Have you stretched your armpits today?

Have you stretched your armpits today?

Just recently, another incredible class of yoginis and yogis (well, there was one man in this year’s class) finished the level 1 training. Typically, when I teach side stretch at the wall, I say that someday I want a t-shirt that says “have you stretched your armpits today?” This class took the quip seriously and had t-shirts made for the training staff that say just that on the front, with our ShivaShakti Synthesis logo on the back. What a gift.

This led to the present blog topic.

Why stretch your armpits?

The technical term for armpit is axilla (see, I just learned something new). It has a floor, a ceiling and four walls. The muscles involved are some we often hear about in yoga because they tend to be tight and imbalanced, i.e., the pectoralis (major and minor), subclavius, serratus anterior, subscapularis, teres major, latissimus dorsi and the long head of the biceps. These muscles create strength and balance in the shoulders and upper torso; some assist with respiration as well.

Due to poor posture and/or the stresses and strains of daily life (carrying the world on one’s shoulders) this area becomes imbalanced, affecting not just the physical body but the breath and emotions as well. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerve fibers running from the upper spinal cord (at cervical vertebrae 5-7 and thoracic vertebra 1) via the axilla, or armpit, through the wrists.  When compressed, it can create shoulder, elbow and/or wrist pain. When the muscles of the axilla borders are chronically contracted, which we might call "tight armpits," it is a wake up call to deepen the breath and broaden the collarbones.  This allows us to find our strong center and then let the power, love and energy flow from that center.  So, have you stretched your armpits today?