Hello everyone.
I started my yoga practice just a few weeks ago. I haven’t gone to a class yet, I do it in my home. I have been doing it every day from 30 minutes to a full hour when I wake up (about 9am). I started to feel great. Stronger, looser, more flexible and very peaceful. I felt very very good. But the last three days, the top of my shoulders have been very sore and stiff. It isn’t going down my back or on to my neck, it’s just my shoulders. They feel ok when I am stretching, but soon after yoga, they hurt.
I meditate in the morning and before I go to sleep. It seems to calm them somewhat. I also rub them frequently.
I’ve tried a cold shower, warm shower, bath, rubbing them, acupressure. They’re just so sore. I’m wondering if I should incorporate more potassium into my diet or take a couple days off from yoga and doing anything with my arms and back? Is this normal? I was doing it every single day, should I not? I’m 17, and I haven’t much activities to do, so I’m not very strong. I thought I was taking it easy to begin with but maybe I was not. 
During meditation you can try concentrate above your head.
Berkok, its likely that you have just overdone it a bit. Try to drink lots of water and to be a bit gentle with your shoulders the next few days. If you see no improvement in a day or so, please contact a doctor.
It would also be very helpful to you to find a teacher. It is possible that without someone to correct your positioning that you are placing a strain on your shoulders. Good luck to you and welcome.
Hello my friend,
Can you describe for us the practice you are doing?
Saying “I’m doing yoga, what’s wrong?” is much like me saying “I have a car that doesn’t run, how come?”.
Ah ha. You’re right that is very much the same.
Well, I’ve started Dashama’s 30 day yoga challenge as level 1. I start with an easy sun salutation. I’ve do the shoulder and side stretch videos every day. I can put in a link for them if I am allowed to?
KJ,
I’ve looked at the video(s) you mention - the 30-day challenge and the shoulder video. The teacher is clearly very sweet, caring, and apparently well-intentioned. If this practice is the one that you have been drawn to, the one that calls to you, then that is fine and only you could know such a thing - in fact it is all that matters.
While I have not taken classes from the teacher featured in theses videos I can tell you that this is not an alignment-based practice. Beyond telling you what to do with your limbs, beyond choreography, there isn’t a single instruction regarding safety actions in the body for doing postures.
Again, I want to stress, if this is of your mindful choosing and speaks to you then my feedback may not be relevant for your living. Many people do exactly this sort of practice and it is “okay” for THEIR lives (it would not suit mine).
Additionally, it appears that the teacher in this video has very mobile shoulders (hypermobile perhaps) and sinks into that joint, specifically in downward facing dog, perhaps others, though I watched only 3 minutes of the “challenge” video and a few minutes of the shoulders video.
If the student seeing this video is attempting to mimic or ape what is seen, then there exists the possibility for those with more stabile/sound/tight joints to “go too far”.
It is not unusual for a new student to have muscle soreness when beginning an asana practice, especially if they lead a sedentary life preceding it. If you are doing the same practice day in and day out AND this is new to your body THEN it would be appropriate to have some days off in between in order for the newly worked muscles to recover. However when the soreness lingers for more than three days then there is something else afoot - or a shoulder.
gordon
Ok, I took yesterday and today off and I feel great. No stiffness at all, which I’m very glad. I was getting ready to go to the doctor’s office. I’d like to stick with Dashama, but I think I will put her aside until I’m completely comfortable and ready for it. I guess I don’t know my body quite well enough yet. I’m hoping to get into a class next month if I can afford it.
Thank you for the insight.
If you’re pain-free when engaging (using) the same muscles you felt were sore (now presuming it was soreness rather than injury) then it’s likely “ok” to continue with activity. However the what and how of the activity are still undetermined in my mind based on your original question.
gordon