Speaker #0Hi everyone and welcome to a new episode of BioPilates Deep Dive. Today I'd like to guide you through an exercise that may seem simple at first glance, almost unremarkable, yet it reveals an extraordinary depth of biomechanical intelligence. This is the open elbow, the second preparation in the back rowing series on the Reformer. I appreciate this movement immensely because it reflects the truth of our shoulder mechanics. the organization of our trunk, the stability of our scapulae, and the precision of our breath. Open elbow is a mirror. It shows us exactly how we move, how we stabilize, how we breathe, and how our neuromuscular system coordinates the complexity of the shoulder. When I settle into the exercise, I first take a moment to feel the neutrality of my pelvis, the length of my spine, the calm width of my shoulder blades. Even before anything moves, the entire body is already involved. My legs are long, my sternum soft yet lifted, my scapulae quietly anchored to the back of my ribcage. As I place the straps at the level of my elbows, I feel immediately that the movement will demand subtlety, precision, and an unwavering stability. When the elbows begin to open, the bent elbow shortens the lever and forces the humerus to articulate. with greater intelligence inside the glenoid fossa. This detail transforms everything. The humeral head must roll, glide, and pivot with impeccable centering. This centering is only possible if the scapula remains stable. The glenohumeral joint is extraordinarily mobile, but structurally fragile. It relies entirely on soft tissue, on muscular coordination, and and on the fine adjustments of the rotator cuff. In open elbow, any loss of scapular stability immediately disrupts the entire movement. The shoulders elevate. The thorax pushes forward. The cervical spine tightens or the elbows drop. Nothing can be hidden. Everything becomes visible. One of the main muscles working in this exercise is the middle deltoid. It is a fascinating muscle. anatomically It originates from the lateral border of the acromion and inserts on the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus. It is innervated by the axillary nerve coming from the cervical roots C5 and C6. Its primary action is shoulder abduction, but in open elbow, its role expands far beyond that. It becomes the architect of arm height, the regulator of horizontal abduction, and a guardian of movement precision. During the opening phase, the middle deltoid produces the force that draws the humerus away from the midline. During the return, it must decelerate the movement with controlled eccentric work. But above all, it must modulate. It must adjust its intensity with exquisite precision. Too much contraction and the shoulders rise. Too little contraction and the elbows drop. The middle deltoid becomes a barometer of neuromuscular intelligence. Alongside it, almost invisible but absolutely essential, the supraspinatus works tirelessly. It originates in the supraspinous fossa of the scapula, passes under the acromion, and inserts on the superior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus. It is innervated by the suprascapular nerve, also from C5 and C6. Its action is twofold. It initiates abduction and, more importantly, stabilizes the humeral head. In open elbow, this second action is vital. When the middle deltoid pulls the humerus outward, the humeral head naturally tends to rise. The supraspernatus prevents this superior migration. It preserves the subacromial space and ensures dynamic coaptation. It works often isometrically, providing a silent but essential continuity. Without the supraspinatus, the movement would quickly become unsafe. Yet even the finest deltoid activation and the most loyal supraspinatus engagement mean nothing without scapular stability. In this movement, I feel my scapulae as two plates resting on the thorax. They must remain wide, low, anchored, and expansive. The middle and lower trapezius, the rhomboids, and the serratus anterior act. together to offer a stable base. The scapula must neither elevate nor pinch. It must resist the temptation to collapse inward or rotate excessively. The quality of the entire exercise depends on this foundation. Breath becomes the architecture that supports all of this. When I exhale, I feel my transverse abdominis engage, creating a deep internal stabilizing pressure that secures my lumbopelvic region. Exhalation prevents the thorax from pushing forward, prevents compensations, prevents collapse. It supports the entire axis. When I inhale during the return, the breath becomes a gentle expansion. It maintains thoracic openness, supports scapular stability, and allows the humerus to return with grace rather than force. Breath and biomechanics dance together. Each breath phase sustains each movement phase. The eccentric return is often the most revealing part of the exercise. Many bodies can push, few can return. The return requires deep coordination. The middle deltoid must break without collapsing. The supraspinatus must maintain centering. The scapula must remain still. The trunk must stay neutral and the breath must accompany everything. A controlled return is a sign of neuromuscular maturity. Open elbow is also a remarkable opportunity to understand the neurological dimension of movement. The shoulder does not stabilize through bony congruence. It stabilizes through neuromuscular intelligence. Muscle spindles monitor fiber length. Golgi tendon organs evaluate tension. Joint receptors inform position. The central nervous system integrates everything. When I practice open elbow I feel that I am training my nervous system as much as my muscles. I learn to perceive, to anticipate, to refine. I learn to create a conversation between my body and my attention. And then there is the upper trapezius, always ready to intervene when something else is unstable. It elevates the shoulders, compresses the base of the neck, disrupts the space under the acromion. One of the great lessons of this exercise is learning to keep the upper trapezius quiet. I feel it soften when my neck lengthens, when my clavicles widen, when my scapulae remain calm. How do we know when the movement is right? Through the sensation of calm, through a stable trajectory, quiet scapulae, a steady arm height, a breath that supports, and a gesture that feels both precise and effortless. Open elbow is not just a preparation. It is a key. It teaches deep stability, refined respiratory integration, subtle scapulohumeral coordination, and the art of eccentric control. It builds the shoulder for the entire back rowing series. It enhances proprioception and neuromuscular precision. It cultivates an intelligent, organized, resilient shoulder. Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, feel free to subscribe on Ausha, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Your support helps this podcast continue to grow and to share the science of mindful movement.
