Mermaid

Plane of Motion

Coronal

Spring Setting

Medium / Light

1 Medium Spring or

1 Medium & 1 Light Spring or

2 Medium Springs

Muscle Focus

Spinal Lateral Flexors

External Oblique (same side), Internal Oblique (same side), Quadratus Lumborum (same side), Erector Spinae (same side), Semispinalis (same side), Deep Posterior Spinal Group (same side), Rectus Abdominis (same side), Iliopsoas (same side)

Assists the shoulder and scapular muscles to press the carriage away.
Side bends the trunk and returns it to stacking tall.

Shoulder Abductors

Supraspinatus, Middle Deltoid, Pectoralis Major

Presses the carriage away with assistance from the scapular upward rotators & scapular depressors.

Scapular Upward Rotators

Serratus Anterior, Trapezius

Swing the bottom tips of the scapulae away from each other to allow for overhead reach as the carriage is pressed out.

Scapular Depressors

Lower Trapezius, Serratus Anterior, Latissimus Dorsi, Pectoralis Minor

Keep the shoulders down away from the ears, especially as the carriage is pressed out.

Other Muscles at Play

Anterior & posterior spinal stabilizers provide lumbo-pelvic and spinal stabilization.
Elbow extensors straighten the arm and assist the shoulder and scapular muscles to push the carriage away.

Objectives

Enhance torso mobility and strengthen the spinal lateral flexors and scapular depressors.
Enhance the mobility of intercostal muscles and ribs.
Achieve a proper trunk and shoulder alignment while extending away from the foot bar.
Ensure lumbo-pelvic stabilization while bending the torso to the side and keeping the shoulders down and aligned.
Let this movement transition smoothly into a single fluid motion to gain the full benefit.
Keep the torso supported through the connection of the extended arm and shoulder.
Focus on breathing to synchronize the movement.