Plane of Motion
Breaststroke
Plane of Motion
Sagittal, Coronal & Transverse
Spring Setting
Light
1 Medium Spring or
1 Light Spring
Muscle Focus
Spinal Extensors
Erector Spinae, Semispinalis, Deep Posterior Spinal Group
Lift the spine in extension.
Keep the spine lifted in extension as the arms circle to the side.
Shoulder Flexors
Anterior Deltoid, Pectoralis Major, Coracobrachialis, Biceps Brachii
Press into the straps to reach the arms forward toward the foot bar.
Resist the springs as the spine lifts & as the elbows bend at the end of the exercise.
Scapular Upward Rotators
Serratus Anterior, Trapezius
Swing the bottom tips of the scapulae apart to allow for overhead reach as the arms reach forward to the foot bar.
Other Muscles at Play
Anterior spinal stabilizers provide lumbo-pelvic stabilization and co-contract with the hip extensors to protect the low back.
Elbow extensors straighten the elbows as the arms reach forward.
Scapular depressors keep the shoulders down away from the ears.
Scapular abductors (protraction) assist with the upward rotators to separate the scapulae as the arms reach forward and up.
Shoulder adductors bring the arms to a T and as the elbows bend and the upper arm closes to the side of the body.
Shoulder horizontal adductors resist the backward pull of the straps to keep the arms side in a T.
Elbow flexors bend the elbow at the end of the exercise.
Scapular adductors keep the scapulae drawn together when the elbows are bent in the starting and ending positions.
Hip extensors keep the legs lifted up against gravity.
Knee extensors keep the legs straight.
Plantar flexors keep the feet pointed.
Objectives
Promote the co-contraction and strength of the anterior core, back extensor, and hip extensor muscles to stabilize the lumbo-pelvic region while in a prone position.
Enhance spinal extension.
Enhance shoulder rotator strength while ensuring scapular stability.
Enhance shoulder flexibility and mobility.
Focus on breathing to synchronize the movement.