Side Stretch (Mermaid)

The Side Stretch (Mermaid): To learn how to perform the Side Stretch sit on a chair with your arms reaching up to the ceiling. Perform Kathy Grant’s song to align the spine (“Zip our pants, belly button to the lowest part of the waistline, put your belt on, put your vest on, tape measure, sit on a hot seat”).  Do not hyperextend the spine or lift your chest up.  Inhale into the right lung, push down through your right sit bone, reach up and over with your arms and crown of your head, slide your right lung up and over your heart and left lung (an image inspired by Eric Franklin). Pivot around your xiphoid axis. Do not shorten your left side, reach up through that left arm.  Exhale push down into the chair and roll up to sitting upright.  You can also try to inhale and exhale as you reach up and over sideways, then inhale into the right lung to expand the intercostal muscles as you roll up to sitting upright. Exhale once you are upright. Repeat on the other side.  Try to feel the space between the ribs expand as you are stretching.