Learn how to work the arms and chest in Tadasana

In the previous post, I explained several exercises to work and learn to engage the feet, legs, and pelvis, now I’m going to show how we can work our chest and arms in Tadasana (Mountain Pose).

ACTIVATE THE ARMS

1st we will need...

to place one STRAP

around our arms.

STEP BY STEP

1. Firstly, we need to find the correct shoulder-width measure of the strap. So keep the arms in front of you, and wrap a belt around the forearms, in order to find the correct measure of the strap. If you feel the pressure of the belt against the ribcage with the forearms touching the side ribs, you have the shoulder-width measure.

2. After removing the strap from your forearms, send the arms back and wrap the strap around the bones of the outer elbows behind you, as you can see in the image below.

3. Lift the side chest up and stretch the arms down, by moving them sideways, and stretching the strap.

4. Extend the palms and fingers down in line with the arms, pressing the thumb against the sideways of the hand, to engage the arms.

If you don’t feel comfortable with the strap, or you don’t have one, you can also just interlace the fingers behind you, and when you breathe in, lift the ribcage up, and on breathing out, stretch the arms back moving the hands towards the ground.

THE EFFECT OF THIS EXERCISE...

• When you activate and press the arms against the strap this helps to move the shoulder blades in, opening the chest.

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PERFECTING THE CONSCIENCE OF OUR RIB CAGE

1st we will need...

to place one STRAP

to place one STRAP around our chest.

STEP BY STEP

1. Loop a belt around the chest and fasten it. Then stand in Tadasana.

2. To understand the placement of the rib cage, inhale and tuck the tailbone in. On exhale, do the opposite movement with the tailbone.

You can also lift your arms up into Urdhva Hastasana.

THE EFFECT OF THIS EXERCISE...

• The belt brings awareness toward the top of the chest, the ribcage, and also the shoulder blades. This helps to keep them in place and also a better engagement and alignment of the spine, activating the entire torso and top chest.

Urdhva Hastasana (Upward Hands Pose)

Like in Tadasana, in this posture, the practitioner stands tall, like a mountain with the hands raised over the head.

Urdhva Hastasana is an uplifting pose that seems so easy and we take for granted so many times but in fact, is full of subtleties and manages to work our body balance, height, and extension as well as our focus. With this asana, we find a sense of release by clearing the shoulders away from the ears.

​DRISHTI / GAZE	Forward or to the thumbs.
PHYSICAL BENEFITS	Strengthen the arches of the feet, ankles, knees, and thighs. Tones the abdominal muscles, buttocks, and thighs. Aligns the spine. Opens the chest. Improves posture. Works the shoulders extensors and elevators and elbow flexors.
MENTAL BENEFITS	Increases and develops concentration and focus. Develops willpower. Reduces anxiety.
COUNTERPOSES	Uttanasana (Standing forward bend pose), Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Balasana (Child’s pose)
THIS ASANA PREPARES THE BODY FOR:	​Vrksasana (Tree pose) Utkatasana (Chair pose) Surya Namaskara, Other standing poses.
CAUTIONS:	If you have high blood pressure or any cardiac condition do not stretch the arms up for over 30 seconds.

NOW LET'S SEE HOW WE CAN WORK THIS POSE

1. Stand up with the feet parallel. Big toes joining together and heels slightly apart. Ground down through the four corners of each foot.

2. Lift the shinbones and the kneecaps, engaging the quadriceps/thigh muscles and drawing the inner and outer knees (without straining them).

3. Neutralize your pelvis by pulling the pubic bone toward the navel lengthening the spine and the trunk. This action prevents an excessive curve on the lumbar spine and also keeps the lower rib cage in.

4. Inhale and extend your arms to the side parallel to the floor with the palms facing down, raising your shoulders height. Exhale and turn the palms towards the ceiling externally rotating from the top of the humerus bones.

5. On the next inhalation circle the arms up alongside the ears, and keep the shoulders away from the ears by relaxing them. 

6. Make sure your lower ribs are not splaying out. Keep your gaze at the horizon, your chin level, and your throat soft and open.

Source: Iyengar Yoga with Heather @IyengarYogawithHeather