Roll your shoulders back! This is a phrase I hear on a regular basis from my yoga instructors. I have always had problems rolling my shoulders back. This causes problems in various poses like:
- Chaturanga
- Cobra
- Camel
- Basically any yoga pose
About three weeks ago, my yoga instructor gave me blocks to put at the top of my mat (see featured image). The idea is to get the your chest to touch the blocks when you practice Chaturanga. That way your shoulders are back properly and the shoulder heads do not roll forward.
Now, not going to lie, I was disappointed in myself when she put the blocks in front of me, especially since I had thought I already mastered Chaturanga. I got over my disappointment quickly thought when I started to practice and I could feel my shoulders and the rest of my body really start to work.
About a week and a half into practicing with blocks, I could feel my shoulders getting stronger. Sure, the Chaturangas were harder but I also noticed I could get into some poses better like Bow Pose and Humble Warrior. I thought to myself, everyone should practice with blocks! You get so strong!
Today was three weeks to the day practicing with blocks. Today was also the day my instructor took them away. Now I only have myself to guide me. No more crutch to help me through. As I reflected on this lesson, sometimes we need “crutches” in life to guide us.
Readers, would love to know what crutches you have used in life.
~Namaste
Scrappy Yogi
Scrappy Yoga 
Once I learned what it felt like to have my shoulders in the right place, in now able to correct myself when I am doing it wrong. I’ve always had lazy wrists and still do. My hands flop, and when I was a kid my piano teacher tried to correct me by making me hold tennis balls while I played. Didn’t work! Now I notice more than ever when my hands are falling flat – I make more typos when I try to type fast if my wrists are being lazy!
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I never heard of this trick!
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Probably because it doesn’t work!!
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