Is Your Upper Body Tight? You Need These Tension-Relieving Yoga Practices.

"There are a ton of not-so-obvious ways that life keeps your arms and upper body active AF. Carrying groceries? Typing at your computer? Driving? Each of these activities sneakily keeps the muscles in your neck, upper back, shoulders, and chest on high alert. The result is that even when you're not using these muscles, they have trouble fully relaxing. Not to mention your range of motion might feel like that of a Lego figure."

"About a minute into this YouTube yoga practice, your arms, shoulders, and chest will feel the ahhh sensation of being stretched in the exact ways that have been missing from your life. Working down the body, Adriene cues head tilts to stretch the neck as well as shoulder squeezes to target the upper back. It's one of those yoga classes you don't know you need until you're on the other side of it."

Daily activities such as carrying groceries, typing, and driving keep the neck, upper back, shoulders, and chest muscles constantly engaged, preventing full relaxation and limiting mobility. Regular yoga stretches reduce upper body tension, decrease stiffness, and restore range of motion. Short YouTube sessions offer efficient upper-body relief; a 10-minute routine emphasizes head tilts and shoulder squeezes to release the neck and upper back, while a 15-minute practice employs Sphinx Pose, Warrior II, and Low Lunge with cactus arms to open the chest and extend shoulder mobility. Small, consistent stretches leave the arms, chest, and upper back feeling less constricted.

Read at Yoga Journal