Open Book Rotations

What you'll gain

• The mat and head towels make the drill easy to repeat in a studio setup.

• Stacked knees keep lumbar rotation out of a thoracic mobility clip.

• Head-follows-hand cuing is visible for coaching in an app loop.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Lie on your side on a mat with hips and knees bent and two folded towels under your head.

2. 2

   Reach both arms forward at chest height with the palms together.

3. 3

   Pin the stacked knees to the mat so the pelvis cannot roll.

4. 4

   Sweep the top arm in a wide arc toward the opposite side as the chest opens.

5. 5

   Rotate the head with the moving hand so the gaze follows the arc.

6. 6

   Return the top hand to the bottom hand and repeat, then switch sides.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the top knee lift off the mat and rotating from the hips.

• Freezing the head while the arm travels, so the chest never opens.

• Bending the top elbow instead of sweeping a long arm.

• Forcing the top shoulder to the floor through a painful range.

About This Exercise

Open book rotations use the same side-lying thoracic pattern as the singular Open Book Rotation, with a floor mat and two stacked towels under the head. Knees stay bent and stacked, both arms start together toward the camera, and the top arm sweeps open while the head rolls with the hand. The stacked-knee rule keeps rotation in the mid-back. For a catalog this is the mat-and-towels sibling, not a second exercise invented for SEO. App builders can pair the two clips when they need a bare-floor version and a matted version of the same mobility drill.

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