Yoga helps us to make the body flexible and soft and is useful to prepare us for any type of practice or sport, because it works on a deep stretching activity.
In this video we propose a sequence that loosens the joints and reduces tension in the neck, shoulders and back.
It is a practice that can be performed every day to warm the body every morning upon awakening or to cool it down in the evening, after an intense working day that has stiffened us in a particular way.
We suggest practicing this sequence whenever there is a need to prepare the body for any type of physical activity. If done consistently, your back, shoulders and neck will benefit from it lastingly.
Complete Yoga Sequence
Let's start in a sitting position with your legs crossed!
Begin this practice sitting cross-legged on the mat. Loosen the neck and cervical vertebrae with head rotations, moving your gaze first to the right shoulder and then slowly to the left. Make controlled movements and remember to always breathe deeply through your nose.
Now bring your head back and forth, looking up and then bringing your chin towards your chest. Perform the movements in a slow and controlled way so as not to impact on the cervical and always breathe deeply.
Continue the sequence by circling the head from one shoulder to the other, bringing the chin towards the right shoulder, then sliding it slowly downwards until it reaches the breastbone, until it reaches the left shoulder. Once you reach the left, continue slowly towards the right side. If you have no cervical problems, you can make a complete turn of the head by bringing the head back gently, controlling the muscles, without making sudden movements.
Always work on the neck and bring the right hand to the left ear, accompany the head towards the right shoulder, stay for a few breaths and then always with the left hand, gently push the head upwards, lifting it from the chin without using muscular effort . Now repeat everything on the other side by repeating with the left hand, stretching the neck muscles well without making sudden movements.
Bring the arms in front of the chest and cross the arms in Garudasana, the eagle pose, bringing the right arm in front of the left, hooking the thumb and then bringing the elbows and the gaze upwards and then downwards, up and down working on the opening of the back. Now reverse the arms bringing the left over to the right and continuing the movement by flexing the torso back and forth and opening the back.
Release your arms, place your hands on your knees and circle your shoulders by doing a few rotations, first forward and then backward.
Now interlace your fingers behind your neck and keep your elbows wide open, let's go back to working on the shoulders and upper back, inhale, look up and open your heart, exhale, bend your back and bring your elbows into contact and the chin towards the chest, stretching the cervical vertebrae. Continue this movement trying to coordinate the breath with the movement.
Now take your foursome on the mat!
Now bring your four-legged back to work more intensely on your back and shoulders. The hands are below the shoulders and the knees are as wide as the hips. Perform full rotations of the right arm first forward and then backward. Then switch sides and rotate with your left arm, rotating it first twice forward and then twice back, always combining the breath with the movement.
Now walk forward with your palms and slide back with your buttocks, bringing your chest forward. Stretch your body towards the ground, put your forehead, chin and chest on the ground, if your chest touches the ground, push it as far as you can towards the ground, in order to open the upper back well, stretch your chin and bring the look forward. Stay for a few breaths and then go back to quadrupedia.
Bring the left arm up and look at the thumb, then move it under the right arm, bringing the shoulder and left cheek to the ground, bring the right arm forward and press the palm hard to the ground, feeling the stretch of the whole the left side of the body. Slowly go back, bring your left palm to the ground and raise your right arm, look at your thumb, bend your elbow and bring your right arm under your left, resting your right shoulder and cheek on the ground. The left arm remains stretched forward with the palm pressed to the ground.
Then take the upside down dog (Adho Muka Svanasana) to sit in Gomukasana (Cow Face Position), the right leg is bent under the left, the left arm bends behind the back and rises up and the arm right bends and goes down, the fingers intertwine, the neck is free and the gaze is pointed forward. Stay for a few breaths then return to the dog upside down and sit back to switch legs, right arm bends over left, right arm bends behind back and rises up, left arm drops down , the fingers grasp and the back opens.
Hold this position for a few breaths, then loosen your arms and legs and start your practice or your day!
