Unlocking the Shoulder Blades

For shoulder health(to prevent rotator cuff injury and frozen shoulder) as well as part of a routine to strengthen the upper back, remember to keep you shoulder blades moving...

Stand in Tadasana with arms hanging down by your sides.

Begin to squeeze the shoulder blades together as in the picture on the right above.

Then rotate your arms so your thumbs go out and back. You should be able to squeeze your shoulder blades together more in this position.

Release the squeeze of the shoulder blades and begin to slide them apart.

Then rotate your arms so the thumbs to back out, then forward and then toward your hips and even backwards in the opposite position as before. You should be able to get your shoulder blades to move further apart in this position.

Practice this until you can get your shoulder blades to move together and apart. Focus on using the muscles between under and over the shoulder blades. Don't do this from your neck chest or arms. Once you have your shoulder blades moving focus on getting them to glide smoothly together and apart with your breath. Inhale in one direction and exhale in the other.

Next see if you can get your shoulder blades to pull down your back allowing your sternum to lift from this action. Lengthen the back of your neck as you do this with your breath 3 to 5 times.