The hands are shoulder width apart and the feet are hip distance apart. Push evenly into hands while drawing back the shoulders and the hips, push into the heels and lift the knees. Keep the back straight and the *arm pits looking down

The space between the hands and feet depends on the student. Bring the feet closer for less flexible students

POINTS TO WATCH

Typical points to be aware of are:

Gaze: Navel   

• *The Thoracic spine (between shoulder blades) can contract, which tends to create and internal rotation of the arms.
• This is identified by the *arm pits turning out to the sides
• To rectify roll the arms away from each other (*external rotation)
• The arches of the feet can collapse due to the inner thigh muscles not working   
• To rectify revolve the knees away from each other

MUSCLES TO WATCH

• Infraspinatus

ACTION: External rotation of the arm

• Problems occur if the Infraspinatus is tight. Raising the arm over head with a tight Infraspinatus will turn the arms so the arm pits are exposed. To rectify draw the shoulders down and turn the arm pits in towards each other so the palms face each other                         

JOINTS TO WATCH

Shoulder joint:

• The shoulder joint is ball and socket joint
• The muscles of the shoulder socket are called rotator cuff
• They are:
• *Infraspinatus
• Supraspinatus
• Teres minor
• Subscapularis