It took millions of years for us humans to evolve and develop the kind of muscles in our backs that allow us to stand and walk upright. But for the century that passed, more and more people are turning into sedentary creatures, spending most of their day working behind a desk, slouching in front of the TV, and traveling miles and miles sitting down.
All these take its toll on our neck and upper back muscles.
When we don’t use our neck and upper back muscles as much as they are meant to be used (Our ancestors spent most of their time hunting, walking, and gathering.), these muscles weaken and shorten. This shortening of the back muscles causes the muscles to tighten, allowing less blood to circulate. In time, this tightening manifests itself in pain and discomfort around the neck and upper back area.
The usual causes of neck and upper back pains are muscle strain from overuse, poor posture, and lack of or too much exercise.
For athletic people, neck and upper back pains from overuse and too much exercise may be a common discomfort they live through. But if left unchecked, this may lead to more serious injuries.
In most cases, however, pain in the neck and upper back results from awkward postures and poor work or study habits. If you position your head just a few centimeters the wrong way and sustain it, this may cause unbalanced stress on your muscles which always work in pairs. Needless to say, pain and soreness arise from stressing the muscles unduly.
“The soul that moves in the world of the senses and yet keeps the senses in harmony… finds rest in quietness.” Bhagavad Gita
In this section, we present the technique of relaxation, that is an essential part of your yoga practice. There are three parts to proper relaxation – physical, mental and spiritual relaxation. To relax the body, you lie down in the Corpse Pose (see below) and first tense then relax each part of the body in turn, working from up your feet to your head. This alternate tensing then relaxing is necessary because it is only by knowing how tension feels that you can be sure that you have achieved relaxation. Then just as in normal life your mind instructs the muscles to tense and contract, you now use autosuggestion to send the muscles a message to relax. With practice you will gradually learn to use your subconscious mind to extend this control to the involuntary muscles of the heart, the digestive systems and other organs too.
You may not be aware that a Yoga Exercise can relieve even the unwanted gases from your body. In the Wind Relieving Yoga Pose, the excess gas would be removed from the stomach and intestines, thus improving the digestive system. This Yoga Pose will also tone and stretch your lower back.
The Spinal Twist Yoga Pose, which takes its Sanskrit name from the great Yogic Sage Matsyendra, is one of the few Yoga Poses in the Basic Session that rotates the spine. Most bend the spinal column either backward or forward, but to become truly flexible it must be twisted laterally as well. The movement also tones the spinal nerves and ligaments, and improves digestion. Keep your spine erect and your shoulders leveled in the position. Breathe steadily. Twist a little more each time you exhale. Twist first to the left, as below, then repeat the sequence twisting to the right.
The Sun Salutation Pose, also known as Salute to the Sun and Surya Namaskar, is a flowing series of 12 poses which help improve strength and flexibility of the muscles and spinal column. This pose also warms up the body and tones the abdominal muscles. So take your yoga accessories and learn how to perform the Yoga Sun Salutation Pose with the help of our animation and easy-to-follow steps.
This exercise is great in relieving stress and tension on your shoulders, as well as your entire upper back. Learn how to do a Shoulder Stretch in this section. You will need a long strap for this one.
1. Sit in any comfortably erect position. Hold the strap and straighten your arms forward. As you inhale, move your arms up until they are overhead, and exhale as you bring them down behind you.
2. Coordinate this movement with your breathing, making the movement smooth. Make sure the strap is sufficiently long and your hands sufficiently far apart, so that you can keep your arms straight. If you cannot keep your arms straight, lengthen the strap.
3. The idea is to circumscribe as large a circle as possible with your hands as they go up and over. Therefore, at every given moment you are stretching outward through your arms in the direction they are pointing.
These simple Single Leg exercises prepare the body for yoga asanas, strengthening in particular the abdominal and lower back muscles used to come up into the Yoga Headstand and trimming the waist and thighs. If your muscles are weak, you may find yourself arching your lower back or using your shoulders to help lift your legs. To get the most benefit from the yoga exercises, make sure that the full length of your back is resting on the floor and keep shoulders and neck relaxed. All of these yoga postures begin with legs together and palms down by your sides.
In this series, one leg is raised while the other remains flat on the floor. At first you can push down with you hands to help lift your leg. Once your muscles are stronger, leave your hands palms up your sides. Keep both knees straight and press your lower back down to the floor to straighten the spine.
The Easy Pose or Sukhasana is a relaxation pose intended for Meditation. It promotes inner calm and straightens the spine, opens the hips, and relieves tiredness. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to do. In this section, learn how to do the Easy Pose.
Sit down on the floor or a Yoga Mat.
Cross your legs, placing your feet below your knees.
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The Easy Pose or Sukhasana is a relaxation pose intended for Meditation. It promotes inner calm and straightens the spine, opens the hips, and relieves tiredness. As the name suggests, this pose is very easy to do. In this section, learn how to do the Easy Pose.