Gentle Shoulder Movement Break

Make enough room to move your arms without reaching their limit. This session is about easy movement around the shoulders and upper body, with pauses between sides. Keep your arms below shoulder height whenever that feels better, and leave out the arm wrap if it does not suit you.

The sequence

1. Warm up
2. 01 Mountain Pose“Soften the shoulders and let the hands rest.” 49s
3. 02 C Comfortable shoulder rolls“Move slowly through a comfortable range rather than making large circles.” 49s
   How to practise

   1. Stand with knees soft and arms relaxed.
   2. Lift the shoulders a little, let them move gently back and settle down.
   3. Repeat a few easy circles, pausing whenever you like; avoid forcing the neck.
4. Flow
5. ≈ Vinyasa flow3 poses · 20s each · 4 rounds 4m
   1. Standing Side Bend
   2. Standing Side Bend
   3. Easy arm wrap
6. Moon Salutation
7. ☾ Moon Salutation17 movements · one breath each 1m 30s
   1. Exhale Mountain
   2. Inhale Upward Salute
   3. Exhale Crescent
   4. Exhale Crescent
   5. Exhale Goddess
   6. Inhale Star
   7. Exhale Triangle
   8. Exhale Pyramid
   9. Inhale Low Lunge
   10. Exhale Garland squat
   11. Inhale Low Lunge
   12. Exhale Pyramid
   13. Exhale Triangle
   14. Inhale Star
   15. Exhale Goddess
   16. Inhale Upward Salute
   17. Exhale Mountain
8. Cool down
9. 05 E Easy arm wrap · Left on top“Keep both feet down; this is an arm variation, not a balance.” 49s
   How to practise

   1. Keep both feet grounded and your stance comfortable.
   2. Place the left arm above the right in a loose self-hug.
   3. Let the forearms stay separate if crossing them is uncomfortable; release slowly.
10. 06 S Small open-and-close arm movement“Let the arms open only as far as you can comfortably return.” 49s
    How to practise

    1. Stand comfortably with both feet grounded.
    2. Bring bent elbows a little away from the sides, then bring them back in.
    3. Repeat slowly without arching the back or forcing the shoulders.
11. Rest
12. 07 Mountain Pose“Let your arms rest and notice the contact of your feet with the ground.” 1m 14s