Major Muscles Worked:

Back

Set Up:

1. Take a really Really REALLY big step – bigger than you think it needs to be. Even bigger than that.
2. Point your front toes forward, and your back toes perpendicular (to the side).
   Don’t raise up on the ball of your back foot. It will be difficult to balance.
3. Bend your front leg, into a lunge, so that your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Place the forearm of the front leg just above your knee to brace your upper body.
   Some folks will use their hand to hold on to their leg – I don’t like this because it raises the upper body, and works a different part of the back.
5. Grab the weight with the hand of the leg that’s in back.
6. Look forward towards the floor about 1-2 feet in front of your front foot.
   This give you a neutral spine – a straight line from the top of your head to your sacrum (sit bone).

The Movement:

1. With the weight in your hand, start by rotating your shoulder back, so that your shoulders are square with the floor.
2. As you continue leading with your elbow towards the ceiling, skim your body with your forearm.
3. At the top of the motion, briefly angle your elbow towards your spine.
4. Reverse the motion. Lower the weight with control.

Specific Cues:

• At the full extension of your arm, allow your shoulder to round forward to reach for the ground, stopping short of the floor.
• Do NOT roll your wrist; the idea is to get your elbow as far back as possible. not to get the weight to your body.
• Keep your core tight to support your lower back.
• Keep your legs engaged to support the movement.