Dear Studio<P>I wonder if you can help me. I have a friend who would like to know some warm-up exercises/movements for her neck and shoulders, prior to doing folk dancing and also putting on a ruck-sack.<P><BR>Stuart

I would say just rotating both, and moving the head left-right and up-down, and swinging the arms around. Hope this helps.

In addition to what Anastasia has said, I would add....<P>You can let the head hang to the front, completely relaxed, and then rotate over a shoulder, to the back, around to the other shoulder and ending in the front hang - and then reverse. <P> Hold the head straight and then tilt - pretend someone is pulling the ear down to one side - and then the other.<P>Shoulders: lift shoulder and rotate forward and back - then the other shoulder - and then both together.<P>Stretch the arms with hands clasped high over head and slowly stretch them fully extended to the sides, front and back.<P>An interesting one is to stand in a doorway and press against the door sills with the backs of both hands - pressing as hard as possible - and then step away from the doorway and feel the arms float up. <P>Hang the head in the front and slowly lower the spine to the front, vertebra by vertebra and then slowly come up the same way - curve by curve.<P>Hope this helps.<p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited May 22, 2001).]

you have some good answers there Stuart and it is good to know that some people are concerned about their bodies to prepare themselves for heavy objects. Such a high percentage of neck and shoulder injuries/complaints are caused by incorrect weight distribution of heavy baggage on the shoulders that warming up before carrying extra heavy loads is a great idea.<P>when I think of the weight of my book bag when I was at school I feel real sympathy for my shoulders.

There is this really great excersize for relaxing the shoulders.... all you need is a towel, or if your shoulders are super tight tha day, a theraband or stretchy thing like that. You clasp one end of the towel or whatever you are using in each hand. then you gently swing the towel over your head to behind you, and back. Once you are looser you move your hands closer together and do the same movement. Or you can always just forget the towel, clasp your hands together, and lean forward to let your arms fall. Practicing port de bras can also warm your arms up. For a tight neck, just roll your head. And massages are always good for tight shoulders and backs------------------<BR>Much Luv!<p>[This message has been edited by Balletgirl (edited May 24, 2001).]

Just a warning when rolling the head always be careful not to yank the haed back behind the head line if you see what I mean as this can put undue pressure on the neck.

Good point Joanne, it is important to remember when taking your head back to be really careful. I always tell my students to to think of lifting their head and maintaining the space at the back of the neck. I also tell them to look up rather than take their head back in order to help maintain this space and not crush the small vertebrae in the back of the neck. When warming up the neck I tend to turn the head from side to side and forwards and upwards (slightly back). <P>With regards to shoulders I tend to do exercises like Basheva described. Lots of shoulder isolations like circles, shrugs and arm circles and also rolling through the spine (this is good for the neck).You can also take both arms forward clasping the hands and rounding the upper shoulders and also the reverse taking the arms behind you. This stretches the chest and the upper back but also feels quite nice to release the shoulders. I also warm-up the shoulders before warming up the neck which helps to loosen and lubricate the surrounding joints and muscles. <P>Hope this helps