6 Best Yoga Exercises For Strong Shoulders

Yoga is an age-old practice that offers myriad benefits, including, but not limited to, strength, agility, and mobility, even though there are several misconceptions about yoga and its uses. Fitness enthusiasts can also use yoga practices to improve their physique and specifically target their shoulders.

In order to get stronger shoulders, yoga is often recommended, since it helps strengthen muscles and joints. However, if you don’t know where to start, here are some of the best yoga poses for strong shoulders. Add these yoga exercises to your routine for stronger, leaner shoulders!

Best Yoga Exercises For Strong Shoulders

1) Mountain pose

When you're starting a yoga practice, the mountain pose is the perfect way to stretch your body before moving on to the more acrobatic positions. It is also great for warming up your muscles before running or playing sports.

The mountain pose can be done in several different ways depending on what type of stretch you want to do or are most comfortable with. For example, if you're looking for a full-body stretching move that targets all four limbs, try this variation:

Stand facing forward with feet hip distance apart and toes pointed forward or slightly outwards (about 10 degrees).
Ensure that both heels are touching the floor and that there are equal spaces between each foot when viewed from behind.
Flex your knees slightly while bringing both hands together at chest height with palms facing inward towards one another (make sure they don't touch!). This will help keep them stable during the exercise so they don't shift around uncomfortably.

2) Cow’s face pose

Cow’s face pose is a great way to improve your shoulder strength, flexibility, and balance. This yoga pose is great for building muscle and strength in your shoulders.

To do cow’s face pose:

First, kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart.
Next, bring one leg over the other while you continue to sit on your knees. Your feet should be facing outside.
Raise one arm over you and move it behind you so that it touches your back.
With the other arm, go from underneath, moving from the side of your ribs as you reach the back, and connect both your arms by grasping each other.
Hold this position for 5–10 seconds before lowering back down into starting position again by bending at the elbows first, then lowering them towards shoulder level until they rest against each other above your head or chest area once more.
Breathe out slowly through pursed lips as you do the previous step— don't forget this important step!

3) Chair pose

A chair pose is a quick way to strengthen your shoulders and upper body. In this pose, you will be standing on your knees with your feet together and arms extended at shoulder height. This position will help improve stamina as well as balance and coordination.

To do the chair pose correctly,

Keep your back straight so it is parallel with the floor while lifting up from inside out using your abdominals.
The upper body should look like an inverted “V” shape in this posture.
The arms should be stretched out in front of you at shoulder level or slightly higher depending on what feels comfortable for you (you can modify it by putting a block under one foot if need be).

4) Eagle arms

Eagle arms or garudasana are a great way to strengthen your shoulders, build muscle tone, and open your chest.

To master this exercise, here's what you should do:

Sit with feet hip-width apart and bring hands together in front of the heart with palms facing each other.
Intertwine your arms forming a braid of sorts.
Hold this position for 30 seconds to a minute.
Keep your arms up, but extend them straight out from the sides at shoulder height for 30 seconds; do this twice a day for three sets each time.
Finally, extend Eagle Arms all the way behind head until fingertips touch floor or wall; hold for 30 seconds twice daily for three sets each time.

5) Downward-facing dog

Downward-facing dog poses can be one of the most challenging postures in yoga. The position requires a lot of strength and flexibility, but it also offers many benefits to your body.

First, let's go through how to do a downward-facing dog pose:

Keep your hands flat on the ground, shoulder width apart, and slightly wider than your torso.
Align your toes with the heels of your feet while keeping both legs straight and parallel to one another.
Lift up from the hips until you form an inverted triangle with your body above parallel with the floor.

6) Fish pose

Doing the fish pose will ensure a good stretch for your shoulders and chest. Try to do this exercise with an instructor or someone else who has done it before, and make sure they are qualified to guide you, because it is possible to injure yourself if you don't know what you're doing. To perform this exercise, follow these steps:

Lie down on your back.
Bring your arms out by your hips and keep them straight.
Form an arch with your lower back by locking your legs and sliding forward.
You should be able to create an inverse U-shape with this technique.
Move your head up and look up at the ceiling, or try to maintain a neutral head position.
Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.

You can do this as part of a yoga class or just on its own when you have time. If you want to build strength in your upper body, then try doing a fish pose once per week.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a way to get stronger shoulders, then yoga is the perfect solution. You can even do this workout at home! Just make sure that you keep your body aligned with each movement and don’t overstrain yourself by pushing yourself too hard.