Have you ever wondered which muscles around your shoulders are causing all the pain and tension?
It turns out, there is a lot you can learn about which muscles to focus on, especially when it comes to your breathing!
A simple but revealing assessment involves observing how your shoulders respond to each inhale and exhale.
Picture this: as you take a normal breath, watch closely. Do your shoulders barely budge, or do they rise and fall with each inhale and exhale?
Here’s a very cool breakdown (..and yes, I am watching this when my clients are chatting away to me!)
1. **Shoulders going: Straight Up, Back Down:**
If your shoulders lift straight up with the inhale and settle back down with the exhale, it could signal tightness in muscles like the serratus anterior and pectoralis minor.
2. **Hardly Any Movement:**
If your shoulders remain mostly still, even with deeper breaths, they might be hanging off your neck and head. This could indicate tension in muscles like the trapezius and levator scapulae.
3. **Out and Up, Down and In:**
Ah, the Goldilocks movement! If your shoulders gracefully move out and gradually up (like angels wings opening) as you inhale, then gently lower back down as you exhale, you’ve found the sweet spot.
This indicates your shoulders are loose and responsive to your breath, riding and gliding on your rib cage effortlessly.
Remember, your breath is more than just air moving in and out of your lungs—it’s a powerful tool for understanding and unlocking the secrets your body holds.
So next time you take a breath, pay attention to what your shoulders have to say. They might just be whispering the key to your well-being.
If this sounds super intruiging to you, pop me a little message and lets have cuppa and a conversation about what series of movements are specifically good for you. Whilst my massages are full at the moment, there is truly helpful guided videos within my online membership that I can direct you towards
Have a lovely rest of your day, Jana xx
p.s. – just dropping some amazing feedback here (I asked my online studio members what their wins were this month!)
