Page 59 - MANUAL ESTUDIANTES ENG ML1

CHAPTER 17. BACK FLAG/SIDE PLANCHE
This movement can be performed in several different ways depending on how we decide to get to the final position. A few of
the most popular options include starting from a frontal pike (moving the body upward while holding a pike) and from a vertical/elephant lift in slow motion, from dynamic skills (one-arm or two-arm beats, Tic-Tac, etc.), from spinning (performing a flare, and then, through a vertical/candle position or while holding a pike), from skills such as the Scorpion, etc.
BODY POSITION:
- Banana: Keeping the legs together, with the free arm overhead, internally rotated, and held against the head; the body should be doing a lateral flexion of the spine while the muscles on the opposite side (latissimus dorsi, obliques, intercostal muscles, teres major, etc.) are fully extended. The focus is on lateral flexion, not back extension.
- Russian:Weholdthelegsandarmexactlythesameasinthe“banana”position,butkeepthebodyinastraightline(plank),as parallel to the floor as possible.
- Diagonal: We can hold the legs together or apart, keeping the free arm overhead or to the side (depending on the desired ending position). We hold a full body extension (latissimus dorsi, obliques, intercostal muscles, teres major, etc. extended), but keep the body in a straight line with a descending diagonal angle.
- Contortion: We can hold the legs together or apart, keeping the free arm overhead or to the side and doing a lateral hyperflexion and hyperextension of the spine. The weight of the body is fully supported by the arm held against the back.
- Variations: There are several variations of this position involving different techniques (Kalashnikov, splits, inverted “L”, bent legs, etc.)..
Depending on the country or the sport we perform, this skill can have different names (back flag, side planche, Drapeau, Back lever one arm, etc.)
17.1 TECHNIQUE
To perform this skill and move our body in an optimal way, we require a high level of strength and flexibility. We also need very
strong technique to properly hold the final pose, though the technique may vary depending on the starting position.
FROM FRONTAL: We will start this movement by moving the body upward while holding a pike (legs together or apart), making sure the inside leg is always in contact with the arm we are hanging from (reducing body weight with respect to the center of gravity).
The path our body needs to follow is foot-hand, then knee-elbow, and then (before arriving to the hip-elbow position) we should search for an ascending diagonal line with the outside leg and a descending diagonal line with the inside leg, performing simultaneously an external rotation of the outside leg and hip to open up the body toward full extension, finally reaching the back flag/side planche.
Legs together will require greater strength and control of our body.
The arm we are hanging from starts with a proper shoulder engagement (light depression and downward rotation of the scapula to compensate for the elevation and upward rotation generated while hanging) and a neutral position (thumb facing toward the body). Then, as the knee reaches the elbow, the arm we are hanging from will initiate the internal rotation of the wrist-elbow-shoulder, so it can generate the rotational energy needed to properly perform this skill. This internal rotation will help us reach the final pose and prevent shoulder injury.
Breathing has a key role when performing this skill. Throughout the upward movement a deep, long, and controlled exhalation would allow us to better control our body. It will also aid our pike since we are reducing the amount of air in our lungs.
FROM TIC-TAC, BEATS, ETC.: TBD MASTERCLASS LEVEL 2 (ML2)
57. The Aerial Movement ® © The Aerial Movement 2019