Seated Tai Chi for Neck and Shoulder Pain

Important Notes for While Performing:

While performing each move emphasize rotating the body from the waist. With each turn rotate your torso and shoulders as far as you can without causing pain. Try to feel your back muscles winding up like a coiled spring as you turn to one side. Then filled them unwinding as you turn back. With each rotation of your body, turn your head to look over your shoulder. However your neck and shoulder muscles should remain relaxed at all times. Allow your shoulders to make large flowing circles being careful to stay within the pain free range. If raising your hand above your head causes pain do not lift that high, practice your range of motion will improve. Proper breathing is important for muscle relaxation and pain control. Shallow breathing can increase muscle tension and pain. Inhale deeply from your diaphragm and exhale completely.

1. Opening Form.
   1. Bring both arms to shoulder height and bring them to center at shoulders width and press down.

2. Parting the wild horses mane.
   1. Circle your Right arm up and bring your forearm in slightly.
   2. Turn your body to the Right scoot your left arm under the right as if holding a ball.
   3. Turn your body to the left and swing your left hand to obliquely just passed your shoulder.
   4. Push your right palm down.

3. Needle to bottom of the ocean.
   1. Sweep your left arm across your face and make a counter clockwise circle.
   2. Lift your right hand to ear height before striking down across your body.
   3. Extend your right arm forward and relax your shoulders.

4. Wave hands like clouds.
   1. With your palms facing inward, make a clockwise circle with your right hand and a counter clockwise circle with your left.
   2. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows down.
   3. Inhale from your diaphragm and exhale completely.

5. Heaven and earth.
   1. Turn your palms down as your arms make a big circle toward the right.
   2. Place the left forearm across your chest and drop your left to the hip.
   3. Lift your right hand straight up along the center of your body with your fingers pointing upward.
   4. Press your left palm down under the right elbow.
   5. Open both arms to the side, right palm facing up and left palm facing down.

6. Parting the Wild Horses mane
   1. Circle your left arm up and bring your forearm inward slightly .
   2. Turn your body to the left and scoot your right arm under the left as if holding a ball
   3. Turn your body to the right and swing your right hand obliquely to just passed your right shoulder and push your left palm down.

7. Needle to the bottom of the ocean
   1. Sweep your right hand across your face, and make a counter clockwise
   2. Circle lift your left hand to ear height before striking down across your body.
   3. Extend your left arm forward and relax your shoulders.

8. Wave hands like clouds
   1. With your Palms facing inward, make a clockwise Circle with your right hand and the counter clockwise circle with your left
   2. keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows down.
   3. Inhale from your diaphragm and exhale completely.

9. Heaven and Earth
   1. Turn your palms down as your arms make a big circle towards the left .
   2. Place the right forearm across your chest drop your left to the hip.
   3. Lift your left hand straight up along the center of your body with your fingers pointing upward
   4. Press your right palm down under the left elbow.
   5. Open both arms to the side, left palm facing up right palm facing down.

10. Closing form
    1. Bring both arms to shoulder height then bring them to Center at Shoulders width, then press down.