This practice focuses on moving the shoulders and upper spine through comfortable ranges after long periods of sitting.
This sequence is designed to move the shoulders and upper back after long periods of sitting or screen time. It gives you a clear order to follow while leaving room to shorten holds, use props or skip anything that does not suit your body today.
Before you begin
Time: about 15 minutes. What you need: Yoga mat; strap optional. You do not need to complete every position for the practice to “count”. Set up enough space to move comfortably and keep any useful props within reach.
Keep the neck easy and let the shoulder blades move. Bigger arm movements are not automatically better.
Sequence
- Seated shoulder rolls, 6 each direction.
- Seated Eagle Arms, 4 breaths each side.
- Cat–Cow, 6 rounds.
- Thread the Needle, 5 breaths each side.
- Puppy Pose with hips over knees, 5 breaths.
- Low Lunge with cactus arms, 4 breaths each side.
- Standing clasped-hands chest opener or strap hold, 5 breaths.
- Wide-Legged Forward Fold with hands supported, 5 breaths.
- Child’s Pose, 6 breaths.
How to pace the practice
Let the breath be a guide rather than a stopwatch. In flowing sections, use a pace that allows you to arrive in each shape before leaving it. In held poses, come out earlier if the breath becomes strained or you start bracing unnecessarily.
Make it work for you
Keep the range modest, use blocks or a chair when they make the floor easier to reach, and take an extra breath before transitions. You can also remove any pose that feels confusing and repeat a simpler one instead.
On a low-energy day, reduce the number of repetitions and make the final resting position longer. If you want a little more movement, repeat the central section once rather than adding unfamiliar poses at random.
What to pay attention to
A useful practice should leave you with information about how you are moving today. Notice where you can breathe easily, where you are gripping, and whether a prop or smaller range improves the pose. That feedback is more valuable than making the sequence look a particular way.
Practice note: This is general yoga guidance, not individual medical care. Work within a comfortable range and stop if you experience pain, numbness, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath or any symptom that concerns you.