Shoulders and upper back

Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana: Sitting

A shoulder opener anyone can do: even seated.

How to do it

1. 1

   Sit tall on a chair or on the floor

   Choose whichever is steadier for you. Sitting with your back to a wall gives you something to stay upright against.

2. 2

   Interlace your fingers and turn the palms away

   Hands in front of you at chest height, fingers laced, palms turning outward as the arms lengthen.

3. 3

   Lift the arms as high as the shoulders allow

   Elbows can stay bent, and you stop at the height where the movement is still comfortable. Sitting takes balance out of the equation, so all your attention can go to the shoulders.

4. 4

   Stay upright as the arms rise

   Do not let the lift pull you backwards. A supported, upright seat makes this much easier to keep.

5. 5

   Hold for 60 to 90 seconds, then lower slowly

   Breathe normally throughout and bring the arms down at the same unhurried speed.

What to watch for

Leaning back from the middle to buy extra reach, which is especially comfortable to do on a chair. The torso stays upright, and if the arms will not go higher without you tipping back, that height is your range for today.

Ways to adjust it

• Bent elbows
• Stop at the height the shoulder allows
• Supported upright sitting

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits.

• Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana: Block
• Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana: Classic
• Urdhva Baddhanguliyasana: Strap

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.