mobility

Foam Rolling for Better Movement, Less Pain, and Faster Recovery

Rachel Larson · November 11, 2025 ·

If you’ve ever walked out of a workout feeling sore, stiff, or “locked up,” you’re not alone. When we challenge our muscles through running, strength training, or yoga, our bodies naturally tighten as they rebuild stronger tissue. The problem? Without regular release work, those muscles can stay tense—limiting flexibility, altering movement patterns, and increasing the risk of pain or injury.

Foam rolling is one of the simplest and most effective ways to restore balance and keep your body moving freely. By applying gentle pressure to tight or overworked muscles and the fascia that surrounds them, you help release constricted fibers so they can glide, grip, and function the way they’re meant to.

Why It Matters

When your muscles move better, your joints move better too. Our joints are guided—and often restricted—by the muscles that surround them. Tight muscles and fascia can pull joints out of alignment, causing discomfort and inflammation over time.

Here are a few common examples:

Tight quadriceps → sore knees and increased risk of injury
Tight calves → plantar fasciitis or low back pain
Tight chest muscles → shoulder instability, poor posture, or tingling in the arms
Tight piriformis (deep glute muscle) → sciatica-like leg pain and balance issues

The good news? All of this tightness and dysfunction is both preventable and manageable. You don’t need new joints or surgery every time something hurts—you need a body maintenance plan. Learning how your muscles and joints interact, and releasing problem areas regularly, can dramatically improve your range of motion, posture, and overall comfort.

How to Foam Roll

Foam rolling is simple—but there’s an art to doing it well. Move slowly along the length of a muscle until you find a tender or tight spot, then pause and breathe. Let your body relax into the pressure instead of forcing it. Think of it as melting tension rather than smashing it out. Roll for about 30–60 seconds per area, and notice how your body feels lighter, looser, and more aligned. *Only do this once per day unless advised otherwise.

Want to learn proper technique, where to focus, and how to pair rolling with effective stretches?

Join Us!

Join Alice and Rachel for our Foam Rolling & Body Balance Workshop on Friday, November 14.
Bring your foam roller and yoga mat (we’ll have extras if you need them). You’ll learn how to identify your body’s “hot spots,” release tension using a foam roller and massage ball, and stretch deeply for lasting relief.

You’ll leave feeling loose, balanced, and empowered with tools to keep your body moving pain-free.

4 Yoga Poses to Improve Shoulder Mobility using Blocks

Alice Halvorson · July 22, 2025 ·

Unlock strength, ease, and freedom in your upper body

Tight shoulders can sneak into our lives from all angles—long hours at a desk, heavy lifting, stress, or even poor posture. The result? Discomfort, limited range of motion, and tension that can ripple into the neck and back.

Fortunately, your yoga mat offers more than just a reset—it’s a place to rebuild mobility and restore ease. These four poses, each enhanced with yoga blocks, are designed to open the chest, create space in the shoulder joints, and gently stretch surrounding muscle groups.

Let’s break them down.

Fish Pose (Supported Matsyasana)

Opens the chest, shoulders, and throat

Using blocks under your upper back and head, supported fish pose is a powerful heart opener that gently draws the shoulders back and down. It reverses the effects of forward hunching (hello, laptops and phones) and promotes better posture by creating space across the collarbones.

How to do it:

Place one block at medium or low height under your upper back (right below your shoulder blades).
Place a second block (lower height) under your head.
Allow your arms to rest out wide, palms facing up.
Breathe deeply and soften into the support.

Pro tip: If you feel compression in your lower back, adjust the height of the block under your spine or bend your knees.

Thread the Needle (with Block Support)

Releases tension in the upper back, shoulders, and neck

This gentle twist targets the posterior shoulder (especially the rotator cuff and rhomboids), encouraging both flexibility and circulation. Using a block supports your head or arm, allowing the pose to be more restorative and less about force.

How to do it:

Begin in tabletop.
Slide your right arm underneath your left, palm facing up, resting your right shoulder and ear on a block for support.
Reach your left arm forward or wrap it behind your back.
Hold and breathe, then switch sides.

Pro tip: Focus on relaxing the muscles between your shoulder blades and letting gravity assist the stretch.

Camel Pose (Ustrasana) with Blocks

Opens the chest, shoulders, and hip flexors

Camel pose is a deep heart opener—but it can feel intense without proper support. Adding blocks brings the ground closer to you, offering stability and encouraging safer alignment while you work into shoulder extension.

How to do it:

Come to a kneeling position.
Place two blocks behind you at your ankles (choose a height that’s reachable).
Place your hands on the blocks as you lift your chest and press your hips forward.
Draw your shoulder blades together as you gently lean back.

Pro tip: Keep your chin tucked slightly if your neck feels strained, or lift the gaze if your spine allows it.

Extended Child’s Pose (Supported Balasana)

Lengthens the spine and stretches the shoulders

When held with intention, extended child’s pose becomes a beautiful shoulder opener. Adding blocks under the forearms allows the arms to elevate slightly, intensifying the stretch through the armpits and upper back while encouraging the chest to melt down.

How to do it:

Start in a kneeling position with big toes touching, knees wide.
Place your forearms on blocks as you extend your arms forward.
Let your chest soften toward the mat.
Breathe slowly, relaxing your shoulders away from your ears.

Pro tip: Add a folded blanket under your hips or chest if you want extra support or need to modify the depth of the pose.

Why Shoulder Mobility Matters

Strong and mobile shoulders are essential for almost everything—lifting, reaching, even breathing more efficiently. But it’s not just about flexibility; it’s about creating functional range of motion supported by breath, control, and awareness.

Yoga blocks are your allies here. They help you customize depth, reduce strain, and access postures in a way that serves your unique body—making each pose more sustainable and effective.

Questions? Email us at info@theflostate.com

Daily Mobility Flow for Desk Workers

Rachel Larson · June 30, 2025 ·

If you spend long hours sitting at a desk, you’re not alone. Over time, this stillness can lead to stiff hips, rounded shoulders, and aching backs—not to mention a lack of energy. The good news? A few intentional minutes of daily movement can go a long way in restoring mobility, posture, and your sense of well-being.

This short sequence is designed specifically for desk-bound bodies. You don’t need any equipment—just a bit of floor space, a countertop, and your breath. See corresponding images below!

Cat-Cow (Spinal Flexion & Extension) – 1 minute

This gentle flow is like a wake-up call for your spine.

Start on hands and knees in a tabletop position.
Inhale: Arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone (Cow).
Exhale: Round your spine, tucking chin and pelvis (Cat).
Move with your breath for 8–10 slow, nourishing rounds.
Option: Externally rotate your hands to point to your knees for added forearm stretch

Thoracic Rotations – 1 minute (30 seconds per side)

Unlock tightness in your mid-back and shoulders.

Stay in your tabletop position.
Place one hand behind your head.
Rotate your upper body open, pointing your elbow toward the ceiling.
Slowly return and repeat 5–8 times, then switch sides.

World’s Greatest Stretch – 30–60 seconds per side

A full-body stretch that hits your hips, spine, hamstrings, and shoulders all at once.

Step into a deep lunge with both hands on the floor inside your front foot.
Option to drop your back knee down for support.
Bring your inside elbow toward the ground, then rotate and reach that arm to the sky.
Hold and breathe for 30–60 seconds, then switch sides.

90/90 Hip Switches – 30 seconds per side

Wake up your hips and improve internal/external rotation.

Sit on the floor with both knees bent at 90° angles and hands behind you.
With a tall spine, rotate both legs to the one side, then the other.
Repeat the switch 6–8 times per side.

Deep Squat Hold – 1 minute

An incredible posture reset that opens up the hips, ankles, and spine.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
Sink down into a deep squat, keeping heels flat.
Press your elbows into your knees to gently open your hips.
Option to reach one arm up to open the chest.

Superman Stretch with Push up – 3-5 times

Improves posture and strengthens posterior chain of the body

Start in push up position
Lower body to the ground with a straight and strong body
Extend arms long into “superman” form
Return hands under shoulders and push up to starting position

Deep Hip Stretch with Spinal Rotation – 4 times total (2 per side)

Releases spinal tension, mobilizes shoulders and stretches low back and hip complex.

Widen feet and sink into deep squat with hands on thighs.
Leaning forward, press hands into thighs as you press one shoulder downward and you rotate the other upward. Look past your top shoulder.
Exhale on the twist and contract your abs gently.

Finish With a Few Deep Breaths

Pause for a few moments. Stand tall or rest in Child’s Pose.
Take 3 deep, slow breaths—and notice how much more awake and open your body feels.

Consistency is key

Doing this simple sequence daily—or even a few times a week—can improve mobility, reduce tension, and help you reconnect with your body. You don’t need to overhaul your schedule. Just pause, move, and breathe.

Your desk-bound body will thank you.