Moves to Relieve Back & Shoulder Stress - Yoga Instructor Genevieve Humphrey

Back Story

I'm a strength & conditioning coach with the Athletic Performance Department at the University of the Pacific. I grew up in Oklahoma but now Northern California is my home. I'm working towards the goal of getting yoga into collegiate athletic departments and hope to bring yoga programs into tactical/military training programs.

Teaching yoga is my passion

I have taught yoga in Oklahoma, as well as at the Blackhawk Country Club fitness center and at Joya Yoga in Livermore (SF East Bay, California). I'm working as a strength coach at University of the Pacific, and am working towards a new yoga program for athletes come Spring Semester in 2020! 

Why good posture is important

Posture is incredibly important, and yoga as a practice helps you regain that body alignment that so many people struggle with on a daily basis. Unfortunately, we live in a world of terrible posture due to our lifestyle of constant sitting, driving, smartphone use, etc. 

When your spine is aligned with your head properly stacked, and shoulders and chest set in place -- you can achieve major relief to the lower back, neck, and hips.

Typically when something is out of line, pressure is placed on another joint, which will then affect another neighboring joint, and so on. Fixing poor posture can address a lot of body alignment-related complications.

Yoga moves can and do relieve stress on your back & shoulders

My go-to poses are the Dandasana (Seated Staff Pose) into the Paschimottanasana (Seated Western / Forward Folding Pose). This sets your entire back in line, and then leads you to fold forward with a flat back, thereby releasing the lower back and decompressing the lumbar spine. 

Dandasana (Seated Staff Pose)

Paschimottanasana (Seated Western/Forward Folding Pose)
source: yanalya, freepik

Thoughts on wearing the Kinflyte Freedom Bra (posture bra)

I love wearing the Kinflyte Freedom Bra! I'm very conscious of my posture as it is a core focus of mine as a yoga instructor and strength coach. When wearing the Freedom bra, correct posture feels easier to maintain naturally.

If you want to follow me on my yoga-inspired journey, my Instagram handle is @afroyoga_23.