Patriot Health Digest
There are dozens of buzzwords for corrective and “rehab” exercises. But there is one single exercise that solves almost all corrective issues. It’s called:
The Windmill
This is not an exercise you naturally understand how to do, but it is pound for pound the best investment you can make into your health. You will seriously be shocked by what problems disappear from your body as your windmill improves. If you’re bad to begin with, don’t worry, you will improve.
Windmilling half your bodyweight should be your goal. Whatever weight you can push overhead using one hand, you should be able to windmill.
The Windmill Explained
- Put your weight overhead in anyway you want.
- With your weight overhead and your feet shoulder-width apart, point your feet 45-degrees toward the side this is NOT holding the weight.
- Look up at to the weight and keep looking at it during the exercise.
- Start the movement by bringing your pelvis back at around 45-degrees in the direction of your side with the weight.
- Try to maintain your sternum forward in the direction you were originally facing.
- This is a hip hinge, so allow your knees to bend and stay soft, but don’t allow them to travel forwards.
- Hinge your upper body slowly and reach towards the floor with your non-weight hand.
- At the lowest point you can keep control, or when you get your palm is on the floor, return to a standing position.
- If you reach the floor, don’t relax and put weight through the hand. Keep your body tight!
Go with low volume, high frequency and high intensity. It’s a stability and strength movement, but requires skill and focus, so doing a little (but a lot) is best.
Start off with light weight and perform a few reps for each side to start out. When you get more confidence, work your way up to more reps. Then aim for doing just a few reps with a challenging weight.
Author: Blake Ambrose
