Advanced Shoulder Warm Up for Contortion
Advanced Shoulder Warm Up for Contortion
Contortion-style backbending asks a lot of your shoulders. To make sure I’m properly warmed up before I practice deep backbending postures, there are some extra drills I like to include beyond my “regular” shoulder warm up and conditioning exercises that cater to the more difficult work shoulders will asked to help with in contortion, like extreme shoulder rotations.
“Advanced” Shoulder Warm Ups
Note: Most of these require your back to already be warmed up as well, so add them in after you’ve done your back-specific warm up (back extensions, supermans, flutter kicks, etc).
Back Extension w/ Shoulder Flossing
Lie down on your belly with your arms reaching straight overhead, grabbing a strap a little wider than shoulder-width apart (whatever width you can comfortably grab for shoulder flossing)
Suck your belly button into your spine to engage your abs as you lift your arms and chest off the ground (this is your regular ol’ “back extension” technique). The goal is to lift up to the height of your back extension before you bring your arms back
At the top of your extension, pull your strap overhead back to your butt, keeping your torso lifted, arms straight and making sure both shoulders rotate at the same time as you bring the strap behind you
Bring the strap back overhead and slowly lower back down with control - that’s one rep
Repeat for 8-15 reps
Low Bow Shoulder Rotations
Lie on your belly and lasso a strap around the top of one foot
Grab the strap with the same-side arm, elbow pointing out to the side, and your shoulder blade squeezing in towards your spine
Continuing to hold the strap, lift your elbow up and forwards (like you’re drawing an arc) until your elbow points forwards, and your shoulder blade pulls away from your spine and slides to hug towards the side of your rib cage
Lift your elbow up and back to lower back to start. That’s one rep
Continue for 10 reps of these shoulder rotations, then switch sides
If you have very mobile shoulders and can comfortably grab your foot, try these without a strap.
Bridge Swoop Toe Touches
Sitting on your butt, knees bent, and feet planted about hip width apart, plant one hand about 6-10” behind your butt, fingers pointing in towards the middle of the mat
Press into your feet and your support hand to lift your hips
As you lift your hips, swoop your free arm across your body and bring it overhead to plant it next to the first hand, again trying to rotate your fingers in to face your mid line to make this more comfortable on your wrists
Shift weight to the new hand, drop your hips, and swoop the first hand down to tap the opposite-side ankle or toes
Repeat swooping into and out of your bridge, tapping your feet each time you drop your butt
If you’re struggling with the coordination for this movement, this video breaks it down a little slower.
Cobra Arm Raises
Start in your low cobra (belly flat on the ground, bottom-most ribs touching the ground, forearms pressing into the floor to help lift the crown of your head toward the sky), but take one forearm and plant it diagonally so your forearm reaches across the center of your mat
Trying to keep your chest nice and lifted and your shoulders just as high as your starting cobra, shift your weight into the diagonal forearm so you can lift the other arm
Lift your free arm, palm facing towards the center and thumb reaching back, trying to lift it as high as you can - aiming to reach straight up to the ceiling, or even past the ceiling, pulling your thumb behind your shoulders
Slowly raise and lower your arm 10-15 times
On the last repetition, hold your arm up in your highest extended position, and do 10 small pulses pulling your thumb behind you. Keep your chest high by engaging your back - don’t let it droop!
Repeat 10-15 lifts (and 10 little pulses) on the opposite side
Are there any other shoulder exercises you swear by in your warm up?
Let us know in the comments below!
