Battling Body Burnout: Shoulders & Wrists

Staying active, whatever that looks like for you (hitting your mat, training for a marathon, taking a hike, etc.), is great for your body and mind. When you’re exercising regularly, it’s important to listen to your body and take care of it.

In the second post in our Battling Body Burnout series, we look at how to protect your shoulders and wrists. 

Modify Your Chaturanga 

In any Plank Position or High to Low Plank, aka Chaturanga, you can lower to your knees for more support. As extra protection for your shoulders and wrists, be sure to press through the L of your hand (mounds of your thumb and index finger) to distribute weight evenly across your palms. 

You can also substitute Cobra Pose for Up Dog or hold High Plank then skip straight to Down Dog.

Build Your Serratus Anterior Muscles 

When your serratus anterior (think armpit/ribs) muscles are weak, your shoulder blades can wing out from your ribs as you push through your arms in High to Low Plank. This winging can create tightness and strain at the front of your shoulders. 

Having shoulder issues? Doing Scapula Push Ups is a great way to strengthen your serratus anterior muscles! The movement of this push up is very small, but extremely effective. Feel confident in your Scapula Push Ups:

• Start in High Plank

• Keep your pelvis stable and your arms extended

• Inhale lower your chest towards the floor

• Exhale press your upper back toward the ceiling

• Keep your gaze down and the back of your neck long

• Complete 20 reps 

Give Your Arms & Hands Some TLC

With everything we ask of our hands and forearms from day to day - typing, writing, driving, cooking - your wrist muscles can become fatigued and you may even experience an imbalance in muscle strength. 

To counteract this, massage your forearm from your elbow crease to your wrist and down your hand, then switch to your other arm. You should also be sure to frequently stretch the front of your forearms. Give this deep Forearm Stretch a try:

• Start in a comfortable seated position or in Table Top 

• Bring your hands in front of you and press your knuckles to touch. Keep that shape and lower your hands toward the floor with your knuckles down and palms facing up.

• Gently press down into the back of your hands as you slowly draw your elbows towards each other to feel the stretch in your forearms