Rotate! How far can you go?

In my last post I talked about the muscles of the back. Today I want to talk a little more about the muscles you use and the benefits of rotation.

When we rotate we use some of the muscles of the back, including the multifidus and latissimus dorsi. We also use some muscles from the side internal and external obliques and front, rectus abdominis. The rogation of the trunk uses both thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.

Now stand up and rotate (twist) to look behind you. I bet your hips move and you are rotating from your ankles, your feet may even have swiveled a bit. That is great, because that is how we move as humans.

Now find a cushion and a wall. Fold you cushion in half and prop it behind your bottom so you are stood up straight and the cushion is held between your bottom and the wall. Rotate again, but this time do it without moving your hips. We are looking to find a strong twisting feeling in the trunk, a bit like you are wringing out a dish cloth. If your bottom is lifting off the cushion or pushing into the cushion more on one side then try to do it again without this pelvic movement. When you get really good at this rotation you will be able to rotate your trunk without moving your pelvis. This stability is working your core muscles around your pelvis and the movement is strengthening your waste muscles and deep spinal muscles.

I love rotation in my mat class I teach, standing, kneeling, laying using a roller rotation as part of strengthening you from the inside.

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