Floaty Birds
Floaty Birds
Muscle Group(s) Stretched: Back*, Shoulders
Ranges of Motion Trained: Back extension, shoulder circumduction
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: Intermediate
Suggested Prerequisites: Feel like back extensions with the hands reaching back are too easy
This is a variation of back extension that I use with my contortion students - but you don’t have to be a contortionist to benefit from working on this range of movement! Even if your “floaty bird” is super low to the ground, this can be a great strengthener for your active back and shoulder flexibility.
That said, this exercise is challenging. It was the one we always groaned about when it came up in our warm up in contortion class (shoutout to Esh Circus Arts in Boston, and all my fond contortion memories from that school!)
How To
Step 1
Start lying on your stomach, legs about hip-width apart, and arms reaching overhead on the floor.
Step 2
Keeping your legs on the floor (don’t let them float up), lift your chest and your arms off the floor - still reaching the arms forwards.
If you are very backbendy, engage your transverse abdominus by sucking your belly button in towards your spine (this will help take some pressure out of your low back if you end up backbending quite far).
Step 3
Once you’ve lifted the chest as high as you can, “float” your arms up and back - trying to reach your hands up towards the ceiling, and then back towards your feet (not just straight back in one motion). If you can, try to lift the chest a smidge higher when your hands reach back toward your feet.
Step 4
Float your hands back to the front by reaching them up towards the ceiling as you bring them back forwards. Lower your chest to the ground.
Contemplate why you chose to do such a challenging exercise. Then try to do a couple more, aiming for 4-12 reps.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Keep it low! Seriously, don’t worry about how high your lifting. I know this exercise is hard. As long as you’re feeling a squeeze in your erectors (back muscles), then you’re golden!
Hold a long strap between your hands to turn these into strap-assisted floaty birds.
Want to make it harder?
Add small weights to each hand - I’m talking seriously small, like 0.5lb to 1lb.
