Monkey
Plane of Motion
Sagittal
Muscle Focus
Spring Setting
Medium
1 Short Medium or Light Spring
Safety Chain
Spinal Flexors
Rectus Abdominis, External Oblique, Internal Oblique
Flexes the trunk to lift the head & chest off the mat and roll up.
Continues to pull the chest to the thighs when up.
Resists the spring to articulate the spine back to the mat.
Knee Extensors
Quadriceps Femoris: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Intermedius, Vastus Medialis
Straightens the knee to push the bar up.
Resists the spring to lower the bar down with control.
Hip Extensors
Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings: Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus & Biceps Femoris
Brings the thigh away from the body to push the bar up.
Resists the spring to lower the bar down with control.
The hamstrings will also get a stretch if tight.
Other Muscles at Play
Anterior spinal stabilizers to maintain lumbo-pelvic stabilization & keep the entire spine in neutral.
Spinal extensors receive a deep stretch when up off the mat and assist the spinal flexors in articulating the spine off and on the mat.
Hip adductors draw the legs together as they extend and build the midline connection into the core.
Plantar flexors to keep the heels lifted and the feet pointed.
Objectives
Increase abdominal control and spine flexibility/articulation to ready the body for deep flexion in this movement and to prepare for upcoming exercises.
Enhanced spinal mobility while engaging abdominal muscles during spinal flexion.
Increase flexibility in the hamstrings and lower legs.
Keep the torso steady by extending the arms away from the body for extra stability but refrain from using the arms to push.
Focus on breathing to synchronize the movement.