Are your shoulders, neck or wrists not supporting you in Yoga?

It is really common to have weakness in these joints and for it to feel like it gets in the way of enjoying your Yoga. Perhaps it's an injury, posture, overuse and too much sitting at the desk. Our posture is so important in creating pelvic-spinal-head alignment which impacts the shoulders and wrists too. You can work on your posture and correct habits in the Tadasana Workshop. Included in your online monthly subscription is the 'Supporting My Shoulders, Neck + Wrists Awareness' video where you can learn all the tricks and alternatives to avoid further injury but also to build strength - there's a connection with our shoulder girdle and the effectiveness of our core! Take your learning from this into any general Yoga practice. I have a rehabilitation history of RSI, broken hand, frozen shoulder and a few whiplashes and everything I share with you in the 'Supporting My Shoulders Neck + Wrists Series' has given me almost ten years of complete relief. I have helped so many of my students find ways to practice Yoga without pain or causing injury, in fact so many have rehabilitated from shoulder injuries due to over use in poorly practiced 'Chaturanga' in their flow classes. I hope it can help you find ways to practice and build the strength you need so you're without discomfort nor restriction in your practice. Check out below a list of other practices online which you may like to try - including my 'Chasing Chaturanga series' giving you all the tips to make this pose possible...or your safe version at least! Interested in reading a little about the metaphysical behind these physical issues? With shoulders + neck (Throat Chakra - our communication and authenticity) and wrists (Heart Chakra - compassion, gratitude and fulfilment). Healing has only ever occurred for me when I am willing to look beyond the physical and assess choices I am making and changing behaviours....and when I have it's never short of miraculous how the physical condition shifts, even really serious conditions. If you are interested in exploring the Chakras and yourself a little deeper try my 2hr Chakras in Practice Workshop. Yours in health, here's to feeling powerful and supported by your shoulders, neck and wrists!

Namaste, Nic Whiteman

Online classes to try - use the 'Search' bar save them in your favourites;

• Supporting My Shoulders Neck + Wrists I,II, III provides you with gentle strengthening, alignment, releases (especially #1 helpful 'Skull Presses' for necks!) an alternative to general classes where you may feel limited

• Cat/Cow to All 4's - ways you can support or other options to All 4s

• Plank Pose Workshop - all the options to make Planking possible, find your alternative for when doing regular practices

• Finding Your Downward Facing Dog - all your alternatives plus ways you can strengthen to make Downward Dog easier, or not maybe you find an option to use in other classes instead

• Foam Roller - Upper Body to release fascia and tight muscles and to break down scar tissue that might be impacting joint alignment and mobility

• Mini or Morning Limber - get your shoulders ready before loading in your practice, release fluid from the joint

• Core Series IV - Standing Strong works with legs

• Yogalates Wall Class improve posture and use of feet, knee alignment and safety of knees in standing poses, using the wall helps with less loading on shoulders/wrists

• Knowing My Knees I, II, III - series have suitable practices with minimal shoulder and wrist challenging

• Posterior Chain Strengthener- no shoulder and wrist challenging but still core strengthening

• Core Series II Activation - no shoulder loading

• Sun Salutation Half into Full - gives you options to do a sun salutation with a chair and no loading on shoulders

• Bringing Bhav into your Practice - a Hatha flow with minimal shoulders, but still nice and strong Hatha flow!

• Chasing Chaturanga I & II these are suitable if you are building strength once you are ready to load on wrists, help to improve your flow/sun salutations

• Yin Restore Upper Body - great to release tensions in upper body (but please ask me for a different version if a pose is not possible for your condition)

• Yin for Thoracic, Neck + Shoulders - great to release tensions in upper body (but please ask me for a different version if a pose is not possible for your condition)

• Chair Yoga I, II, III and Kitchen Yoga - perfect for whole body if you are limited weight bearing on upper body