From Mountain to Mat - NO to Neck Pain

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 From Mountain to Mat - NO to Neck Pain


This lesson is done  lying on your front, with your elbows out and hands cradling your head.  Lying on your front gives great feedback on your breath, your ribs, and has the advantage of giving the neck some release. With different turns of the head and hips, you will explore how different spinal positions can help release neck and shoulder tension.

Focus this week:  NO to Neck Pain
How you might feel after this lesson:  hips connected neck and shoulders; more ease in turning head side to side, better understanding of how turning out the arms affects the movement of the shoulders; looser in that spot between the neck and shoulders that's SO DIFFICULT to release.

Stop Light Mini Lesson: An Easy Upper Back Loosener


Here's a trick to try when you find your neck and shoulders tight and achy.

If you have 15 seconds, try this mini-lesson:  

  • Sit comfortably with your legs level with your hips and your feet firmly placed on the ground.

  •  Put your right palm on your forehead and your left palm behind your head.  Spread your elbows as far apart as possible. 
     

  • Without turning your head, twist your whole torso to the right keeping your shoulders dropped and elbows as wide as possible.  Notice how your spine twists all the way up to your neck. If you don't feel the twist, take it more slowly and focus on dropping your shoulders while spreading your elbows apart. 
     

  • Now, turn your head to the left, so your right ear is in your right palm, left ear in left palm.  Your fingertips will point towards each other.  Again, keeping elbows wide and shoulders down, twist your whole torso to the right. Don't move the head.  Really feel it in the spine and shoulder blades.
     

  • Finally, turn your head to the right so the left ear is in the right palm and the right ear is in the left palm. Its a big twist, so just do what feels comfortable.  Twist to the right again.  You'll really feel it in the shoulder blades.
     

  • Repeat and notice how as you drop your belly, your whole front wants to get longer from belly button to chin.  Your chest wants to rise, your chin might even want to tip upwards.  You can even inhale on the tip and exhale as you return to center. This is the natural curve of the spine and allowing this flexibility is only good.
     

  • Repeat the sequence on the other side. Then turn your head side to side and notice how much easier it is.
     

  • You can also do this lying on your tummy with the back of your palm on the floor.  Instead of twisting your torso, drop you legs to the left when the right palm is down.

Jacki Katzman