Do you often suffer from pain, frozen shoulder, and stiff shoulders and neck? Learn 3 stretching exercises to improve!

Basic warm-up

1. Stretching Exercises – Waist Turn and Side Stretch

Stretching muscles: waist and abdomen. Side waist and hip. Arm muscles

The "waist turning and side stretching" movement is divided into two parts: "waist turning" pulls the muscles and meridians of the waist, abdomen, side buttocks, etc.; "side stretching" activates the sides of the arms, body, and upper back that are rarely exercised. It can strengthen the flexibility of the shoulder joints and upper body muscles, promote blood circulation, and especially improve upper body soreness, frozen shoulder, and stiff shoulders and neck.

STEP

Inhale

1. Stand with right fist at shoulder height

Open your feet as wide as your shoulders. After regulating your breathing, make a fist with your right hand, with the knuckle facing upward, and stretch it forward to the same height as your shoulders.

Exhale

2. Turn your hand back to the left

Stretch out your right hand and turn your waist to the left and back; hold your right shoulder with your left palm. After turning left 10 times, return to the starting position and change hands.

2. Stretching Exercises – Elbow Pressing

Stretching muscles: elbows and arms. Chest and back. Axillary lymph nodes

"Raising arms and pressing elbows" can stretch the axillary lymph glands, promote lymphatic detoxification, improve upper body soreness, and pull the muscles on both sides of the body, activate the shoulders and arms, and tighten the upper arm muscles. "Pressing the elbows behind the back" stretches the arms, shoulders, back and lower back. If you cannot bend your elbows behind your back, do not force it. Start by placing the backs of your hands against your waist.

STEP

Press, inhale, release and exhale

1. Elbow press

Open your feet shoulder-width apart. After regulating your breathing, place your right palm down against your back. Hold your right elbow with your left hand and press it backwards 10 times, then switch hands and practice.

Press, inhale, release and exhale

2. Elbow down

Place the back of your right palm straight against the center column of your back, support your right elbow with your left hand, push up 10 times, then switch hands to practice.

3. Stretching Exercises – Hands Behind

Stretching muscles: elbows and arms. Thoracic spine. Axillary lymph nodes

This move continues the "elbow press", strengthening the stretching of the arms and elbows, and extends to the armpits, chest, abdomen, and spine, allowing the meridians and muscles of the upper body to be fully stretched. It can improve chronic fatigue, endocrine disorders, shoulder and back pain, frozen shoulder, elbow and wrist inflammation, and correct body posture. If you are unable to clasp your hands at first, you can practice the "elbow press up" and "elbow press down" exercises on the previous page to loosen up your muscles.

STEP

Inhale three points

1. Place your right palm on your back and your left palm on your spine

Open your feet as wide as shoulders. After regulating your breathing, place your right palm from the shoulders down to your back; and place the back of your left palm from the lower back up to your spine.

Breathing smoothly

2. Hands clasped

With your left hand pointing upward and your right hand pointing downward, clasp your fingers together, and gently pull with both hands 10 times before switching hands to practice.

This article is from the book "Fitness Eight-Section Brocade [Muscle Anatomy Perspective Edition]: Traditional Qigong Boxing X4D Barehand Fitness, Shaolin Heir Teaches You 10 Minutes a Day to Strengthen Muscles and Bones, Relax Muscles and Promote Blood Circulation to Prevent All Diseases" published by Apple House Publishing House