters and blankets and props...how can you not be supported! .)

If you really wanna amp it up with your hips, might I enable you...I mean "suggest" to you to get Erich Schiffmann's Backyard Beginner dvd. It is 70 minutes long, but it is sooooo worth it. (It is chaptered, so you can just focus on your problem area if you wanted. But I feel like you really get the "Erich Schiffmann magic" when you do the full dvd...including the brief shavasana at the end.) I did it daily for a a few days, and I got some amazing healing for my hips and especially the pelvic floor issues I have been having. A few weeks ago, I was telling a friend that it might be time for me to give up my fun sporty car because it is getting harder to get in and out of, and the clutch is getting tiring, all because of my back and hip issues. Then, after a few days of doing Erich Schiffmann Backyard Beginner, I laughed at myself for even thinking thoughts like that.

I stopped doing it for a while because I was also getting a lot of emotional release that I started to find too overwhelming. But I am going to start it again on Sunday, and probably eat something light before doing it to help with the emotions.

[mercedes]

I really like Katy Bowman's $5 "alignment snacks"
http://www.restorativeexercise.com/alignment-snacks/

the free class is about shoulders if I am not mistaken.... good stuff! Click on the screen and you can download it for free.

[suzannaerin]

Thank you beyond.omega. I put it in my cart at Amazon. :-)

[Joanna]

Thank you! Some great suggestions to explore :-)