Strengthening muscles with
Neck Rotations
Benefits: Increase mobility and usable range of motion in neck joints. Reduce stress by releasing constriction of tension in the upper body. Improve the vestibular system function.
Instructions: In a neutral posture, relax the shoulders down the back and flex your neck forward, chin to chest. Slowly turn your chin towards the right shoulder, then laterally extend the neck drawing your right ear towards your right shoulder. Gently glide the back of your head towards your back, extending the neck and gazing towards the sky. Follow the circle
to laterally extend your other side, bringing the left ear towards the left shoulder. Turn the chin towards the left shoulder, then bring the neck back to flexion, chin to chest. Repeat switching the direction of the movement.
Variations: Make sure mid back muscles keep shoulders down. Move neck only through a comfortable range of motion, which will increase over time. Slower movement is more effective.
Scapula Movements
Benefits: Increases joint mobility of scapula and usable range of motion in shoulder blades. Promotes healthier shoulder movements and neuromuscular communication to upper back.
Instructions: Start in a position with a neutral spine, keeping the hips, elbows, and neck steady. Only moving through rotation of the scapula, begin by lifting the shoulders up to the ears, elevating the scapula. Following a circular motion, draw the scapula towards the center
of the back, retracting the shoulder blades, and continue down the circle to depress the shoulder blades. Finally, protract the scapula as you spread the shoulder blades across back and bring them forward. Continue the circular motion for a few counts, then move in the opposite direction.
Variations: Move shoulder blades through a comfortable range of motion. If uncomfortable sensation is experienced, make the circular movement smaller.
Internal and External Shoulder Movements
Benefits: Increases usable range of motion and mobility within the shoulder capsule. Allows students to understand the difference between shoulder capsule movement and scapula movement.
Instructions: Starting in a neutral spine position, extend arms outward and pull abdominals in. Allow one arm to externally rotate while the other arm internally rotates. As best as one can, keep movement in the shoulder capsule joint, trying the move the scapula
as little as possible. Switch the direction of movement of the arms, and repeat as many times as comfortable.
Variations: If uncomfortable sensation is experienced, make movement smaller or lower the arms until the movement can be performed in a comfortable manner.
Spine Circles
Benefits: Aids in improving the neuromuscular connection to the intercostal, chest, abdominal, and spinal muscles. Increases mobility and usable range of motion of the thoracic spine. Promotes concentration.
Instructions: Begin with a neutral spine. The focus in thoracic spine circles is to keep the hips and shoulders still while the ribcage moves in a circular motion. Draw the ribcage forward, slightly extending the abdominals, then use the intercostal muscles to rotate the movement towards the right while keeping the shoulders steady and aligned. Contract the abdominal muscles as you pull the front ribs towards the spine, moving the circular motion towards the left, and back to center. Repeat moving the other direction.
Variations: Movement is practiced in smaller rotations at first and then expanded into a larger range of motion over time.
Ankle Circles
Benefits: Increases joint mobility and usable range of motion in the ankle. Strengthens ankle, foot, and toe muscles.
Instructions: Begin in a position where one is balanced and can isolate ankle joint. Keeping the shin bones steady, start with an inversion and dorsiflexion of ankle joint. Continue to guide the big toe in a circle, moving the ankle through plantar flexion and eversion as the ankle slowly moves through the present range of motion. Irradiate muscular effort to expand the range of motion in the ankle. Repeat moving the opposite direction
Variations: Movement is practiced in smaller rotations at first and then expanded into a larger range of motion over time.
Shoulder Circles
Benefits: Increases mobility and usable range of motion in the shoulder joint. Promotes longevity and durability of the shoulder and aids in the neuromuscular concentration of shoulder capsule movement
Instructions: Begin with a neural spine. The focus of shoulder articular capsule circles is to keep the scapula still and expand the movement of the ball and socket joint within the shoulder. Begin with shoulder flexion, then start to internally rotate the shoulder capsule as much as possible, moving the shoulder into extension. Then, reverse the movement and externally rotate the shoulder capsule, moving the shoulder back to flexion. Repeat on both sides.
Variations: Every student’s shoulder is different. Movement is done through a comfortable
range of motion. Start with a smaller degree of shoulder flexion and extension, and increase the degree of motion over time. Movement is done with high irradiation of muscular effort to promote end range expansion.
Hip Circles
Benefits: IIncreases mobility and usable range of motion in the hip joint. Promotes longevity and durability of the hip joint to improve wellness. When the hips move better, the spine moves better. Aids in the neuromuscular connection with the movement of muscles around the hip joint.
Instructions: Begin with a neutral spine. The focus of hip articular capsule circles is to increase the range of motion within the ball and socket joint of the hip. Flex the hip by bringing the knee towards the chest, then internally rotate the hip as the knee starts to draw a circle outward. Keep the heel up towards the sky until the hip moves into extension. Then externally rotate at the hip joint, following the circle back to the original position. Movement is done through a comfortable range of motion with irradiation of muscular effort.
Variations: Every student’s hip joint is different. Movement is done through a comfortable
range of motion. Start with a smaller degree of shoulder flexion and extension, and increase the degree of motion over time. End range expansion takes concentration and time.
Spinal Rolls
Benefits: Increases mobility and control of spinal muscles and joints. Strengthens core and muscles around the spine. Promotes wellness of spine.
Instructions: Start in a standing position. The movement should be done slowly with high
level of concentration. The focus is to articulate the movement and mobility of the spine like a wave. Bend the knees, tuck the chin towards the chest, flexing the spine one vertebrae at a time, slowly moving down the spine. Focus on the movement through the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine, until a forward fold is experienced. Keeping the knees bent, reverse the motion moving back up into a standing position.
Variations: Movement is done through a comfortable range of motion. It can be experienced standing, seated, in a chair, or in a quadruped position. The range of motion increases over time. Begin where the student is at.
Lateral Spine Circles
Benefits: Strengthens core muscles, erector spinae, and quadratus lumborum. Promotes spinal health and longevity by increasing neuromuscular control of core and spinal muscles. Increases mobility of the spine.
Instructions: Begin in a standing position. Lift the arms into shoulder flexion, grasping opposite forearms or elbows. Soften the knees and begin to laterally extend the spine. Continue a circular movement down the side body, slowly controlling the movement down into a forward fold. Move up the other side with the core engaged until back in original position.
Variations: Start small and break down movement one segment at a time. Works towards a more global movement pattern in a comfortable range of motion.
Hip Flexor Lift Offs
Benefits: Increases strength and usable mobility of hip flexor muscles. Activates and engages lower abdominal muscles.
Instructions: Start in a seated position with legs extended forward. Lift through the sit bones and lengthen through the spine. Engage the core and quadricep muscles, then use the hip flexors to lift the straight leg off of the ground. Allow the spine to stay tall as the hip flexors work to lift leg even higher. Repeat on the other side or with both legs at the same time
Variations: A block can be placed underneath the hips if the pelvis cannot move into the anterior rotation. Progression of movement can be made by widening the legs and challenging different ranges of motion.
Seated 90/90 Pose
Benefits: Increases internal rotation, external rotation, and usable range of motion in hip joints. Promotes neuromuscular connection to strengthen hip, glute, and leg muscles.
Instructions: Start in a seated position with legs extended forward. One leg at a time, bend the knee and rotate at the hip joint, one leg into external rotation and the other into internal rotation. Try to align legs into 90-degree angles, matching the knee in line with the hip and
the ankle in line with the knee. Move into a comfortable range of motion and use props if necessary to establish a stable posture. Focus on the engagement of pelvic floor muscles and leg muscles.
Variations: A block can be placed underneath the hips or knees to elevate posture and decrease the angle of rotation. Hands can also be placed onto the ground for balance purposes.
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