Half-Kneeling Thoracic Rotation

oec:half-kneeling-thoracic-rotation

A dynamic mobility exercise performed in a half-kneeling stance to improve thoracic spine rotational range of motion while stabilizing the pelvis and lumbar spine.

Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.

Also called: 1/2 Kneeling Thoracic Rotation, Half-Kneeling T-Spine Rotation, Half-Kneeling Wall Windmill

How to do it

Setup

Assume a half-kneeling position with the front hip and knee bent at 90 degrees and the back knee resting on the floor directly beneath the hips.
Optionally set up adjacent to a wall with the lead knee pressed lightly against a foam roller pinned to the wall to keep the hips square.
Extend both arms straight out in front of your chest with palms together.

Movement

Keeping the hips and pelvis pinned firmly in place, open the arm closest to the back leg or wall in a sweeping horizontal arc.
Follow your moving hand with your eyes, rotating your mid-back and ribcage as far as comfortably possible without shifting the hips.
Pause momentarily at the end-range of thoracic rotation.
Smoothly reverse the path to return both hands together in front of your chest.
Complete the desired repetitions on one side before switching your stance to the opposite side.

Breathing

Exhale as you rotate open and expand the chest; inhale as you return to the starting position.

Cues

Rotate through the ribs, not the hips.
Track your thumb with your eyes.
Keep the front knee tracking straight forward without flaring.

Common faults

Rotating through the lumbar spine and pelvis instead of the thoracic cage.: Squeeze the glute of the trailing leg and brace the core to lock the pelvis square facing forward.
Letting the front knee collapse inward or outward during the reach.: Actively drive the front foot down and keep the knee aligned over the second toe, or pin a foam roller against a wall to enforce alignment.

Safety

Place a folded mat or cushion under the rear knee if kneeling causes discomfort.

Muscles

External oblique prime mover
Internal oblique prime mover
Multifidus synergist
Rhomboids synergist
Middle trapezius synergist
Gluteus medius stabilizer
Transversus abdominis stabilizer
Pectoralis major stretched

Joints

Thoracic spine: Rotation
Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization
Shoulder blade: Retraction
Shoulder: Horizontal abduction
Hip: Isometric stabilization

Details

Movement: Mobility drill, Rotation
Modality: Mobility, Flexibility, Rehabilitation
Mechanics: compound
Force: not applicable
Laterality: unilateral
Kinetic chain: open
Level: beginner
Equipment: None
Record: Repetitions
Load: bodyweight

progression of Quadruped Thoracic Rotation
substitute for Half-Kneeling Open Book
substitute for Quadruped Thoracic Rotation
substitute for Seated Thoracic Rotation

Sources

wger: 1/2 Kneeling Thoracic Rotation, by amwang4 (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Data

half-kneeling-thoracic-rotation.json