How to do the Open Book Thoracic Rotation
Step by step
- Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked, arms straight out in front, palms together.
- Keep your knees pinned together and grounded throughout.
- Slowly sweep your top arm up and over, opening your chest toward the ceiling.
- Follow your hand with your eyes and let the top shoulder settle toward the floor.
- Return the arm to the start, then switch sides.
The thing people get wrong
Rotate only as far as feels comfortable and keep the bottom knee glued down - the stretch comes from the upper back, not from the knees separating.
Coaching cue
Breathe out as the arm opens and let the top shoulder sink a little further each time.
Make it easier or harder
- Easier: Put a cushion between your knees and keep the top arm slightly bent.
- Harder: Hold the open position for five slow breaths at the end of each set.
Muscles worked
- Primary: Upper Back, Side delts
- Secondary: Chest
Daily Coach builds this into a real weekly plan. It picks the exercises for your equipment and experience, swaps around injuries you tell it about, and tracks what you actually lifted.