A Gentle Warm-Up Routine Before Yoga — Especially If You Have Neck or Back Issues
I don’t jump straight into yoga. My body won’t allow it, and honestly, I don’t think anyone’s should.
Before any yoga session, I spend time warming up with a short seated sequence. It started as something my yoga therapist recommended for my cervical disc issues, and it has become one of my favourite parts of the practice. By the time I actually move into poses, my body feels awake, open, and ready.
This warm-up takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If you have neck tension, shoulder tightness, or spend long hours at a desk, this sequence is especially worth trying.
What You Need
A yoga mat and one yoga block.
The Sequence
1. Seated Base
Sit on your yoga block in a cross-legged position. Knees rest on the mat, spine tall. This is your foundation for the entire warm-up. Before you do anything else, feel your sitting bones connect with the block and let your spine stack naturally upward.
2. Gentle Neck Rotation
Slowly turn your head to the right, then to the left. No forcing, no rushing. Just let the neck move through its natural range. If you feel any resistance or tension, stay there for a breath before continuing.
3. Reset Your Shoulders
This step is easy to skip and important not to. Sit tall, gently draw your shoulder blades toward each other, and let your shoulders drop down away from your ears. Hold this awareness. It will keep coming back throughout the entire sequence.
4. Lateral Neck Release
Keeping your shoulders down, slowly tilt your head to the right, bringing your ear toward your shoulder. Hold for a breath, then switch sides. You will likely feel this in your neck and upper trapezius immediately.
5. Shoulder Circles
Roll your shoulders forward 10 times, then backward 10 times. Slow and intentional, not rushed. Then draw a figure of eight with your shoulders, as if tracing a sideways infinity sign in the air. This one always surprises people with how much tension it releases.
6. Arms Overhead
Interlace your fingers and raise your arms above your head, palms facing up. As you lift, actively drop your shoulders down. These two things feel contradictory at first but this is exactly what creates length through the sides of the body and decompression in the spine.
7. Seated Spinal Twist
Still sitting tall on the block, rotate your upper body to the right. You are not collapsing or rounding. You are turning while staying long. Hold for a breath or two, then rotate to the left. This movement warms up the thoracic spine and gently mobilises the entire back.
8. Ankle Circles
Finish with ankle rotations in both directions. It sounds small but the feet and ankles carry tension too, and this grounds you before moving into standing or floor poses.
A Note on Shoulder Awareness
Throughout this entire sequence, your shoulders want to creep up. Let them drop. Every single movement is better when the shoulders are down and back. This one habit, practised consistently, changes how your neck and upper back feel over time.
After This Warm-Up
Once this sequence is complete, your body is ready for yoga. The joints are moving, the breath has deepened, and the nervous system has had a chance to shift into a calmer state. I move into Downward Dog after this, which I will cover in a separate post.
If you are short on time, even two or three minutes of shoulder circles and neck releases in the morning makes a difference. I do a shorter version most mornings before I even get out of bed.
Start slow. Stay consistent. Your body will thank you.