Dolphin Shoulder Shrugs
Dolphin Shoulder Shrugs
Muscle Group(s) Stretched: Shoulders (potentially hamstrings if you choose to straighten your legs)
Muscle Group(s) Strengthened: Shoulder external rotators
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: Intermediate
Suggested Prerequisites: Can hold a dolphin pose (knees bent is ok!)
Shoulder shrugs are a great way to build your overhead shoulder strength and flexibility - unlike traditional arms-overhead shrugs, this variation in dolphin pose makes them more challenging by resisting against more bodyweight, and maintaining more shoulder external rotation throughout.
How To
Step 1
Start in a dolphin pose: from a forearm plank, lift your hips high as you press your chest backwards in space, bending your knees if that’s more comfortable - think of this like a downward facing dog but on your forearms. The goal starting position is to have a straight line from your elbows, to your shoulders, down your back, all the way to your hips.
You can adjust your forearm position to make this more (or less) challenging:
Starting with fingertips touching, elbows shoulder-width apart (making a “snow plow” shape with your lower arms) is slightly easier
Starting with your forearms parallel to each other (hands separated) is slightly harder (because it requires more shoulder external rotation)
Step 2
Keeping your back flat, push into your elbows to “shrug” your shoulders up your back (toward your ears), then pull your shoulder blades down your back (toward your hips). You can also think about pushing into your elbows to make space between the top of your head and the floor, and then trying to reach the top of your head closer to the floor.
Repeat for 5-12 shoulder shrugs.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Elevate your forearms on yoga blocks to send more weight into your feet (less weight in your arms/shoulders)
Want to make it harder?
Add a yoga block between your hands, and another between your elbows. Keep your elbows pressing in on the elbow block as you try and shrug your shoulders up and down.
Elevate your feet to lift your hips higher, sending more weight into your forearms.
Do these shoulder shrugs in a forearm stand.
