Arm Warmups

1. Here I am Lord

This is in two parts.

a) Let your head tip backwards a little, not too far and let your arms open up as if you are greeting the sun. It's a pose you will have seen before where people are awe struck by the radiance of the sun and simply pay obeisance to something greater than themselves.

b) Bring your Love to me and hug me safe.

Bring your arms across your body and give yourself a hug.

Sometimes we forget to give ourselves permission to love ourselves and we all need to feel loved. The hug gives a feeling of security and contentment as well as taking tension out of the upper back muscles!

Repeat the two parts crossing the arms the other way for the second hug.

This feels terrific and you may like to do it several times. Go on treat yourself!

2. The Beach Ball

This is amazing because the work done in your arms is all done because you are visualising a really big beach ball that has been blown up really hard.

Start with your arms apart and imagine you are holding this beach ball, mine is red... what colour is yours? Now squeeze it as tight as you can to bring your hands together and feel the muscles work in your arms.

When you have reached the centre and your hands are together, keep squeezing the ball so it doesn't fall away from you as you open your arms back up.

After you have done this twice, just take your hands into the centre and back with no imaginary beach ball. Can you feel the difference your thoughts made to your muscles?

3. Backstroke swimming

Very slowly to begin with circle your arms backwards. If you have problems with your shoulders it's fine simply to make very small circles more or less at waist height. As you circle you may find you can lift your arms higher and that's good. If you can take them right overhead that is great. Just do the best you can and enjoy.

You can shut your eyes and imagine you are in an infinity pool, swimming on a warm day and you are blissfully happy!

Because we do so much bending forward, over desks, computers, helping small children taking our arms backwards helps remove some of the tension from our shoulders and backs.

If you need to you can always sit on a chair to warm up your arms.

More to follow :- )