Strength
Open Book
A gentle thoracic mobility exercise designed to restore spinal rotation and alleviate shoulder tension.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Lie on your side with your knees tucked toward your chest at a ninety-degree angle to stabilize your lower back.
Stack your arms straight out in front of you on the floor, palms touching each other.
Inhale and lift your top arm toward the ceiling, keeping your gaze fixed on your moving hand.
Continue the rotation until your arm and shoulder reach toward the floor on the opposite side, keeping your knees together and grounded.
Exhale and hold the stretch for two seconds, feeling the opening through your chest and mid-back.
Slowly rotate your arm back to the starting position to stack your palms once again.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Allowing the knees to lift off the floor or separate during the rotation
- Moving too quickly which reduces the focus on thoracic mobility
- Straining the neck by not letting the head rotate naturally with the arm
- Arching the lower back rather than rotating from the rib cage
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.