In Tadasana: Exercises for the arms
In all these exercises you have to constrict the gluteus muscles and pull the abdomen in (scoop) from the pubic bone to the xyphoid process of the sternum (slight backward rotation of the pelvis).
Nr. 1 : ‘Hands up’
With two thera bands
First one hand at a time, and then with both hands.
Technique I: With one hand
- Place one end of the thera band under the right foot and hold the other end in the right fist
- With the right fist next to the right hip turn the palm facing backwards (endo-rotatation of the arm)
- Bend the right wrist in a way that the knuckles face backwards
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation slowly raise the right arm forward with the wrist bent, using the frontal deltoid, up till shoulder height
- Keep the back straight
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Inhale and continue raising the arm up until it is next to the right ear, keeping the wrist bent
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Turn the wrist up and then slowly, with an exhalation, bring the arm down.
- Straighten the wrist
- Repeat with the left arm
Technique: II: With two hands
- Place the ends of the thera bands under each foot and hold the other ends in the fists
- With the fists next to the hips turn the palms facing backwards (endo-rotatation of the arms)
- Bend the wrists in such a way that the knuckles face backwards
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation slowly raise the arms forward with the wrists bent, using the frontal deltoids, up till shoulder height, with the knuckles pointing downwards
- Keep the arms straight and parallel to each other
- Keep the back straight
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Inhale and continue raising the arms until they are next to the ears, keeping the wrists bent and the arms straight and parallel to each other
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Turn the wrists up and then slowly, with an exhalation, bring the arms down.
- Straighten the wrists
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 2: ‘Wall pushing’
Start with the feet about one foot away from the wall. Do 4 times, Then place the feet further away from the wall, and repeat 4 times. Keep placing the feet further back till you can do the exercise with the arms coming to full stretch
Technique:
- Stand facing the wall at arm’s length
- Keep the feet at hip width
- Put the hands on the wall in front of you at shoulder height and at shoulder width
- Put the thera band around the elbows to keep them in
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Exhale and bend the arms to bring the chest to the wall, keeping the body straight and the elbows parallel to each other
- The thera band should stay loose
- Inhale push the hands against the wall to come back to arms length, keeping the elbows parallel to each other and the body straight
- Repeat 10 times
Nr. 3: ‘Wall pushing’
Technique:
- Stand with your back towards the wall, about one foot away from the wall
- Keep the feet at hip width
- Put the hands on the wall back of you, as high as you can
- Put the thera band around the elbows to keep them in
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and push the wall with the hands, stretching the arms so that the body leans forward, keeping the back and head straight
- Exhale bend the elbows so that the body goes back to the wall and the elbows go to the wall
- Repeat 10 x
Nr. 4: ‘Swing’
This is a combination of the previous two: ‘Hands up’ and ‘Handcuffing’
From ‘Hands up’ with two hands, bring the hands back into
‘Handcuffing’
Repeat 4 x
Nr. 5: ‘Triceps’
Technique:
- Stand with the feet at hip width
- Hold the thera band and keep the hands in front of the chest, at shoulder height
- Keep also the bent elbows at shoulder height
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With a inhalation stretch the thera band sideways at shoulder height till the arms are in one line
- Repeat 10 times
Nr. 6: ‘Horizontal chest press’
Technique:
- Keep the thera band on the back just below the shoulder blades
- Hold the ends of the thera band in the hands
- Wrists straight and the elbows next to the rib cage
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with the exhalation slowly push the thera band forward parallel to the floor till the arms are completely straight
- Arms and wrists in neutral position
- Keep the thoracic spine straight
- Hold for 5 seconds and then slowly, with an exhalation, bring the hands back to the chest.
Nr. 7: ‘Incline chest press’
Hold the thera band in the hands
Technique:
- Keep the thera band on the back just below the shoulder blades
- Hold the ends of the thera band in the hands
- Wrists straight and the elbows next to the rib cage
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with the exhalation slowly push the thera band forward and up to just above shoulder level till the arms are completely straight
- Arms and wrists in neutral position
- Keep the thoracic spine straight
- Hold for 5 seconds and then slowly, with an exhalation, bring the hands back to the chest.
Nr. 8: ‘Shoulder press’
Technique:
- Keep the thera band on the back just below the shoulder blades
- Hold the ends of the thera band in the hands
- Wrists straight and the elbows next to the rib cage
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with the exhalation slowly push the thera band forward and up almost vertical till the arms are completely straight
- Arms and wrists in neutral position
- Keep the thoracic spine straight
- Hold for 5 seconds and then slowly, with an exhalation, bring the hands back to the chest.
Nr. 9: ‘Flye’
Technique:
- Hold the thera band behind the shoulder blades at shoulder height and hold the ends in the fists at shoulder height with the arms in exo-rotation, wrists straight and fists facing forward
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with the exhalation bring the arms forward at shoulder height until the fists touch each other . The shoulder blades widen away from the spinal column and the shoulders come forward
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Inhale and with the exhalation take the fists again to the sides, closing the shoulder blades against the spinal column with the rhomboids
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 10 : ‘Reverse flye’
Technique:
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation stretch the arms forward, parallel to each other, till they are parallel to the floor and at shoulder height.
- With an exhalation stretch the thera band sideways parallel to the floor and at shoulder height
- Hold for 5 seconds
- With the exhalation take the hands back to the center
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 11 : ‘Frog swimming’
Technique:
- Hold the thera band in front of the body and hold the ends in the fists, fists facing each other
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and push the arms forward, in line with the shoulders
- Exhale and elongate the arms forward and up, parallel to each other, so that the shoulder blades widen
- Bend the wrists so that the fists face forward
- Inhale and elongate the arms sideways, turning the fists facing sideways and then backwards (swimming) so that the shoulder blades close against the spinal column
- With the exhalation lower the arms at the side, pulling the shoulder blades towards the spinal column with the latissimuis dorsi, till the arms are just below the level of the shoulders
- Inhale and bend the elbows, pulling them down with the latissimus dorsi, next to the chest, rotating the arms into exo-rotation
- The muscles of the shoulders, the rhomboids and the trapezius pull the shoulders and the shoulder blades down and towards the spinal column and flatten them
- Keep pulling the arms down with the muscles of the back
- Inhale and with the exhalation join the fists in front with the elbows bent
- Inhale and with the exhalation start again from the beginning
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 12: ‘Back swimming’
Technique:
- With the arms next to the hips turn the arms till the palms of the hands look backwards (endo-rotation of the arms)
- Bend the wrist till the knuckles of the fingers point backwards
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation, using the frontal deltoid raise the arms slowly forward up till shoulder height
- Keep the arms straight and parallel to each other
- While the arms go up the trapezius lifts the shoulder blades and the shoulders
- Exhale and again inhaling continue to raise the arms till they are next to the ears, keeping the hands bent in the wrists
- Now lift the hands in the wrists till the knuckles of the fingers point upwards
- Inhale and with the exhalation bring the arms down sideways , pulling the shoulder blades towards the spinal column with the latissimus dorsi, till the arms are just below shoulder level.
- The muscles of the shoulder blades, the rhomboids and the trapezius pull the shoulder blades towards the spinal column and flatten them. That brings the arms down under shoulder level
- Continue pulling the arms down with the muscles of the back
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 13: ‘Rhomboids e trapezius’
Technique:
- With the arms next to the hips turn the arms till the palms of the hands look backwards (endo-rotation of the arms
- Bend the wrist till the knuckles of the fingers point backwards
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation, using the frontal deltoid raise the arms slowly forward up till shoulder height
- Keep the arms straight and parallel to each other and the back straight
- Continue raising the arms till they are next to the ears, with the hands bent in the wrists
- Then raise the hands in the wrists till the knuckles point upwards
- With an exhalation lower the arms sideways, pulling the shoulder blades towards the spinal column, till the arms are just below shoulder level
- The muscles of the shoulder blades, the rhomboids and the trapezius pull the shoulder blades towards the spinal column and flatten them. That brings the arms down under shoulder level
- Continue pulling the arms down with the muscles of the back
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 14: ‘Horizontal triceps extension’
Technique:
- Hold the thera band in both hands, hands shoulder width apart and at shoulder height.
- Lift the elbows out to the side, keeping the arms parallel to the floor
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with an exhalation stretch the thera band sideways parallel to the floor and at shoulder height
- Hold for 5 seconds
- With the exhalation bring the hands slowly back to the shoulders
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 15 : ‘Triceps’
Technique:
- Keep the thera band behind the shoulder blades
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with an exhalation stretch the thera band sideways parallel to the floor and at shoulder height
- Hold for 5 seconds
- With the exhalation bring the hands slowly back to the shoulders
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 16: ‘Biceps curl’
Technique:
- Put the middle of the thera band on the floor and hold it down with the feet
- Hold an end of the band in each hand with your palms facing forward.
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Inhale and with the exhalation, keeping your elbows close to your ribs, bend your arms slowly to bring your palms towards your shoulders (biceps)
- Exhale and slowly bring the hands down
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 17 : ‘Triceps and biceps’
Hold the thera band in the hands
Technique:
- Put the ends of the thera band on the floor and hold them down with the feet
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Hold the ends of the thera bands in the hands and bend the wrists till the knuckles of the fingers point towards the thighs
- With an inhalation raise the arms sideways parallel to the floor and at shoulder height, stretching the thera band
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat 4x
Nr. 18 : ‘Triceps and biceps’
Technique:
- Put one end of the thera band on the floor and hold it down with the right foot
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- Hold the other end in the right hand and bend the wrist till the knuckles of the fingers point down
- With an inhalation raise the arm forward parallel to the floor, to shoulder height, stretching the thera band
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat the other side
- Repeat each side 4x
Nr. 19 : ‘Lateral raise with one arm’
Technique:
- Put one end of the thera band on the floor and hold it down with the right foot.
- Hold the other end in the right hand and bend the wrist till the knuckles of the fingers point towards the thigh
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation raise the arm sideways parallel to the floor, to shoulder height, stretching the thera band
- Hold for 5 seconds
- Repeat on the left side
- Repeat both sides 4 x
Nr. 20 : ‘Lateral raise with both arms’
Hold the thera band in the hands
Technique:
- Put one end of the thera band on the floor and hold it down with the right foot.
- Keep the arms next to the thighs with the palms facing the thighs and hold the thera band
- Hold the ends in the hands and bend the wrists till the knuckles of the fingers point towards the thigh
- Contract the glutei, keep the back straight and the abdomen pulled in (scoop)
- With an inhalation raise the arms sideways parallel to the floor, to shoulder height, stretching the thera band
- Exhaling lift the hands in the wrists in such a way that the knuckles point sideways
- Inhaling lift the hands in the wrists till the knuckles point upwards
- Exhale and lower the arms sideways next to the thighs, keeping the knuckles pointing upwards
- Exhale and lower the hands next to the thighs so that the knuckles point down and drop the thera band
- Repeat 4x