AniaR
05-28-2017, 02:45 PM
I got some really rude comments today on a behind the scenes video of one of my mermaids playing around in my blue tail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJRfkuHf2QQ
Things to note:
1. She is still a new mermaid, yes she's been with me a year but has done mostly dry gigs and is still learning the swimming aspect (and the person leaving the comments has followed my stuff a while so they know that)
2. The video literally says "swimming for fun"
3. She is wearing a tail clearly too big for her and you can see the waist gaps open causing her some drag, and anyone who has worn a competitor monofin knows they're tricky for doing flips. \
4. She is literally just having fun, trying things out, with her eyes open in horrible chlorine
The complaint from the person? You should never bend your knees as a mermaid, as to dolphin kick you don't bend your knees. Also, the commentor thinks there shouldnt be videos of people struggling or not looking like "one with the water".
Actually, not true. And it bothers me that this is an expectation from fans when it comes to mermaids, because it's not safe.
First off, even michael phelps bends his knees a bit when doing the dolphin kick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzjEyc7Kz4
^listen to what he's saying and describing.
Most instructional videos tell you to push from the ankles and bend a little:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sBxjYR2fdo
Professional swimmers agree that there will be variation depending on the NEEDS of the swimmer's body. So of course, when we are in a mermaid tail, our needs are changing because the mermaid tail (especially silicone) is introducing things that these swimmers just using feet or a monofin don't have to deal with.
1) We have way more force going against our bodies than they do. On the hips, ankles, and knees. And how that force is distributed can be incredibly detrimental to your body if you don't bend to relieve some of it. This was something we consistently found when testing at the aquatron, and it's also something that has come up when I have spoken with health professionals. My team (personal trainer, physiotherapist, and chiropractor) have told me to avoid being straight-legged because of the dysfunction mermaid swimming causes when I do that to my hips and pelvic floor. After doing this for 9 years it has caused me hip diplasia and pelvic floor dysfunction. I spoke with Hannah Fraser just before mermania 1 and she was also experiencing hip issues. This is something I am going to try and show in my documentary with having the docs on camera discussing it and explaining it with an animation.
2) we have far more drag and buoyancy issues than those swimmers do. Different flukes will affect this which also created different force not healthy on straight legs.
3) We have a different range of motion due to the tightness of the silicone tails, or if they're too loose for you.
I think it's a very unhealthy, dangerous, and unrealistic expectation to believe merfolk should never bend their knees. I can tell you from teaching mermaid school there are times when people bend them too much and they look like an inch worm and that is a problem and needs to be corrected. but you can't basically plank underwater and think you can lead everything from your core or upper body when the only kick you can use relies on snapping your ankles. And don't get me wrong everything in moderation, I know people try to get the look to look neat in a video or whatever, but it's healthier to allow yourself to bend from time to time.
Here's a video I did on the topic. Ranting :D I also talk in it about mermaid myths that involve legs and knees- mythology wise!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuL0ZBaphaQ&feature=youtu.be
Here's some videos of other pro mermaids where you can see them bending their knees:
Hannah literally starts off with bending her knees, right away:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jghh7NI_cJ4
viral video of professional freediver bending knees the entire time she's in a tail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NWe7sIoVM8
Professional long time mermaid and long time freediver (and free diving judge) Mermaid Linden bends her knees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rclGMuYmYgs
Mermaid melissa trains her mermaid team, with lots of knee bending!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmpuhHegUR8
My point is that it's an UNREALISTIC expectation and seems to come from this whole mermaid purist mentality. No joints in the tail, no tops, long hair etc. and I for one am pretty sick of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJRfkuHf2QQ
Things to note:
1. She is still a new mermaid, yes she's been with me a year but has done mostly dry gigs and is still learning the swimming aspect (and the person leaving the comments has followed my stuff a while so they know that)
2. The video literally says "swimming for fun"
3. She is wearing a tail clearly too big for her and you can see the waist gaps open causing her some drag, and anyone who has worn a competitor monofin knows they're tricky for doing flips. \
4. She is literally just having fun, trying things out, with her eyes open in horrible chlorine
The complaint from the person? You should never bend your knees as a mermaid, as to dolphin kick you don't bend your knees. Also, the commentor thinks there shouldnt be videos of people struggling or not looking like "one with the water".
Actually, not true. And it bothers me that this is an expectation from fans when it comes to mermaids, because it's not safe.
First off, even michael phelps bends his knees a bit when doing the dolphin kick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xzjEyc7Kz4
^listen to what he's saying and describing.
Most instructional videos tell you to push from the ankles and bend a little:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sBxjYR2fdo
Professional swimmers agree that there will be variation depending on the NEEDS of the swimmer's body. So of course, when we are in a mermaid tail, our needs are changing because the mermaid tail (especially silicone) is introducing things that these swimmers just using feet or a monofin don't have to deal with.
1) We have way more force going against our bodies than they do. On the hips, ankles, and knees. And how that force is distributed can be incredibly detrimental to your body if you don't bend to relieve some of it. This was something we consistently found when testing at the aquatron, and it's also something that has come up when I have spoken with health professionals. My team (personal trainer, physiotherapist, and chiropractor) have told me to avoid being straight-legged because of the dysfunction mermaid swimming causes when I do that to my hips and pelvic floor. After doing this for 9 years it has caused me hip diplasia and pelvic floor dysfunction. I spoke with Hannah Fraser just before mermania 1 and she was also experiencing hip issues. This is something I am going to try and show in my documentary with having the docs on camera discussing it and explaining it with an animation.
2) we have far more drag and buoyancy issues than those swimmers do. Different flukes will affect this which also created different force not healthy on straight legs.
3) We have a different range of motion due to the tightness of the silicone tails, or if they're too loose for you.
I think it's a very unhealthy, dangerous, and unrealistic expectation to believe merfolk should never bend their knees. I can tell you from teaching mermaid school there are times when people bend them too much and they look like an inch worm and that is a problem and needs to be corrected. but you can't basically plank underwater and think you can lead everything from your core or upper body when the only kick you can use relies on snapping your ankles. And don't get me wrong everything in moderation, I know people try to get the look to look neat in a video or whatever, but it's healthier to allow yourself to bend from time to time.
Here's a video I did on the topic. Ranting :D I also talk in it about mermaid myths that involve legs and knees- mythology wise!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuL0ZBaphaQ&feature=youtu.be
Here's some videos of other pro mermaids where you can see them bending their knees:
Hannah literally starts off with bending her knees, right away:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jghh7NI_cJ4
viral video of professional freediver bending knees the entire time she's in a tail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NWe7sIoVM8
Professional long time mermaid and long time freediver (and free diving judge) Mermaid Linden bends her knees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rclGMuYmYgs
Mermaid melissa trains her mermaid team, with lots of knee bending!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmpuhHegUR8
My point is that it's an UNREALISTIC expectation and seems to come from this whole mermaid purist mentality. No joints in the tail, no tops, long hair etc. and I for one am pretty sick of it.