A Little Confession…
We intentionally incorporate a lot of upper body in Mojo. While I’ve talked about engaging our shoulders more in our movements before, I just realized I haven’t been using them to their full potential myself! I’d throw them in occasionally, but my approach has always been more athletic than “dancey”.
Last week, I experimented with intentionally accentuating my shoulders in as many movements as I could muster, which resulted in a mini “aha” moment. In addition to being more fun, I was pleasantly surprised by the sensation of soreness (muscles waking up) in areas of my torso that had been asleep. To entice my brain, and yours, to keep “shouldering” on, I decided to take a deeper dive…
One of our most underused hidden gems- Our shoulders
When dancing, something intriguing happens when we start accentuating our shoulders. The rhythm becomes easier to follow, movements start to flow together, our brain relaxes, and we become more playful.
Musicians call this feeling “the groove”. It is the moment when movement and music lock together, and the body stops forcing the steps. Instead of thinking about each move, we begin to ride the rhythm.
This small shift isn’t just more fun – It activates a chain reaction of muscle and coordination reactions throughout our body…
Why Actively Inviting Your Shoulders to the Party Matters
In addition to having prettier shoulders (Yes!), using them more intentionally has some surprising benefits…
1. It lights up our midsection
When our shoulders move, the muscles that connect the upper body to the torso automatically engage.
• obliques
• serratus anterior along the ribs
• upper core stabilizers
• deep spinal support muscles
Our “Corset Muscles”
Together, these muscles act like a natural corset around our torso, supporting our spine and controlling rotation through our rib cage.
When our shoulders start to groove, these muscles wake up, and suddenly our whole torso joins the party. Instead of just moving our arms, we’re subtly “whittling our middle” along the way.
2. It Adds Intensity Without Impact
Throughout our Mojo playlist, we incorporate “surge” moments with high-energy low and high-impact movements that increase our heart rate and build power.
Between these surges, shoulder-driven pulses, rolls, and shimmys allow us to incorporate strengthening to keep our body active while reducing impact on the joints.
3. It wakes up posture muscles
Many of us spend hours slightly rounded forward. Netflix. Computers. Driving.
When we move our shoulders with intention, we activate muscles that support healthy posture.
• upper back
• rear shoulders
• mid-spine stabilizers
These muscles help pull us upright and keep our chest open, so we’re dancing better and standing taller all day long.
4. It strengthens our brain-body connection
Shoulder-driven choreography adds complexity.
The brain now has to coordinate:
• upper body
• lower body
• rhythm
• direction
This movement stimulates:
• coordination
• reaction time
• neural pathways that support brain agility
Our brain and soul (!) get a workout, too!
What we do in Mojo stays in Mojo…
It can be a challenge to dip our toe out of our comfort zone and let out our inner showgirl. Baby shimmys! Even the smallest tweak can unlock a colorful spark and wake up new muscle groups and neural pathways.
After 17 years, I am pumped to have even more “crayons” to add more color and JOY to our sweaty parties. I hope you will join me!
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