Day 100- Puppet Arms Single on Foam Roller

This exercise works to correct imbalances between the individual shoulders.  It also helps to release tension in between the shoulder blades.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back on the Foam Roller.  The Foam Roller should be parallel to your spine.  Your knees will be bent and your feet will be planted in the ground.  Then reach your fingertips towards the ceiling.  Reach one hand up towards the ceiling and then reach the other.  With each reach feel the muscles between the shoulder blades and the spine get longer.  Allow the shoulders to widen.  Alternate sides as you do this exercise.

Things to think about:

Varying the speed at which you alternate sides in this exercise will vary the feel to the exercise.  If you move very slowly this exercise will feel like individual stretches for the muscles between the shoulder blades.  If you do this exercise quickly then you will feel muscular release due to self massage between your shoulder blades and the log.

Day 99- Puppet Arms on Foam Roller

This exercise is intended to stretch the rhomboids and release any shoulder blades that may be stuck.  The log also allows for proprioceptive feedback and massage.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller. Start by lying on your back on the Foam Roller.  The Foam Roller should be parallel to your spine.  Your knees will be bent and your feet will be planted in the ground.  To begin the exercise reach your fingertips towards the ceiling above your chest.  Inhale as the muscles between your shoulder blades stretch, which allows your reaching fingertips to pull the shoulder blades up and away from the log.  Exhale allow the shoulder blades to plop back on the log.  Repeat this 6-8 times. 

Things to think about:

This exercise is called puppet arms because you want to imagine that there are strings attached to your fingertips and that someone else is pulling your shoulder blades away from the log.  Then the strings are cut and this is what causes the shoulder blade plop.