Yoga For Shoulders (Shoulder Stretches With Child’s Pose Variations)

Yoga For Shoulder Pain With Balasana Variations / Child’s Pose Variations

This gentle shoulder blade stretches through balasana (child pose) and child’s pose variations are the best yoga for shoulders. Balasana relieves tension from the tight shoulders. This also helps reduce stress in shoulders and maintain good posture as the importance of good posture also aids for relaxed shoulders.

Balasana (Child Pose)

Balasana, the child pose, heals the body and mind. You can calm your mind and shift the focus to breathing. It relaxes the spine and hips and gently stretches the shoulder blades.

Balasana Steps:

1. Sit down on your knees and join the thighs, knees, big toes with hips on the heels left distant comfortably.
2. Place your palms on the floor and move the knees wide. (If your hips are not touching the heels place a bolster under the feet)
3. Inhale; raise your arms stretching the spine.
4. Exhale; bend your torso forward and rest it on the floor between the knees. Keep your palms one above the other and place on the floor above your head stretching hands fully. (If you’re not comfortably resting on to the floor place a bolster in between the knees)
5. Breath deeply for 1-2 minutes in this position. Make sure you’re not forcing the pose.

Release the pose with an inhalation raising the arms up and as you exhale lower the arms and release the pose.

Balasana (Child Pose) Variation 1 / Child’s Pose Variation 1

This variation of balasana gives you an intense stretch, unlike a gentle stretch of the usual balasana. This posture helps to maintain the natural curve of the spine.

Balasana(Child Pose) Variation 1 Steps:

1. Get on to your knees and legs separated hip distance apart.
2. Now take the palms forward, resting the elbow on the floor at a comfortable distance from knees. (You can use a cushion to rest the elbows)
3. Raise the palms back to ceiling in a namaste position.
4. Keep the hips raised up toward the ceiling and your toes touching the floor.
5. Now lower your head between the forearms and let the hips sink back as far as you get the full comfortable stretch of the shoulders.
6. Stay in this pose and breath deeply for 30-60 seconds.

Balasana (Child Pose) Variation 2 / Child’s Pose Variation 2

This pose opens your shoulders very deeply.

Balasana(Child Pose) Variation 2 Steps:

1. Get on to a table position with knees hip distance apart and palms shoulder distance apart.
2. Inhale; raise the right arm forward to the ceiling and exhale; take the right arm under the left arm placing the right shoulder and cheeks on the mat.
3. Take the left arm forward as much so the shoulder stretches enough comfortably.
4. Stay in this position and breath deeply for 30-60 seconds and repeat the same on another side.

Take Away

This yoga for shoulders is one of the best ways of relaxing tight shoulders. Balasana helps not just to relax shoulders blades but also heal both the body and the mind.

Is yoga good for your shoulders?

If you’re ready to be free of the pain you’re holding in your shoulder and neck, one common way to alleviate your discomfort is yoga. There are certain yoga positions that actually focus on this area. Yoga is especially important if you’re an athlete or training for a marathon.

How do you open your shoulders for yoga?

While standing or sitting, and with your arms by your side and a straight back, slowly lift your shoulders up toward your ears. Hold here for a few seconds. Slowly lower your shoulders back down. Repeat 5 times.

Is yoga hard on shoulders?

Chaturanga is among the primary poses that yogis do over and over again in yoga classes, especially flow-based classes. But when we repeatedly perform a pose incorrectly, we risk overtaxing our joints. Misaligned chaturanga can lead to shoulder strain and rotator cuff injuries as well as neck pain and low back pain.

Should I do yoga if my shoulder hurts?

You can do yoga, you can lift your arm overhead, and you will be able to do chaturanga again. Chataranga from knees is a good way to modify the pose as you gain strength and stability to do it with the knees straight.

Is yoga good for frozen shoulder?

Yoga is an effective way to heal the inflammation and reduce stiffness and pain. Yoga helps to reduce stress and tension in the shoulder area and mobility is improved. You can apply hot water bag to the affected area to ease the pain and stiffness especially before you start any exercise.