arm springs standing BUTTERFLY
INTERMEDIATE
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STARTING POSITION
FOCUS
Standing, facing away from vertically sliding bar. Pelvis and spine neutral, with whole body leaning away from Cadillac. Feet hip-distance apart, legs straight. Arms long and abducted just lower than shoulder level, with hands holding handles and palms facing forward, wrists and fingers long. Scapulae stabilized.
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stabilize scapulae and arms so arms remain constant in relationship to torso
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isolate movement to lateral flexion of torso
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maintain neutral alignment through torso and pelvis in lean
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take torso forward into lean by allowing ankle joint to dorsiflex; avoid flexing hips
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keep shoulder girdle open and scapulae stabilized
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maintain neutral pelvis using gluteus maximus, hamstrings and abdominals
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engage hip abductors to prevent pelvis shifting laterally during sidebend
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lengthen spine before sidebending to avoid crunching vertebrae
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maintain equal pressure with both hands into handles so torso does not rotate
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keep spine neutral in sagittal plane, avoid extension
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keep wrists as long as possible without ‘breaking’
EXERCISE
To prepare, inhale... EXHALE
INHALE
maintain pelvis and torso facing squarely forward, and pelvis still in space. Keep equal pressure with both hands into handles and laterally flex spine to one side, keeping arms in same relationship to torso. return spine to vertical.
Complete 3 repetitions on each side, alternating. ESSENCE
transversus abdominis to compress abdomen and stabilize lumbo-pelvic region; deep pelvic floor to aid in firing transversus; rectus abdominis, obliques and erector spinae to stabilize torso; abdominals challenged by resistance from behind; gluteus maximus, hamstrings and abdominals to stabilize pelvis; ipsilateral internal and external obliques concentrically to laterally flex spine; anterior deltoid and pectoralis major isometrically to maintain arm position against resistance from behind; deltoids to maintain height of humeri; scapular stabilizers, especially serratus anterior challenged by resistance from behind TARGET MUSCLES:
STABILITY:
spine during articulation; pelvis on femurs; scapulae
MOBILITY:
spine into lateral flexion
MODIFICATIONS
Once torso is in laterally flexed position, abduct top arm and adduct bottom arm, increasing range of motion at shoulder joint. Return arms directly out to sides before returning torso to vertical. 1. CONTINUE MOVEMENT WITH ARMS.
2. KNEELING ON CADILLAC BED. Maintain neutral and vertical position. To focus stabilization at hip joints rather than throughout legs as in standing version.
Place one foot slightly forward of the other and flex front leg. Maintain one line from back heel to top of head. To help stabilize torso and balance in lean position. 3. LUNGE POSITION.
Butterfly
1. starting position
2. laterally flex
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3. return
I N T E R M E D I AT E & A D V A N C E D C A D I L L A C M A N U A L • E X E R C I S E S
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