Scorpion Pose Anatomy - Easyflexibility

The Scorpion Pose is a beautiful cheerleading flyer position and also one of the most difficult ones. The Flyer holds the top of her foot with both hands and pull the foot up towards her head behind her. Her chest should be up and she should be looking at the crowd. The Scorpion is performed facing the side so that the crowd can see the beautiful extension of the leg.

The Scorpion requires a cheerleader to have a tremendous amount of body flexibility as well as be able to maintain balance on one leg. The Scorpion is an advanced level stunt that requires flexibility in order to hold the position. Even after mastering the Scorpion, it is necessary to keep working on the flexibility otherwise you may quickly lose it. This position calls for deep flexibility of the hip flexors and flexors of the spine. Moderate hamstrings flexibility of the supporting leg is called up on as well. The pose can be helped by having flexible shoulder extensors. In Yoga, this pose is known to benefit the lungs, as well as many other organs and structures.

Due to so many areas of concentration, many people find this pose rather challenging. The reason being incorrect training. The most common way to train this pose is to force the body into it. This is often achieved by assuming a position closely resembling it and pulling as hard as possible for as long as possible, hoping for the results to come one day. Kinesiological stretching takes a different approach.

The knowledge of the muscles contracting and lengthening during the Scorpion is important before you start practising on this technique.

Supporting leg’s muscles contracting while lengthening

Hamstrings Scorpion Pose:

Hamstrings contract to extend the thigh at the hip joint. During the execution of the Scorpion Pose, it will be contracting while lengthening in the supporting leg.

Gluteus Medius:

Gluteus Medius is a prime mover of abduction at the hip joint that also acts as flexor of the hip and its posterior fibers act as extensors of the hip. It is also being contracted while lengthening.

Gluteus Minimus:

Works just the same as Gluteus Minimus. Thus, it is also contracting while lengthening in the supporting leg.

Adductor Magnus (ischial fibers):

Ischial fibers of Adductor Magnus act as Hamstrings and produce extension of the leg at the hip joint.

Lifted Leg’s muscles contracting while lengthening

Quadriceps Scorpion Pose:

Quadriceps work with Iliopsoas to produce flexion of the leg at hip joint. But the lifted leg is hyperextended during Pose and that is why Quadriceps are contracting while lengthening.

Iliacus:

Just as the Quadriceps, Iliacus is also a flexor of the hip joint and it will also be contracting while lengthening.

Psoas:

Psoas is a prime flexor of the thigh. The hyperextension of the leg will obviously stretch it.

Tensor Fascia Latae:

Tensor Fascia Latae is a gluteal muscle that helps in flexion of the thigh at hip joint. Because of this reason, it will also be contracting while being lengthened.

Sartorius:

Sartorius is both a hip and knee flexor so it will also be included in the group of muscles contracting while lengthening.

Gracilis:

Gracilis is a strong adductor of the leg and the Scorpion Pose will stretch it as well in the lifted leg.

Adductor Magnus:

Adductor Magnus is a prime adductor of the leg and just like Gracilis, it is also being contracted while lengthening.

Adductor Longus:

Adductor Longus does the same action as Adductor Magnus and undergoes same contraction while lengthening in the lifted leg.

Adductor Brevis:

Adductor Brevis is another adductor that will be contracting while lengthening.

Upper body’s muscles contracting while lengthening

Rhomboids:

Rhomboids help in retraction and elevation of scapula. It is also one of the muscles that will be contracting while lengthening during the Scorpion.

Pectoralis Major:

Pectoralis Major causes adduction and depression of the arm and exactly the opposite is happening in the Scorpion Pose and so it is contracting while lengthening.

Pectoralis Minor:

Pectoralis Minor draws the Scapula anteroinferiorly and is being contracted while stretching.

Triceps:

Triceps act as extensors of the forearm but here the forearm is contracted so it is contracting while lengthening as well.

Latissimus Dorsi:

Latissimus Dorsi works with other muscles to produce adduction and medial rotation of the arm. Hence, it is contracting while lengthening.

Posterior Deltoid:

Posterior Deltoid helps in extension and horizontal abduction of the arm. It is also contracting while lengthening.

Core’s muscles contracting while lengthening

Rectus Abdominis:

Rectus Abdominis is a strong flexor of the trunk. The trunk can be seen in extended position and thus, Rectus Abdominis is being contracted while lengthening.

Internal Oblique:

Internal Oblique when contracting bilaterally, produces flexion of the trunk thus lengthening.

External Oblique:

External Oblique is another flexor of the trunk contracting while lengthening during the execution of Scorpion.

Psoas Minor:

Psoas Minor assists in trunk flexion and here, it will be contracting while lengthening.

Supporting Leg’s muscles contracting to hold the position

Quadriceps:

Quadriceps are flexors of the thigh at the hip joint. It will be contracting to hold the position and maintain balance.

Tensor Fascia Latae:

Tensor Fascia Latae is a flexor of the leg as well as an abductor, also contracting to hold the position.

Lower leg and foot muscles:

Lower leg and foot muscles like plantarflexors and dorsiflexors are also involved in holding the position.

Lifted Leg’s muscles contracting to hold the position

Gluteus Maximus:

Gluteus Maximus assists in extension of the leg and it is specially important during the Pose in the lifted leg as it is hyperextending.

Hamstrings Scorpion Pose:

Hamstrings are prime extensors of the thigh so they are also contracting to hold the position.

Soleus Scorpion Pose:

Soleus is a plantarflexor of the foot and it can be seen in the picture that the lifted foot is plantarflexed so, Soleus is contracting.

Gastrocnemius:

Gastrocnemius is another plantarflexor of the foot that will be contracting to hold the position.

Core’s muscles contracting to hold the position

Spinal Extensors:

To lift the chest up, the Spinal Extensors need to contract that will be extending the spine against gravity.

Upper body’s muscles contracting to hold the position

Serratus Anterior:

Serratus Anterior protracts and upwardly rotates the scapula and also plays a role in overhead abduction and this is a very important movement to hold the position in Scorpion Pose

Trapizeus:

Trapizeus is a large muscle. The function of the trapezius is to stabilize and move the scapula. The upper fibers can elevate and upwardly rotate the scapula and extend the neck. The middle fibers adduct (retract) the scapula. It will contract to hold the position.

Scorpion Pose

Infraspinatus:

It is a rotator cuff muscle that helps in external rotation of the arm and stabilizes the shoulder joint. Here especially, it will help in holding the position.