SkiErg Technique - The Butterfly
Muscle Groups
The entire upper torso - Intercostals, diaphragm, serratus, Pectorals
Description
Stand facing away from the SkiErg and take hold of the handles followed by a small step forwards so you have slight feeling of bending backwards.
Allow the hips to come forwards so your bottom is not sticking out, this will help lift your chest. With your chest lifted turn your palms out (this will help pull your elbows slightly behind your shoulders).
To make the flywheel move, bend your knees and drop your bottom back which will allow you to bow forwards.
As you bow forwards, let your arms remain behind you until a natural stretch begins to pull your arms down.
Continue to bow forwards pulling your arms until the weight of your arms pulls the handles down in front of you.
Remember this variation is not a 'pec-dec' style of exercise, keep your chest, arms and ribs as open and relaxed as possible during the pull down.
To come up, bring your hips underneath you and reach up and back through your ribcage, through your arms, back toward to the SkiErg.
See if you can keep the palms of your hands reaching out to the sides as this will help open your arm pits and in turn your ribs and lungs.
Enjoy the reach up, open up and let the movement deepen your breathing, which basically means to breath out, deepen the bow, to inhale, deepen the reach up.
Keep this light, do not strain for we're only looking to work the small muscles involved in breathing.