Mermaid Stretches

Progressions

1. 01

   High Lateral Hang

   

   Gymnastic Rings

   • Grip a bar or stable overhead surface with both hands at shoulder width, keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground to maintain partial bodyweight through the arms.

   • Shift your hips laterally to one side, allowing the opposite side of your body to stretch deeply through the lat and entire side chain.

   • Keep both arms extended overhead with a slight bend in the elbows, maintaining a secure grip while allowing the stretch to deepen naturally.

   • Focus on feeling the stretch run from your hip, along your obliques, through the lat, and up to the shoulder of the stretched side.

   • Breathe deeply into the stretched side of your ribcage, using each exhale to relax further into the position and increase the range.

   • Avoid collapsing your chest forward or rotating your torso — keep the movement purely lateral, as if pressed between two panes of glass.

   • Hold the position for the prescribed duration, gradually increasing the lateral shift over time as your flexibility improves.

   • Switch sides after completing the hold, ensuring you spend equal time stretching both the left and right lat.

2. 02

   Low Lateral Hang - 2 Arms

   

   Gymnastic Rings

   • Hang from a bar or rings with both arms fully extended, allowing your feet to leave the ground so your entire bodyweight creates traction through the shoulders and lats.

   • Shift your hips to one side to create a pronounced lateral curve through your torso, deeply stretching the lat and side chain on the opposite side.

   • Keep both hands firmly gripping the bar at shoulder width, distributing the load evenly between both arms while the stretch targets one side at a time.

   • Allow your body to fully relax into the hang, letting gravity pull you downward and elongate the muscles along the stretched side from hip to armpit.

   • Breathe deeply and slowly into the ribcage on the stretched side, using each exhale to release more tension and sink deeper into the lateral position.

   • Avoid rotating your chest forward or backward — maintain a purely lateral stretch by keeping your chest and hips facing the same direction.

   • Hold the position for the prescribed time, then shift your hips to the other side and hold for the same duration to ensure balanced flexibility development.

   • If grip fatigue limits your hold time, consider using lifting straps to ensure the stretch is not cut short by forearm endurance.

3. 03

   Low Lateral Hang - 1 Arm

   

   Gymnastic Rings

   • Hang from a bar or ring with one arm, fully extending your body with your feet off the ground to load the shoulder and lat completely with your bodyweight.

   • Shift your hips to the side opposite the hanging arm, creating a deep lateral curve that maximally stretches the lat, obliques, and entire side chain on the hanging side.

   • Keep the hanging arm fully extended but not hyperextended — maintain a slight engagement in the shoulder to protect the joint while still allowing a deep stretch.

   • Let the free arm rest by your side or hold it slightly away from your body for balance, keeping it relaxed so the stretch is not compromised.

   • Breathe deeply and slowly into the ribcage on the stretched side, using each exhale to consciously release tension and allow gravity to deepen the stretch further.

   • Engage your core to prevent excessive rotation or swinging, as single-arm hanging creates significant rotational forces that must be controlled.

   • Hold the position for the prescribed duration, then switch to the other arm and hold for the same amount of time to maintain balanced lat flexibility.

   • This is the most advanced mermaid stretch variation — if grip strength limits your hold time, use lifting straps to ensure you achieve the full stretch duration.

Common mistakes

• Collapsing the torso forward
• Shrugging the top shoulder
• Holding your breath
• Rushing the stretch