This is another example of an “integrated” mobility exercise that I’ll write into pre-practice or training prep work.
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3 quick notes:
1️⃣ Anchoring the hips back, and then rotating through the t-spine helps create hip/shoulder separation, an important motor control quality for many athletic movements.
2️⃣ Emphasizing a reach under pattern can help encourage air flow into the upper back, which opens up more rotation.
3️⃣ Rotating away from a laterally extending leg is a pattern that specifically presents in forward skating and shooting, but has some application to throwing motions and cutting (especially while protecting a ball, like you may see in football, basketball or lacrosse).
4️⃣ In general, rotating through thorax while sitting into end-range hip positions will help expose athletes using high threshold strategies (e.g. “white knuckling” a position/movement that should be loose), so these patterns can also be used as a screen to assess both motion and strategy.
Quick coaching notes:
✅ Reach one foot out to the side to feel a stretch through that adductor. Hold this position, then push hips straight back.
✅ Keeping your torso centered over your hips (e.g. don’t lean), rotate through the chest to reach one hand under as far as you can without holding your breath. Pause, and then return to the start.
Typically performed for 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps, or 2-3 sets of 5 breaths (i.e. reach to end range, inhale into the upper back, exhale fully and take up the slack).
Feel free to post any comments/questions below. If you found this helpful, please share/re-post it so others can benefit.
To your success,
Kevin Neeld
SpeedTrainingforHockey.com
HockeyTransformation.com
OptimizingAdaptation.com
P.S. For more information on in- and off-season program design, training and reconditioning for injured players, and integrating sports science into a comprehensive training process, check out Optimizing Adaptation & Performance
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