Start with circling the right arm
This is a wonderful exercise for a tight and sore shoulder girdle, my clients really adore it. Slow circular arm movements executed without tension, are one of the best things you can do for your shoulder and it’s surrounding ligaments, tendons, tissues and muscles. The difference with this exercise is that it allows gravity to do most of the work for you, the more relaxed you can be the better. The first few times you try this, you might think it’s “light-weight” but as the arm circles are done with a thoughtful, caring approach, the shoulder feels “safe” and can begin to release unwanted tension. It becomes a useful self-massage: releasing tension at the front of the armpit, shoulder and neck, improving shoulder-blade mobility and helping to stimulate synovial fluid so as to “oil” the shoulder joint itself.
A client of mine had been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder and had lived with it for 18 months when we met. His shoulder blade was being held unhealthily in a lifted position by tight surrounding neck and shoulder muscles. As this exercise is gentle, it worked very well for him and surprisingly quickly. You may find as your shoulder releases that an underlying neck or shoulder injury appears which you can then address, but at least you can enjoy the mobility of your arm again.
THE WINDMILL
Quality of movement: It’s an exploration, take your time. Reaching outwards with your arm is key, aim to draw a bigger circle with your finger tips each time: if you stroke your fingers on the carpet you’ll be surprised how the circumference of the circle widens by the end. Keeping your neck and shoulders relaxed throughout allows gravity, using the weight of your arm alone, to open up the shoulder joint without any strain. Remember shoulders are individual and the key is in not forcing any part of the circle, particularly when reaching the arm overhead.
Set Up
To circle the right arm:
1. Curl up: Lying on the left side of your body and bend both knees up towards
your chest into a fetal position, one leg on top of the other. Rest your head on the floor, placing a folded towel underneath for comfort if preferred and relax your neck muscles.
2. Place your left hand: on top of your right knee, palm down. Legs, hips and left hand stay here whilst the top/right arm circles.
3. Reach: imagine now, that you are lying on a clock-face with your head at 12:00 o’clock and your feet at 6:00 o’clock. Reach your right arm to 3:00 o’clock in front of you with your palm facing down. You’re now set-up and ready to circle your top arm.
Action: Do 5 long armed circles anti-clockwise, up above your head and round. Followed by 5 circles clockwise, in the opposite direction, reaching the arm downwards over the legs and reaching back and up. Fingertips lightly touching the floor wherever possible.
Let’s begin to circle anti-clockwise:
From 3.00 to 12.00: Reach outward with the fingers to bring length to your arm. Gently and slowly circle up to 12.00 o’clock above your head, keeping your shoulders and neck muscles relaxed.
From 12:00-9:00: Reach backwards, let your upper body rotate
From 12:00 to 9:00: Carry on circling the arm and as you reach-backwards let your
upper body rotate, allowing your breastbone to face towards the sky. Circling through 11 and 10 o’clock be sure to allow your fingers to float off the floor if the shoulder feels tight. Head turns to look at your right hand as it reaches 9:00 o’clock and your palm will naturally want to face upwards by this point. Remember to keep the hips and knees still as your upper body rotates.
From 9:00 to 6:00: Carry on circling to the 6 o'clock position over your hips
From 9:00 to 6:00: Carry on circling smoothly to 6.00 o’clock over your hips, where the palm will naturally face downward again.
From 6:00 back to 3:00: Find the floor with your fingertips and trace to 3.00 o’clock in front of you, returning your upper body onto it’s left side again to complete the first circle. Head looks forward again towards the hand.
Do 4 more circles anti-clockwise with the right arm joining them smoothly together and then reverse the direction with 5 circles clockwise. Repeat: lying on your right side, circling with your left arm.
Safety for painful shoulders: At the sign of any pain allow your hand to float above the floor, one foot above the floor if necessary, especially as you circle from 12:00 o’clock above the head to 9:00 o’clock behind you. The shoulder is often at it’s stiffest in this area and can feel quite painful. Work gently, keeping the movement flowing round as if you’re unwinding the shoulder and the stiffness and pain should ease with each circle.
Watch-points:
1. Trace a bigger circle with your fingertips on each circle.
2. You can find a wonderfully beneficial stretch across the front of your armpit, chest and down your arm, as you reach diagonally behind you between: 11:00 and 10:00 o’clock. Take your time through this area. Explore.
3. Palm faces down towards the floor when in front of you and faces up towards the ceiling when behind you. Do what feels natural.
4. Head rolls from 3:00 to 9:00 to 3:00 o’clock, following the hand that is circling.
5. Because your hips and knees stay still, you’ll get the benefit of an upper-body rotation as you reach backwards, giving the spine a gentle mobilizing twist. If you feel your spine is overarching, draw both knees a little higher towards your chest to protect your lower-back.
Finish off each side with a stretch:
Come to rest, as in the second photography with your arm on diagonal behind you at 11:00 o’clock, palm facing up. There’s often a healthful stretch here across the front of the armpit and chest. Relaxing your neck and shoulders fully, enjoy five slow breaths. With each exhalation allow gravity, with the weight of the arm, to help you sink a little deeper into the stretch. Look forward to the day when your hand and shoulder rest on the floor with ease, you may be surprised.
Amanda Musker studied classical ballet at the Royal Ballet School in London. She went on to enjoy 14 enormously successful years working in London’s West End, starring in productions such as “Cats,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat” and “Oklahoma.” In 2000 Amanda decided to pursue her other great passions, Pilates and yoga. This led her to an equally successful career as one of the most sought-after teachers of these disciplines. Having experienced 30 years of career-related injuries, as well as working with hundreds of yoga and Pilates students, Amanda is uniquely qualified to bring a deeper understanding of our bodies and what helps to make us flourish in them. Send your questions to Amanda@smartnow.com.
