The stressors of modern life, long hours at the computer, and suboptimal postural habits can all contribute to uncomfortable tension in the neck and shoulders.
The good news? There are simple, effective solutions to improve function, reduce tension, and generally feel and move better. This course is for you if:
- you regularly end your day with sensations of fatigue in your upper body
- frequently notice your shoulders and neck feeling cranky
- feel tight, tired or restricted in your upper back and/or chest
- want to feel less tense, but forget to get up from your desk to move and limber up throughout the day
Curious as to what to expect from this program? Here are the details.
Experience & expertise. Our programs are:
- rooted in extensive training in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics
- designed based on feedback from countless clients, as well as our personal experience
Ease & convenience:
- Two week program of daily movement, consisting of 10-20mins of accessible movement that you can easily fit into your day whenever it works for you
- movements can be performed seated or standing- no need to change into workout clothes or roll out a yoga mat
- program includes options for mellow nighttime movement or guided relaxation to facilitate a nervous system downshift, crucial for winding down from the day and getting a good night's sleep
- minimal equipment: you'll need a blanket/ large beach towel, 2 myofascial release balls (we love RadRoller!), and a yoga block. A chair is optional if you'd like to do some of your movements seated, and a yoga mat might help you get more comfortable but isn't crucial!
A comprehensive approach. Our program is designed to improve long-term function, and includes:
- techniques to improve and maintain thoracic and cervical mobility
- targeted myofascial release for classic tension spots
- active mobilization for better long-term muscular function and posture
- options for guided nighttime relaxation to aid nervous system down-regulation, improve sleep and boost overall wellbeing
- excellent for athletes, and anyone who spends a lot of time at their desk or on their computer!
Lifetime access.
- we believe in long-term wellness solutions, not quick, temporary fixes. Access your content anytime for a refresher and to maintain your wellness
- use your program for ongoing maintenance, workout recovery, or simply to revisit techniques that feel particularly beneficial you
Psst! Do your shoulders also feel stiff and cranky?
We also offer a popular 5-day Shoulder Health Basics course, which you can bundle with the Upper Body Tension Relief program. Together, these two programs complement each other and make a create comprehensive approach to maintaining your upper body mobility.
The best part? Purchase both courses together and you get a discounted price! Click the button below to buy the bundle and get a $10 discount.
See what our clients are saying about this course.
“The exercises are fabulous. Thank you. Great knowledge of the shoulder, its stabilizers and pecs. Appreciate the miniseries class!” - KR
“I am only 4 days into the program but I already look forward to the 15 mins that I will spend with you, moving my shoulders. I am really impressed with the quality and ease of use of your program!” - KS
“I have enjoyed every day of the program so far but today’s rotator cuff exercise was especially fantastic. The flowing movement felt wonderful! Such a great movement and my shoulder that often gives me grief felt so good during this movement. This is an amazing program! Thank you!” - KS
"I just want to say how very much I enjoyed this course. So clearly presented and each class just right for me to fit into my day. I will be returning to it again as I love to learn more about the body." - RS
Self-care is important.
We all know this, but who has time for a complicated, indulgent self-care routine in the middle of a busy day or week?
Our program makes it easy to include a quick and relaxing movement "snack" into your day. Taking a few minutes for just you can leave you feeling mentally refreshed, contribute to your productivity, and generally create a calm headspace that lets you efficiently tackle the rest of your day. What's more, some low-intensity movement and easy breathing is known to reduce the physiological markers of stress, so blood pressure and heart rate both drop. Spending a few minutes to move and unwind is a pretty worthwhile investment into your wellbeing, if you ask us!
Consistency is key.
If something feels like a chore or yet another thing on your to-do list, it's difficult to make it into a habit no matter how "good for you" it might be. When it comes to improving function and feeling better in your body, consistency is key, so finding enjoyable ways to move is crucial!
We take pride in creating programs that are not only easy and convenient to integrate into your daily life, but are enjoyable in their own right. The daily exercises serve not just as a physical reset, but also provide a valuable opportunity to reconnect with your body and take a breather that actually leaves you feeling refreshed both in mind and body.
Good mobility and function is a team effort.
There are many factors that can enhance OR erode how good you feel in your body, so we need to check all those boxes to maximize wellbeing! In the case of the upper body, these include things like:
- scapular mobility and stability
- range of motion in the thoracic and cervical spine (i.e. your upper back and neck)
- addressing common areas of tension to reduce pain and create a "neutral" starting point from which to move
- regularly taking your joints through their range of motion
- stress! This needs to be kept in check in order to successfully manage tension and pain.
Example Curriculum
- Day 1, Exercise 1: Shoulders: Levator Scapula Myofascial Release (6:06)
- Day 1, Exercise 2: Shoulders: Levator Scapulae Function (7:23)
- Day 1, Night Time: Shoulders: Gentle Shoulder Reset - Gomukhasana & Twist (11:20)
- Day 2, Exercise 1: Neck//Spine: Manual Upper Trapezius Myofascial Release (6:27)
- Day 2, Exercise 2: Neck//Spine: Gentle Upper Body Reset 1 (11:58)
- Day 2, Night Time: Neck//Spine: Upper Back Release (8:27)
- Day 3, Exercise 1: Thoracic Mobility: Thoracic Rotation In Lunge 1 (6:21)
- Day 3, Exercise 2: Thoracic Mobility: Energizing Standing Spine Flow (7:12)
- Day 3, Night Time: Thoracic Mobility: Passive Thoracic Extension & Pec Minor Release (10:59)
- Day 4, Exercise 1: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Subscapularis Myofascial Release (4:07)
- Day 4, Exercise 2: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Scapular Stability & Mobility at the Wall (8:20)
- Day 4, Night Time: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Passive Thoracic Extension (7:45)
- Day 5, Exercise 1: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Lats Myofascial Release with ball (9:10)
- Day 5, Exercise 2: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Pecs - Active Range of Motion (5:31)
- Day 5, Night Time: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Pectoralis Major and Minor Release (12:01)
- Day 6, Exercise 1: Dynamic Movement: Easy Spine Flow (21:34)
- Day 7, Exercise 1: Recovery & Relaxation: Body Scan (14:47)
- Day 1, Exercise 1: Shoulders: Infraspinatus Myofascial Release (8:00)
- Day 1, Exercise 2: Shoulders: Standing Sequence for Shoulder Function (7:24)
- Day 1, Night Time: Shoulders: Passive Infraspinatus Stretch (8:39)
- Day 2, Exercise 1: Neck//Spine: Scalenes Myofascial Release (9:07)
- Day 2, Exercise 2: Neck//Spine: Gentle Upper Body Reset 2 (11:38)
- Day 2, Night Time: Neck//Spine: Neck Reset (with block) (10:30)
- Day 3, Exercise 1: Thoracic Mobility: Thoracic Rotation in Lunge 2 (6:52)
- Day 3, Exercise 2: Thoracic Mobility: Quick Thoracic Mobility Booster (10:50)
- Day 3, Night Time: Thoracic Mobility: Mellow Hip & Spine Release (10:25)
- Day 4, Exercise 1: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Quadratus Lumborum Myofascial Release (6:42)
- Day 4, Exercise 2: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Mellow Seated Spine Flow (16:01)
- Day 4, Night Time: Scapular Function//Spine Mobility: Prone Lumbar Release (7:14)
- Day 5, Exercise 1: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Posterior and Medial Deltoid Myofascial Release (7:05)
- Day 5, Exercise 2: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Scap Squares at Wall (3:17)
- Day 5, Night Time: Chest//Thoracic Mobility: Upper Trapezius & Rhomboids Myofascial Release (9:12)
- Day 6, Exercise 1: Dynamic Movement: Lats & Pecs Myofascial Release (8:58)
- Day 6, Exercise 2: Dynamic Movement: Flow for Tight Pecs (8:25)
- Day 7, Exercise 1: Recovery & Relaxation: Nervous System Recovery - Lengthening Exhale (10:39)
A little bit about myofascial release
Myofascial release is a safe and pleasant technique that we love including in our programs! Myofascial release:
- is an excellent way to maintain range of motion and tissue health
- boost muscle recovery and increase hydration
- provides a wonderful opportunity for nervous system recovery- a crucial part of our overall wellbeing, ability to move well and feel good in your body
- can act as both a pre-workout warmup or cool down, making it a versatile tool to have in your mobility maintenance toolkit
- equips you with personalized techniques to maintain tissue health well beyond the end of your program
Our programs are proud to exclusively use RadRoller myofascial release tools- we’ve found these to be the most versatile and high quality implements out there. With a variety of sizes and degrees of firmness to choose from, you can select something that will work for your unique body. Additionally, all RadRoller tools have a pleasant anti-slip surface that makes it easy to keep the tools in place. You'll also get a discount on your purchase by shopping with the above link!
For recovery purposes, we recommend the Recovery Rounds, which have a nice amount of give to them, making for a gentler and more relaxing experience. We also love the classic Rad Roller- perfect for common tension spots around the neck, shoulders and upper back.
Meet your instructor!
Jenni Tarma is a lifelong athlete, endurance runner, RRCA Endurance coach, CrossFit athlete and CF- L1 trainer, and a full-time yoga teacher. She specializes in working with an active population and coaches everyone from elite athletes to casual weekend golfers and hikers looking to feel better in their bodies. She has multiple advanced certifications in anatomy, physiology and biomechanics, and is a lead teacher in the Carolina Yoga 200hr teacher training program, where she has mentored dozens of new yoga teachers. She is also a senior teacher in the Yoga Medicine 500hr program, and has created continuing education courses on teaching yoga to athletes for the YM community.
She is an enthusiastic writer who has contributed articles to Yoga Journal, Healthline, Weight Watchers, OpenFit, Reebok and Yoga Medicine®’s online forum among others, and recently released an e-book on hamstring tendon injuries. Aside from working with countless athletes and active folks on their shoulder health, she's dealt with her own shoulder and thoracic mobility limitations, so this program was created out of personal experience as well as professional expertise!
Jenni and the Kaari team are excited to work with you! We can't wait to help you move and feel your best.
Not quite what you were looking for?
Check out some of our other programs below. Better yet, drop us a line to let us know what resources you'd like to support your well-being, recovery, mobility and injury-prevention needs. Email [email protected] with your wishlist and we'll see what we can do!
