Published Jun 19, 2024

Tight, Achy Neck? Melt Away the Discomfort With These 5 Yoga Poses

Learn the best yoga for neck pain poses, according to certified yoga teachers, plus exactly how to do them as part of your practice.

Tight, Achy Neck? Melt Away the Discomfort With These 5 Yoga Poses

Learn the best yoga for neck pain poses, according to certified yoga teachers, plus exactly how to do them as part of your practice.

Published Jun 19, 2024

Written by

Jenessa Connor

Photo: Getty Images/ da-kuk

Published Jun 19, 2024

Written by

Jenessa Connor

There’s a reason an especially annoying situation (or person) is called a “pain in the neck.” Neck pain, while common and usually not a cause for concern, can really ruin your day.

Experts in This Article

Frances Naude

Registered yoga teacher, Reiki master healer and tarot card reader

Rachel Hirsch

yoga teacher and founder of Empowered Yoga

It’s impossible to ignore; every nod, turn, and head shake offers an instantaneous reminder. Rest doesn’t always help (if you’ve ever woken up from a nap with even worse neck pain, you get it), and movement can feel risky.

Yoga, while not a cure-all for underlying injuries or medical conditions, may help provide relief for people with occasional neck pain. To better understand how to safely use yoga to loosen up tight neck muscles, we chatted with two certified yoga teachers.

Read on for their advice on using yoga to alleviate neck pain, and keep these five gentle poses in mind for the next time you wake up with a crick in your neck.

Is it safe to do yoga with neck pain?

Doing yoga with neck pain can be safe, but you need to be careful.

“The neck can be precarious,” says Rachel Hirsch, RYT-500, yoga teacher and founder of Empowered Yoga “I like to be extra safe with the neck because it’s a vulnerable area of the body that holds important parts, like arteries that supply the brain with blood.”

If you’ve sustained an injury to your neck or are experiencing intense pain, skip the asanas and see a medical professional immediately.

Otherwise, yoga can be effective and safe as long you pay attention to your body’s cues. The primary one is pain.

“If you are experiencing, at any point, additional pain, back away,” Hirsch says. “Pain is a great indicator for us that we’re doing something wrong.”

Sometimes, a yoga pose that doesn’t target the neck specifically may trigger neck pain because your body is so interconnected, according to Frances Naude, RYT-200, yoga teacher, Reiki master healer, and tarot card reader.

“For example, turning your head so that your eyes may gaze over your front fingers in warrior II pose may put too much pressure on your neck while it is rotated forward.”

If you feel any added pain in any pose, stop your yoga practice immediately.

“Yoga stretches invite deep release to muscles that are too tight from being overworked.” Frances Naude, RYT-200

The many benefits of yoga for neck pain

Increasing blood flow and oxygen to any part of your body, including your neck, can reduce inflammation and promote healing.

“Yoga stretches invite deep release to muscles that are too tight from being overworked,” Naude says, noting that an intense workout is often the culprit of neck pain.

However, you may experience that tight or “tweaked” feeling after sitting at a desk for an extended period or repeatedly carrying a baby in the same position.

Having a regular yoga practice may also offer preventative benefits, as yoga can improve your overall strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

“When your body has more strength combined with improved flexibility and mobility, it can better handle the unpredictable strains you encounter,” Hirsch says. “Additionally, yoga can assist with posture and alignment, which can reduce neck strain.”

The best yoga poses for neck pain

As demonstrated by Hirsch below, the following yoga poses help relieve neck pain by increasing blood flow in the affected area and offering a gentle stretch to the muscles in your neck, back, and shoulders.

If you’re physically active and intentional movement is part of your daily life, you may want to cycle through each pose to determine which ones feel best for your body. If you’re new to yoga and exercise, start with one or two poses.

Hirsch recommends spending five to 10 breaths in each pose, but you can adjust that according to your experience level, preferences, and how you feel in the moment.

1. Standing forward fold (Uttanasana)

1.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
2.
Hinge at your hips to bring your torso forward and down toward your legs. Bend your knees as much as you need to.
3.
Release your neck and allow your head to hang down.
4.
You can place your hands on your shins or the ground in front of you. Or, for an added neck stretch, interlace your fingers at the nape of your neck and gently draw your elbows toward each other.
5.
As you hang in a forward fold, allow for subtle movement; experiment with gently shifting your weight forward and back and side to side.
6.
Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
7.
Slowly roll up to a standing position, one vertebrate at a time.

2. Neck roll

1.
Start from a seated or standing position. Relax your shoulders and look straight ahead.
2.
Gently tilt your head to the right, bringing your right ear toward your right shoulder. (Only go as far as what feels safe and comfortable. You do not need to touch your ear to your shoulder.)
3.
Using a fluid, circular motion, slowly bring your chin down toward your chest. Then, slowly tilt your head up and to the left.
4.
Slowly tilt your head back as you lift your chin toward the ceiling.
5.
Immediately move into the next neck roll, drawing your right ear toward your right shoulder.
6.
Continue rolling for 5 to 10 breaths, then repeat the movement in the opposite direction.

3. Seated ear-to-shoulder stretch

1.
Start in a seated or kneeling position. Relax your shoulders and look straight ahead.
2.
Reach over your head with your right arm and place your right palm on the left side of your head above your left ear.
3.
Draw your right ear to your right shoulder. (Only go as far as what feels safe and comfortable. You do not need to touch your ear to your shoulder.)
4.
You should feel a stretch on the left side of your neck.
5.
To deepen the stretch on the left side of your neck, straighten your left arm at your side and press the heel of your left palm into the ground.
6.
Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch sides.

To further deepen the stretch, try these arm variations:

As you draw your right ear toward your right shoulder, place your right hand by your left ear and use the weight of your arm to gently apply pressure to the head.
As you draw your right ear toward your right shoulder, bring your arms behind your back (palms together) and interlace your fingers. Bend your elbows and bring your hands to the right so that your knuckles are resting on your right hip.

4. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

1.
Start on all fours with your palms and knees on the ground. Align your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
2.
Slowly arch your spine, dropping your belly toward the ground. Look up as you draw your tailbone toward the ceiling.
3.
Slowly transition into a rounded-spine position. Tuck your chin into your spine as you tilt your pelvis forward.
4.
Alternate between an arched and rounded position for 5 to 10 breaths. Feel free to alternate with each inhalation and exhalation or move more slowly, spending an inhalation and exhalation in one position.

5. Seated embrace

1.
Start in a seated position with your knees bent and the soles of your feet planted on the ground in front of you.
2.
Cross your wrists and reach between your legs to grab the fronts of your shins right below your knees.
3.
Holding your shins, round your spine (like a deep cat pose), and lean back.
4.
Draw your chin toward your chest and lean back further.
5.
Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 breaths.

TIP

To vary the stretch, try drawing your right ear toward your right shoulder while in a rounded spine position. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths, then switch sides.

“If something doesn’t feel good, then we don’t need to do it. All of our bodies are made beautifully different, with different experiences. What feels good in my body may not be right for yours. Trust your instincts.” —Rachel Hirsch, RYT-500

Tips to keep in mind while doing yoga for neck pain

If you’re taking a group yoga class, don’t keep your neck pain to yourself.

“Always inform your instructor before class begins that you have an injury so they may provide you with modifications throughout the class,” Naude says. “If something hurts or feels like it is causing too much strain, stop immediately! Never worry about offending your instructor or trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Yoga should be judgment-free, and it is your personal practice, so do what feels best for you.”

Also, skip any inversions or balances that put pressure on your head or neck.

Practicing at home? Listen to your body; don’t ignore pain, numbness, or uncomfortably tingly sensations. Give yourself the same grace and flexibility you’d expect from a professional.

“You have a gut for a reason,” Hirsch says. “If something doesn’t feel good, then we don’t need to do it. All of our bodies are made beautifully different, with different experiences. What feels good in my body may not be right for yours. Trust your instincts.”

When to see a doctor for neck pain

A stiff or sore neck you get from sleeping in a weird position or carrying a backpack will likely resolve on its own. That said, there’s no harm in getting checked out if you feel like something’s off.

If you have neck pain that is sharp or intense or worsens over time, you should definitely see a doctor. And, of course, any neck pain due to injury or trauma (e.g., you hit your head or get in car accident) should be evaluated by a medical professional.

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Fitness Workouts

Published Feb 26, 2025

Adult Ballet is on the Rise—And Yes, You Should Totally Try it

Here's what to know before your first class.

Adult Ballet is on the Rise—And Yes, You Should Totally Try it

Here's what to know before your first class.

Published Feb 26, 2025

Written by

Lauren Wingenroth

Published Feb 26, 2025

Written by

Lauren Wingenroth

Maybe it's the reemergence of balletcore, or maybe we're all just trying to discover our inner child, but ballet classes for adults are majorly on the rise.

Former Miami City Ballet dancer Miriam Landis has seen the adult ballet boom firsthand in her adult beginner classes at the Pacific Northwest Ballet School in Seattle. “My classes have grown up to the point where I’ll have 50 people in one class,” she says. “Especially since COVID, people really have this need for connection and shared sense of purpose. It’s really different from going to an exercise class—it’s a little bit of a meditation.”

While many adults are finding community, creativity and purpose in ballet classes, there can also be an intimidation factor. After all, it’s an art form often depicted as elite and exclusive. But Landis says the vibe of most adult classes couldn’t be further from the cutthroat worlds of Center Stage or Black Swan.

“People do feel like it has an exclusive aura,” she says. “But we’re really trying to include rather than exclude. I’ve had students say they were always too scared to come, but they were so glad they did. When people discover it, it really becomes something meaningful in their life.”

Inspired to hit the ballet barre? Here’s what veteran teachers and adult ballet regulars think you should know before you go, plus the benefits you can expect to get out of ballet as an adult.

What to know before your first adult ballet class

“Beginner” doesn’t always mean beginner.

Confusingly, just because a class is labeled “beginner” doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for first timers, says Landis. Instead, look for classes called “absolute beginner” or “fundamentals” to learn the basics. “It’s like a language,” says Landis. “It’s not like a yoga class where you can go in and follow along.”

If you aren’t sure, call the studio to ask if a class is intended for first timers. Or, some studios will even let you observe a class before you try it, says Dawn Hillen, who teaches absolute beginner ballet at The Ailey Extension in New York City. “Go see the teacher, and watch how they interact with the students,” she says. “That’s the single best way to know if it’s a good fit for you.”

It isn’t a fitness class.

Yes, ballet is a form of exercise. But a ballet class is not a fitness class. Plenty of first timers come in with that mindset, only to have their understanding deepen over time, says Landis. “There’s a real artistic aspect to it that doesn’t exist in an exercise class,” she says. “You’re going to be thinking about every part of your body, not just executing a step, but how you execute the step; the quality of it.” (FYI: Though barre classes often claim to be ballet-inspired, real ballet classes are actually very different.)

Expect your ballet teacher to speak in metaphors and imagery more than you may be used to. (For instance, Landis might tell students to hold their hand as if they have “a million diamonds on their fingers.”) There’s also the focus on moving to the music, and on performing for an imagined audience. “Everything is taught based on how your audience is going to receive it,” Landis says. “How are you going to offer your cheek to the person sitting in the third ring so that what you’re projecting reaches them?”

Though you’ll likely gain strength, coordination and flexibility from a ballet practice, ultimately ballet is about learning a craft, says Landis.

You don’t have to splurge on leotards—unless you want to.

If your adult ballet dreams involve a leotard, pink tights and a ballet skirt, that’s great. Hillen says for some students, feeling like they look the part enhances their experience. But if you don’t feel comfortable in traditional ballet attire—or you don’t want to spend money for an activity you aren’t sure you’ll stick with—she says anything you can move in is fine to wear. Form-fitting activewear is ideal, she says, so that teachers can see the alignment of your body, but she understands that some beginners might feel better in looser clothes.

Shoes are a different story. Street shoes are typically not allowed in dance studios, so you’ll either want to invest in ballet shoes (jazz shoes are also fine, says Hillen) or wear socks. But be aware that socks can be slippery, says Landis, who often sends new dancers to the school’s lost and found to try and find a pair that’ll work for them.

Be respectful, but don’t worry too much about “ballet etiquette.”

If you’ve watched enough ballet movies, you may be familiar with the concept that ballet culture contains countless unspoken rules and etiquette norms. While there’s some truth to that, in the low-stakes world of an adult ballet class, you don’t need to worry about much that isn’t common sense or similar to what you’d encounter in a fitness class.

For instance, you’ll be in close proximity to others, so be mindful about personal hygiene and not wearing heavy perfumes, suggests Landis. Arrive early, try to avoid having to leave and reenter the class, and keep your phone in your bag and on silent.

Spatial awareness is key: Avoid standing too close to anyone else, or standing directly in front of anyone while working in the center of the room. Landis says that it’s common for regulars to use the same barre spot during every class, so it’s a nice courtesy to ask someone if a spot is available before parking yourself there. And when you’re doing steps that travel across the floor, “maintain the traffic pattern, even if you mess up the steps,” says Hillen. “If you come to a dead stop and people are traveling behind you, people can get injured.”

It’s customary to thank your teacher (and pianist, if there is one) at the end of class, but Hillen recommends also saying hello before class begins, to introduce yourself, explain that you’re new, and flag any injuries you may have.

Embrace the corrections.

Unlike in a yoga class, where you may get one or two hands-on adjustments, or a fitness class, where the coach may give some general form suggestions, in ballet, teachers give individualized corrections near-constantly.

When a teacher gives you a correction, rather than dwelling on the fact that you’re doing something wrong, try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow, says Hillen. Often, she says, teachers give corrections because they see potential and they want to help you reach it. “If a teacher turns their eye to you, it’s a gift,” she says. That said, if you feel the environment of the class is such that corrections aren’t well-intended or are making you uncomfortable, you may want to find a teacher who is a better fit for you.

“I always tell students that they can mess up in front of me; that this is a safe space and I’m here to support their journey,” says Landis. “Even if teachers aren’t skilled at communicating that, their role is to help you learn the skill you’re there to learn.”

The benefits of adult ballet classes

Practicing ballet as an adult has myriad benefits, depending on what you’re hoping to get out of it. First, there’s the physical: A ballet class is a form of anaerobic exercise, says Hillen, meaning there will be short bursts of movement that get you huffing and puffing, followed by rest as you learn the next combination. She says ballet also develops strength, flexibility, mobility, coordination, balance and good posture.

There are also the mental benefits, she says, like greater spatial and body awareness. “You’re constantly being asked to remember new things,” Hillen says. “So you’re making a healthier brain by learning something quickly and producing it physically.”

For Beverly Lippman, a regular at Hillen’s class, ballet helps her “focus on the moment,” she says. “Everything else goes away. It’s a very restorative space.” Landis agrees. “The ability to slow down, listen to music, be in your body and be present is incredibly valuable,” she says. “That is so missing from our general lifestyle.”

Often, adult ballet classes are highly social, welcoming spaces, says Adrienne Chan, who takes Landis’ class at Pacific Northwest Ballet School. “I’ve made a lot of friends—it’s been wonderful,” she says. “Everyone cheers each other on.”

For Melissa Castañeda, who teachers adult beginner ballet at the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance in New York City, there’s power in learning that you are capable of something new as an adult. “It’s always a joy to see students discovering something they didn’t know about themselves,” she says. “It’s common for people to discover that their bodies are able to move in ways they never thought they could move. Your confidence will increase if you’re training with a good instructor who allows you to discover that in yourself.”

“They’re just immeasurable,” says Hillen on the benefits of ballet. “It expands your life.”

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Experts in This Article

Is it safe to do yoga with neck pain?

The many benefits of yoga for neck pain

The best yoga poses for neck pain

1. Standing forward fold (Uttanasana)

2. Neck roll

3. Seated ear-to-shoulder stretch

4. Cat-cow pose (Bitilasana Marjaryasana)

5. Seated embrace

Tips to keep in mind while doing yoga for neck pain

When to see a doctor for neck pain

Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter

Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.

What to know before your first adult ballet class

“Beginner” doesn’t always mean beginner.

It isn’t a fitness class.

You don’t have to splurge on leotards—unless you want to.

Be respectful, but don’t worry too much about “ballet etiquette.”

Embrace the corrections.

The benefits of adult ballet classes

Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter

Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.

All Stories

Your Daily Horoscope for March 10, 2025

25 Immune-Boosting Comfort Food Recipes

Yes, You *Do* Need a Pair of Barrel Jeans—Because They Look Amazing on Everyone

The Best Wellness Sales This Weekend: Athleta, Cozy Earth, and More

It’s Time To Stop Believing These 7 Myths About Endometriosis

Yes, You Do Need a Pair of Barrel Jeans—Because They Look Amazing on Everyone