Animated stretch preview.
neck shoulders
Puppy Pose
Step-by-step instructions
- 1Set up in a stable position with enough space to move slowly and breathe comfortably.
- 2Keep hips over knees and walk hands forward until the chest softens toward the mat.
- 3Reach long through the hands while the hips stay lifted. Let the chest melt only as far as comfortable.
- 4Hold the stretch for 90 seconds, then release gradually and notice how shoulders feels before repeating or switching sides.
Voiceover
Reach long through the hands while the hips stay lifted. Let the chest melt only as far as comfortable.
Reach long through the hands while the hips stay lifted. Let the chest melt only as far as comfortable.
Focus areas
Description
Adult doing puppy pose shoulder and lat stretch on mat, premium wellness image.
Benefits
- Targets shoulders, lats, upper back with a clear, repeatable setup.
- Eases common upper-body stiffness from screens, driving, and desk work.
- Fits into short routines because the working time is 2 minutes or less for most sessions.
Tips
- Keep the breath smooth and reduce the range if shoulders starts to guard.
- Use a wall, chair, strap, block, pillow, or towel if support makes the position calmer.
- Let lats stay relaxed so the stretch does not turn into a bracing exercise.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders or chasing a strong pull through the neck.
- Bouncing, yanking, or trying to make the stretch feel intense immediately.
- Ignoring numbness, tingling, dizziness, sharp pain, or joint pinching.
Contraindications
- Skip or modify this stretch if it reproduces sharp pain, numbness, tingling, dizziness, or symptoms that travel away from the stretched area.
- Get qualified medical guidance before stretching around recent injuries, surgery, unexplained swelling, severe pain, or diagnosed conditions that limit movement.
Programs
Programs with Puppy Pose
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