Free Your Shoulders—Now! (with audio)

Many people have tight shoulders and necks. Try these simple moves to help. It really only takes five minutes!

First, come to stand, float one arm up toward the ceiling, then the other one. Which one is heavy? Which one moves easier? Now lie down.

1. Spiral the arm: Lying on your back, legs long or bent, raise the right arm into the air with soft fingers. Slowly rotate the arm on its axis, turning the thumb toward the feet and then toward the head. Observe the movement of the hand, forearm, elbow, upper arm...and then what? Does the movement travel into the shoulder, collar bone, or ribs? What does your head do? Does it roll or push into the floor? What about your eyes, are they fixed or soft? Rest the arm a moment.

Bring the same right arm up toward the ceiling. This time, reach toward the ceiling a few times slowly, bringing the shoulder blade away from the floor and back down. Go slow so you can feel what stops you. Feel the head: is it glued to the floor? Is it helping? What does the jaw do? The tongue?

Now combine the rotating and the reaching: Which way would you rotate the arm as you reach, which way as you return to the floor? What makes the movement easy? If you're not sure, test both ways. What moves in your ribs, the upper right quadrant of the chest? Do you hold the breath?

You are responsible for noticing in yourself where the parasitic or "impotent efforts" are, as Dr. Feldenkrais would say. If you feel strain or tension, do less and listen more.

Rest the right arm. Then float the right arm up to the ceiling once or twice, then the left arm. Compare: what's different?

2. Tapping shoulder: (I recommend using the same arm all the way through before you switch.) Raise the right arm to the ceiling with soft fingers. Lift the shoulder blade as if reaching the arm for the ceiling and then put it down, many times, gentle and controlled. Then switch the intention from lifting to tapping: accentuate the DOWN and tap, tap, tap the arm on the floor, through the shoulder joint. When the arm is really vertical, this will feel safe and secure in the joint. Leave the elbow straight so you feel it like a piston: bang, bang, bang, quick and light, like tapping on a door.

Are you clenching your jaw or holding your breath? See if the arm can be light and free in the socket without any excess tension. How fast can you go before you hold the breath?

Bring the arm down, then again float the right arm up to the ceiling once or twice, then the left arm. Compare: what's different?

3. Plunking the shoulder: Same right arm toward the ceiling. Lift the straight right arm and drop it into the joint. Lift and release, lift and release, many time. This is not a tapping, but a letting go and feeling the settling of the bones on the floor. Allow the ribs to be soft and responsive.

4. Left arm, then both arms: Do all of these with the left arm. Then test floating one arm up, then the other. Is it different?

Lastly, try plunking and tapping with both arms together, being mindful that the ribs are soft and the neck can move. Do NOT glue the head on the floor or you will interfere with the movement and cause strain. When moving both arms, allow the chin to lift away from the throat and the neck to arch.

Come to stand, float one arm up toward the ceiling, then the other one. How is it now?

Want a whole lesson on freeing the arms?
Try this audio lesson: