"Ron Jones" Dynamic Warm-Up #1:
"Spinal Rotation"

       
First 4 reps have no diagonals--go straight across.
Keep hips fixed without letting them rotate on this one.

           
This one feels a lot like finishing a golf swing.

Ron Jones Dynamic Warm-Up DVD

OBJECTIVE: Increase spinal mobility.

1. Place feet shoulder-width and pointed straight forward.

2. Fix hips and hold square.

3. Hold arms straight out to side; rotate back and forth straight across chest and perpendicular with floor 4x.  Then follow with each diagonal 3x--hips will rotate a bit more on the diagonals, but keep emphasizing the "spinal rotation" as much as possible..

4. Repeat 10 reps then go to #2 Scorpion warm-up exercise.

5. NOTE! This is #1 in a sequential series of 10 exercises. Perform as directed in exact order.

6. *Advanced: Increase range of motion and tempo.

7. *Modifications/Substitutions: This is about as easy as it gets--there isn't a way to make these movements much easier except to decrease the range of motion and tempo.  I do not have an easier substitute exercise for the Spinal Rotation--only the modifications above.

8. *Design Points:  People can "self-fuse" their spines with age and injuries--in some cases the spine is surgically fused together at a vertebrae or two.  When the spine gets locked up and tight, it increases the workload to other joints of the body.  These joints then get "overworked" from excessive load.  To properly "load level," you need a mobile spinal column so other body parts don't get overloaded.  People that have bone-to-bone in their spinal column (deteriorated discs) are too far gone to rotate anymore--spinal rotation-type exercises will NOT work for them.  After hundreds of trained Dynamic Warm-Up clients, I've met only "two" of these people that could not safely perform rotational exercises with the spine--everyone else was fine--a few needed modifications above.

Tips: Do NOT allow hips to rotate and swing!  This is a "spinal" rotation--not a hip rotation.  Put the movement into your spine.

• Don't get sloppy on this one which is the main problem I see.  Sure, it's easy to do, but people take it for granted and slop through it too fast negating its benefits.  If you do this one correctly, it will feel a lot like a golf swing.  This one in particular has helped my golf clients a great deal.

• Rotational Patterns:  None of my rotational patterns are designed to force any end point ranges of motion.  They are just "gentle" rotation patterns that the body under normal conditions should be able to do.  Do not force lumbar rotation because the lumbar spine is not capable by design for more than about 15° of rotation.  Spare the spine from any forced or extreme positions whether it is my warm-up or other activities!

• Dynamic Warm-Up Directions

• Dynamic Warm-Up Graphics Cue Card

• Dynamic Warm-Up & Human Movement Background Info

Get Your Warm-Up DVD & Move Better Now!

*Note: This exercise is intended for "normal healthy" individuals.  If you have an injury, or abnormal pain is present,
see your physician or a certified physical therapist before continuing your exercises. 

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(Updated 1.13.08)

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