Torso Rotation Machine

Execution

1. Sit tall with your hips and legs locked facing forward for the whole set.
2. Exhale and rotate your torso to one side against the resistance, only as far as the machine's built-in stop.
3. Hold for a beat at the far point of the rotation, feeling the obliques contract.
4. Inhale and rotate back through center, continuing to the other side, keeping the movement controlled the whole way.
5. At the end of the set come back to center before you let go of the handle so the stack lands softly, release the hip/leg restraint and step out with your torso facing forward. Sharp pain in the low back or hip means ending the set right there.

Quick cues

• Hips locked, only the torso turns.
• Rotate only to the machine's stop.
• Rotate smoothly, don't jerk.
• Pass through center before the other side.
• Low-back pain ends the set.

Common faults

• Fault: Jerking past the machine's built-in range stop

  Fix: Stop right at the built-in limit, and drop the weight if it still takes a jerk to get further.

• Fault: The hips and legs rotating along with the torso instead of staying fixed

  Fix: Recheck the hip/leg restraint before starting; the rotational force should come only from the upper torso.

• Fault: Only rotating through half the range each side

  Fix: Rotate to the machine's stop on each side, pausing there before returning.

• Fault: Rotating too fast, losing control through the center point

  Fix: Slow down, especially through the middle of the movement between the two sides.