Upper-Body Warm-Up

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Place your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and press evenly into the mat. Begin with your spine in a neutral, flat position.

1. Inhale — drop your belly toward the floor, lift your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling, and let your gaze travel forward and slightly up. This is cow.
2. Exhale — round your spine toward the ceiling, tuck your chin toward your chest, and draw your tailbone down. This is cat. Flow between the two with the rhythm of your breath.

• Let the breath lead the shape; one full inhale per cow, one full exhale per cat.
• Press the mat away from you on both halves so your shoulders stay supported.
• Keep your wrists and knees stationary — the movement lives in the spine and ribs, not the arms.

Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Spread your fingers wide and press evenly into the mat. Keep your spine long and neutral to begin.

1. Inhale — reach your right arm up toward the ceiling, opening your chest to the right.
2. Exhale — thread your right arm underneath your left, sliding it along the floor palm-up until your right shoulder and the side of your head rest on the mat. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. Inhale to unwind and press back up to tabletop, then repeat on the other side.

• Keep your hips stacked over your knees so the movement stays in your upper back.
• Let the weight of your head settle onto the mat rather than pressing into it.
• Press through your top hand to keep length across both shoulders.

Stand with your back against a wall and your feet a few inches out from the base. Gently bring your lower back, upper back, and the back of your head toward the wall. Bend your elbows and rest the backs of your arms and hands against the wall in a goal-post position at shoulder height.

1. Inhale — lengthen through the crown of your head and settle your shoulders down.
2. Exhale — slide your arms slowly up the wall toward a Y overhead, keeping your hands and elbows as close to the wall as you can.
3. Pause when you reach a comfortable range without your lower back arching away from the wall.
4. Inhale — slide your arms back down to the goal-post position with control, and repeat.

• Keep your ribs down and your lower back close to the wall throughout.
• Move only through the range where your arms stay near the wall.
• Move slowly and smoothly rather than reaching quickly for the top.

Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a resistance band with both hands at shoulder height in front of you. Set your grip about shoulder-width so the band has light tension, arms extended forward with a soft bend in your elbows. Lift your chest, draw your shoulder blades down, and brace your core.

1. Extend your arms forward at shoulder height with light tension on the band.
2. Exhale — pull the band apart by drawing your hands out to the sides toward your chest.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together as the band nears your chest, keeping your arms level.
4. Inhale — bring your hands back together under control until the band returns to light tension.

• Lead by drawing your shoulder blades together rather than only moving your hands.
• Keep your arms level at shoulder height with a steady soft bend in your elbows.
• Keep your shoulders down and neck relaxed — avoid shrugging toward your ears.
• Exhale as you pull the band apart, inhale as you return.
• Widen or shorten your grip on the band to adjust the tension through the movement.

Anchor a resistance band at about waist height and stand side-on to it, holding the band in the hand farther from the anchor. Tuck that elbow against your side, bent at 90 degrees, with your forearm across your body and your palm facing in. Stand tall, draw your shoulder blade down, and brace your core so your torso stays still.

1. Set your elbow pinned at your side, bent 90 degrees, with your forearm across your belly.
2. Exhale — rotate your forearm outward away from your body, keeping your elbow fixed at your side.
3. Pause when your forearm points forward or slightly out, keeping your wrist straight.
4. Inhale — rotate your forearm back across your body under control to the start.
5. Complete your reps, then turn around and repeat with the other arm.

• Keep your elbow pinned to your side so the movement comes purely from rotating the shoulder.
• Move only your forearm — your upper arm and torso stay still.
• Keep your wrist straight and in line with your forearm throughout.
• Exhale as you rotate out, inhale as you return.
• Rotate out only to a range that feels comfortable in your shoulder, with control on the way back.

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a resistance band in both hands with a wide overhand grip, arms extended down in front of your thighs. A wider grip will make the movement feel more comfortable.

1. Inhale — keep your arms straight and your shoulders settled down, away from your ears.
2. Exhale — raise the band up and overhead in a smooth arc, keeping your arms long.
3. Continue the arc back and down behind you as far as is comfortable, letting the band stretch as needed.
4. Reverse the path, bringing the band back overhead and down in front, and repeat.

• Keep your arms straight throughout; the movement travels through the shoulders.
• Widen your grip if your shoulders feel pinched, and only pass as far back as is comfortable.
• Keep your ribs down and avoid arching your lower back as the band travels overhead.