15-Minute Mat Pilates for Shoulder Mobility & Strength (No Equipment)
Join instructor Sina Riemann for an energizing 15-minute mat Pilates class for shoulder mobility. Riemann takes you through a series of moves and stretches designed to build strength and open up your chest and shoulders, releasing tension after a long day sitting at a desk.
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00:00Hi guys, today I have a shoulder mobility class for you guys prepared.
00:08Now think about pulling your shoulders down and back.
00:11It's so important for us to stand tall and especially since we're sitting a lot on the
00:15chair, you're in your office a lot, so we're trying to pull those shoulders down and back,
00:19opening our chest, working on that posture.
00:22This shoulder mobility class will help you get that.
00:25Let's get started.
00:26We're going to start with some shoulder rolls.
00:27So I first want you to just relax your hands, relax your upper body, roll your shoulders
00:31down and back, back, up and around.
00:34Think about this like a shoulder shrug.
00:36You're pulling those shoulders up towards your ears and round, up and around.
00:41Beautiful.
00:42We're going to reverse in three, two, and now reverse.
00:44Pull those shoulders up to the ears, round and forward.
00:47Beautiful.
00:48Find that inhale, exhale, bring it forward.
00:51Last one.
00:52Beautiful.
00:53Shake it out.
00:54Separate those feet a little wider if you can.
00:56Soft bend in your knees.
00:57We're going to start with your left arm up for a little arm circle.
01:00Palm faces in, we start forward.
01:02Reach your left arm down, up and around.
01:05Big shoulder roll right here.
01:07And as always, guys, you can do this stretch also seated, right?
01:10You can just sit down onto a chair.
01:13Let's reverse.
01:14Go the other way.
01:15Beautiful.
01:16Up and around.
01:17Really open up that shoulder joint here.
01:19We're going to do one more.
01:20Beautiful.
01:21Reach up nice and tall.
01:23Bring it slowly back down.
01:24Let's switch sides.
01:25Reach your right arm up, and I'll bring it forward first all the way, up and around.
01:30Big inhale, exhale, bring it forward.
01:33We're going to hold it back at the top.
01:35We go backwards in three, two, keep it all the way up nice and high, and I'll reach back.
01:41Go the other way.
01:42Inhale, exhale back.
01:44We got two more right here.
01:46Yup, there we go.
01:49Reach up nice and tall, and I'll slowly release.
01:51Shake it out again.
01:52Let's take it down onto the mat.
01:54One of my favorite stretches for your shoulders is a cat-cow.
01:57I want your hands underneath your shoulders, your knees underneath your hips.
02:01Now round the new spine.
02:03Look down towards your knees.
02:04Really press into your palms, and just really press into that scapula, and I'll slowly untuck.
02:12Take it into your cat pose.
02:14Open those knees.
02:15Arch your back.
02:16Beautiful.
02:17And again, chin towards the chest, round the new spine.
02:20Really articulate your spine here.
02:22And round and round and round, and look down towards your knees, and then open back up.
02:26Let's do one more right here.
02:27This feels so good.
02:29Inhale, exhale.
02:30Press into your palms.
02:31Look back down.
02:32Beautiful.
02:33Last one.
02:34Let's open it one more time up.
02:36Yes, beautiful.
02:39Now slowly sit back onto your heels, and we're going to walk it back up to standing.
02:43We're going to take this into a set of arm circles.
02:46Slowly come up into a standing position.
02:48Remember, if you want, you can stay seated on a chair.
02:51Separate your feet hip-width apart.
02:53Have a soft bend in your knees.
02:55We're going to start with arm circles.
02:57Arms extend out towards your sides, palms face up.
03:00Draw your belly button to your spine, tuck your tailbone under.
03:03We're starting to circle those arms in little patterns forward.
03:06Beautiful.
03:07That's it.
03:08Give yourself a smile.
03:09We're already in it.
03:10Beautiful.
03:11Relax your shoulders down and back, and just focus on inhaling, exhaling those arms forward.
03:16I really want you to connect to your breath here right now.
03:19Beautiful.
03:20We're going to reverse those circles in 10.
03:23Keep that chest up.
03:24Relax your shoulders.
03:25Yep.
03:26You got four, three, two, and reverse.
03:29Go the other way.
03:30Beautiful.
03:31Those arms should get a little bit heavy right now, right?
03:34Even though we're don't having anything in our hands, no dumbbells, no nothing, it's
03:37just our arms keeping ourselves up.
03:39That's pretty amazing.
03:41We're going to hold in three, two, hold it right here.
03:44Rotate your palms down towards your mat.
03:46Open it back up.
03:47Beautiful.
03:48Rotating from your wrists right here.
03:51And rotate down.
03:52Beautiful.
03:53Right?
03:54Even though you're not seeing it, your shoulder is working here right now.
03:56Rotate down.
03:57Open back up.
03:58Yep.
03:59Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one.
04:06Bring your arms slowly back down.
04:08Shake it out for a second.
04:09Let's take this into a server platter.
04:11It's one of my favorite exercises.
04:13It's going to target your chest, your biceps, and the top part of your shoulder.
04:17Palm faces up.
04:18Bring your elbows towards your ribcage.
04:20You start to extend your arms in front for two.
04:22Reach your arms forward for three.
04:24Forward for four.
04:25Hold it right here.
04:26Now open your arms out towards the sides.
04:29All the way.
04:30Beautiful.
04:31You're going to draw from your chest, bring your hands back into your center line.
04:35Yeah, that's it.
04:36And then bring those elbows back down towards your ribcage.
04:39So it's really important when we work on your shoulder mobility to get nice and warm.
04:44Full range of motion in those joints right here.
04:46Perfect.
04:47And don't forget to keep that soft bend in your knees in the entire time, right?
04:52Sometimes when we work on our shoulder mobility, we forget our stance.
04:57Stance is very important the entire time here.
05:00You got 10 more seconds right here.
05:02We're holding those hands right in front of you.
05:05Coming up in five, four, three, two, and one.
05:11Keep those arms right in front of you.
05:12Now give me a little pulse up.
05:14That's it.
05:15Now you're holding a little tray right now and you're lifting it up.
05:18Little lift.
05:19Little lift.
05:20Ooh, we're feeling that burn.
05:21The top part of your shoulder, your biceps are feeling this right now.
05:24Beautiful.
05:25Inhale.
05:26Exhale.
05:27Lift a little higher if you can.
05:2810 more seconds.
05:29We're going to take this into a chest expansion.
05:30In five, in four, in three, two.
05:34Slowly release those arms down.
05:36Shake it out.
05:37Now, what I want you to do here is palms face back.
05:41Keep your hands right by your hips.
05:43And now open your chest a little bit more.
05:45Take a break again.
05:46Tacking the tailbone under.
05:47Stand tall.
05:48We're going to press your arms back for two.
05:50Press your arms back for three.
05:52Press your arms back for four.
05:54Squeeze.
05:55Open that shoulder joint.
05:56Beautiful.
05:57Now slowly bring your hands back towards your hips for two.
05:59In for three.
06:01In for four.
06:02We're just pressing those arms back behind you.
06:04Yep.
06:05And bringing it back in.
06:06Now, even though this is called a chest expansion, you're working the backside right here, right?
06:11We're opening through those triceps.
06:13We're opening through the back.
06:15And we're also opening through the back of your shoulders here.
06:18This is really also going to help you with your posture here, right?
06:21We're usually rounding a lot.
06:23So when I'm showing you right here from the side, our shoulders go down.
06:26We're pressing them back.
06:27Beautiful.
06:28We got 15 more seconds just like this.
06:31Then we hold those arms all the way back right behind your hips.
06:35You're doing great.
06:36Keep going.
06:37We hold it back in five, four, three, two.
06:41Hold it all the way back.
06:43Now, we'll open those pinkies out to the sides for one.
06:46Open out to the sides for two.
06:48Draw your thumbs back together in for one.
06:51In for two.
06:52You're just opening those arms behind your hips.
06:54Really small range of motion, right?
06:56We're trying to focus on that slow count right here.
06:59Open up.
07:00Nice and slow.
07:01Don't go too fast here.
07:02We got 10 more seconds.
07:04We're holding this back for a little pulse.
07:06Hold those arms back in four, in three, two.
07:10Hold it right here.
07:11Now, press those arms back.
07:13Hold those pulses.
07:14Open your chest a little bit more.
07:15Yes.
07:16Beautiful.
07:17You got 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, breathe, 4, 3, 2, 1.
07:26Release.
07:27Beautiful job.
07:28Let's raise your arms up.
07:29Let's go into your shoulder press.
07:30We're going to do two combos here.
07:31We do one shoulder press with both of your arms and then one at a time.
07:36All right.
07:37Elbow in alignment with your shoulder.
07:38Try not to bring it lower.
07:39Keep it right here.
07:40This is your starting position.
07:42Let's start to press your arms all the way up towards the ceiling.
07:46Squeeze at the top and then slowly bring your elbows back down.
07:50Now, we do one arm at a time.
07:52Press your left arm up.
07:53Stretch long.
07:54Bring that left elbow back in alignment with your left elbow.
07:57Beautiful.
07:58And now, press back up.
08:00Squeeze your scapula down and back as you retract your elbow down.
08:04Yep.
08:05And then you go back with both arms up towards the ceiling.
08:08Beautiful.
08:09I really want you to focus here on really reaching that arm long so you really find
08:14that shoulder joint pressing up.
08:17Squeeze from the backside as well.
08:19Beautiful.
08:20We got 15 more seconds to go right here.
08:23We're holding this halfway, keeping the elbows in alignment with your shoulders for a little
08:28mini pulse.
08:30Really burning out the shoulders right here.
08:32Fantastic.
08:33Coming up in 5, 4, 3, 2.
08:38To the right here.
08:39Now, palms still face you.
08:41Tiny pulse up.
08:42So small.
08:43Tiny pulse.
08:44Breathe.
08:45Inhale.
08:46Exhale.
08:47Lift.
08:48Can you lift a little higher?
08:49There you go.
08:50Pulse it out.
08:51Last 10.
08:529, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1.
08:59Release.
09:00Shake it out.
09:01Beautiful.
09:02Now, I want you to hinge your upper body slightly forward.
09:03We're going to take this now into a lat pull.
09:06Bring your feet hip distance apart, shift your hips back, and now bring your elbows
09:10back into your goal pose, which we just had for your shoulder press.
09:13Now, I want your gaze forward towards your mat right here.
09:16Bring your elbows in alignment with your shoulders.
09:19I want you to extend those arms all the way overhead.
09:22Hold it here for a second.
09:23I want you to imagine you have a wet towel in your hand and you're trying to wring it
09:26out.
09:27So what you're going to do is you pull your elbows in, pull that towel behind your back
09:32apart, squeeze your scapula down and back.
09:36That's it.
09:37And now press those arms all the way back overhead.
09:40Take an inhale through nose, exhale, pull it all the way in, squeeze, and open all the
09:47way back up.
09:48Beautiful.
09:49That's it.
09:50Also, really focus on your stance right here.
09:52Really press down into your heels as you shift those hips a little further back.
09:57Yep.
09:58Fantastic.
09:59Beautiful.
10:00Focus on that.
10:02And an exhale, pull those elbows all the way down to your sides.
10:06Beautiful.
10:07You're really engaging your back muscles.
10:08Your shoulder is working as well here, right?
10:10This is a perfect exercise to get your posture muscles activated and to get your shoulder
10:16nice and mobile.
10:17Now, let's hold this in in five, four, three, two.
10:23Hold it right here.
10:24Give me a tiny pulse.
10:25Can you squeeze a little bit more?
10:27Tiny squeeze.
10:28Scapula is squeezing it.
10:30Imagine there's a credit card behind your shoulder blades and you're trying to hold
10:33it in.
10:34Squeeze it.
10:35Squeeze it.
10:36Watch your low back.
10:37Don't let it arch, right?
10:38Belly button to spine still.
10:39You got eight, seven, six, five.
10:43You hold in four, three, two.
10:46Hold it right here.
10:47Now, you bring your forearms down towards the mat.
10:51Lift your forearms slowly back up, right?
10:53It's a rotation from your shoulder joint right here.
10:57Open and close.
10:58So, don't let your bicep move.
11:00It's just a form that's lowering down.
11:02And keep gazing forward towards your mat, right?
11:04I want your spine nice and neutral here.
11:07Beautiful.
11:08Don't look to the left and right.
11:09Just gaze forward onto that mat.
11:11Fantastic.
11:12We got 15 seconds to go and we're gonna take it down into your kneeling stretch.
11:17Coming up.
11:18In 10.
11:19Fight for this last little burn right here.
11:21You got it.
11:22You got five, four, three, two, and release.
11:28Shake it out.
11:29Let's take it all the way down onto your mat.
11:31Beautiful.
11:32Now, bring your hands underneath your shoulders, your knees underneath your hips.
11:36You're in that quadruple position.
11:38We're starting with that left arm, extending it all the way out.
11:42You reach your left thumb up towards the ceiling, around towards your left hip.
11:47Stop right here.
11:48And then bring it back forward all the way to the front.
11:50Tap your mat.
11:52Move it back up.
11:53And now what I want you to do here is follow with your eyes, your hands.
11:57So your eyes look up towards your hand, up and around.
12:01Beautiful.
12:02And then bring it back center.
12:03Take an inhale at the bottom, exhale as you circle it up and around.
12:08Let's do two more right here.
12:11Open it up.
12:12Perfect.
12:13Bring it back in.
12:14Last one.
12:15Keep that soft.
12:16Bend that right elbow.
12:19And bring it down.
12:20Beautiful.
12:21Now, we're gonna start right with the other hand.
12:22I want you to reach your right arm nice and long.
12:25Thumb reaches up.
12:26Reach your right arm up and around towards your hip.
12:29Follow with your eyes.
12:31Reach it back forward.
12:32Tap your mat.
12:33Beautiful.
12:34Inhale.
12:35Exhale as you circle it up and around.
12:39Really opening up here.
12:40Watch your left elbow, right?
12:41Keep a soft bend.
12:42We always tend to hyperextend.
12:44I want you to keep that soft bend in that elbow right here.
12:48Beautiful.
12:49Really lubricating that joint in your shoulder here.
12:51You got 10 more seconds.
12:54And then we're gonna take this in one of my absolute favorite shoulder stretches.
12:59It's a thread the needle.
13:01In two and one.
13:03Bring it down.
13:04All right.
13:05Rounding your spine for a quick second.
13:07Yep.
13:08Bring it back to neutral.
13:09Reach your left arm up towards the ceiling.
13:11Follow your eyes.
13:12And I'll thread your left arm underneath your right.
13:15Press your left shoulder down.
13:17Reach your right hand all the way to the edge of your mat as high as you can.
13:21And just hold it here.
13:22This is super nice on the shoulder griddle.
13:25Press into that left shoulder as much as you can.
13:28And if you want a little bit more, you can try to reach your right arm behind your low
13:32back.
13:33And just hold it here.
13:35Focus on that inhale through the nose.
13:38Exhale sink a little deeper.
13:42Hold it here another second.
13:44And now slowly I want you to bring your hand back down.
13:47Right hand comes down first.
13:48Pull yourself back up into your quadra position.
13:51Take a big inhale.
13:53Exhale.
13:54Reach your right arm up to the ceiling.
13:56Same thing.
13:57And we're threading your right arm underneath the left.
14:00Press your right shoulder down.
14:02Reach that left arm nice and long here.
14:05Maybe close your eyes if this feels good for you.
14:07Press down into your shoulders.
14:09Keep those hips nice and high.
14:11And then again, remember, if you want a little bit more, you can try to bring that left arm
14:16behind your low back.
14:18Beautiful.
14:19This is really so nice on the shoulder right here.
14:22Shoulder griddle should get nice and stretched out.
14:24Press a little bit deeper if you can.
14:26Every time you take another inhale, take an exhale, sit a little deeper.
14:31Last inhale.
14:32Exhale, sit a little deeper.
14:36Bring your left hand down.
14:38And then pull yourself all the way back up onto your mat.
14:41Come into a seated or standing position.
14:44Shake it out.
14:45All right, friends.
14:46This was amazing.
14:47I hope your shoulders feel as mobile as mine.
14:49And I can't wait to see you guys for the next one.