Anti-Rotation Core STEP outs
How to Do the Anti-Rotation Step Out - Easy Standing Obliques Exercise | In-Depth Guide [VISUAL LEARNERS] Beginner
Proper Form & Common Mistakes | Home Resistance Training
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?
QUICK DEMO
QUICK DEMO
MUSCLES THIS WORKS
MUSCLES
MAIN MUSCLES WORKED IN Anti-Rotation Step Outs
OBLIQUES
OTHER MUSCLES WORKED:
- Quadratus lumborum
- Gluteus medius and minimis
- Transverse Abdominis
STARTING POINTERS
Starting Pointers
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
Anti-Rotation Core Step Out is a beginner-friendly and effective exercise that targets core stability. A strong and stable core contributes to better posture. The Anti-Rotation Core Step Outs targets the muscles that support your spine, promoting a more upright and aligned posture.
This is an easier version of the walkout. Take one step out to the side, bring the other leg over and set it close to the first leg. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds, then step back. This is a good version to use if you have trouble keeping your arms in place when you step out. Once you have stepped out and you are holding the position you can really focus on using the core muscles, making sure that you are not overusing the arms and legs as much as possible. This exercise is surprisingly challenging.
HOW TO DO THE EXERCISE
LOOKS
HOW Anti-Rotation Step Outs SHAPE OUR BODY
Tones waist and flatter abdomen.
PROPER FORM
PROPER FORM: Anti-Rotation Step Out
EQUIPMENT, SETS & REPS
EQUIPMENT
Main set (3: Light/Med/Heavy)
X-Heavy Band (I recommend getting this too if you plan to use resistance bands frequently).
SUGGESTED STARTING WEIGHT FOR WOMEN:
Lightweight resistance bands
SETS & REPS:
5 - 8 times on each side.
PACE:
Hold 5-10 seconds.
BODY POSITION
BODY POSITION FOR THE Anti-Rotation Step Out
BAND: Mount the resistance band at mid chest height - in a straight line from your hands when your arms are in the starting position. Stand sideways to the anchor.
HANDS: Interlace your fingers around the other end of the band
ARMS: Held up in front of your chest, not quite to shoulder level (about 70 degrees of flexion)), elbows nearly straight but can have a slight bend. Step away from anchor until band is taut.
FEET/LEGS: Feet about 4-6 inches apart, toes pointed forward. Legs bent.
BODY STANCE: Engage your abdominals, neutral spine (includes cervical spine), sternum lifted, bring your shoulders blades in and down the back, chest wide to begin. Stacked - shoulders over hips over feet. Pelvis level, hips and shoulders squared.
HOW TO DO
HOW TO DO Anti-Rotation Step Outs
CUE: Focus on using your core muscles as much as possible, while trying to rely on your arms and legs less. It is easy to start to lean as the muscles get tired - using a mirror really helps.
Pick up your leg furthest from the anchor and take one step out away from the anchor. There should be some tension in the band. Lift your foot closest to the anchor and move it over to be right beside your other foot - the closer the better (it will be more challenging).
Hold the position as long as you are able to maintain alignment and keep your arms right in front of your breastbone: stacked - shoulders over hips over feet, pelvis, hips and shoulders squared and level - without leaning the body. You should be able to draw a straight line from the front down the middle of your head and torso; and from your side: earlobe-shoulder-hip-knee and ankle.
Once you have reached your limit, step back to the starting position for a short rest.
Repeat for a set number of reps, switch sides, and repeat. You can switch your interlaced hands halfway through the set but not required.
HOW TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE EXERCISE
From the beginning position, step in to release the band.
COMMON MISTAKES
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT TO AVOID WITH THE Anti-Rotation Step Out
KEY TIP:
Guess what? Good news! Many avoids are the same for most movements. Once you learn the basics, there's really only a few extra avoids for each individual movement.
1. Avoid Leaning The Body When You Step Out To The Side
AVOID: Avoid leaning the body when you step out to the side.
WHY NOT?
- It is common to lean over towards the band anchor as you lift the leg furthest from the anchor to step out.
- This decreases muscle activity and uses gravity to help with the movement.
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep the knees bent and the motion isolated to the hip joint.
- The shoulders and pelvis should be level throughout the exercise.
- Imagine a book balanced on your head.
2. Avoid letting your shoulders rotate
AVOID: Avoid letting your shoulders rotate.
WHY NOT?
- This is a challenging exercise and it is easy to let the hands move towards the anchor.
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep focused on keeping the hands at the midline of the chest.
- Using a mirror helps to keep your form
- Avoid using too much resistance or stepping out too far.
- If you need to bend the elbows a little bit, this will decrease the rotational force
- Make sure that you have tried a lighter resistance band first.
3. Avoid toeing out
AVOID: Avoid toeing out. Keep the toes of both feet pointed forward.
WHY NOT?
- This is a common cheat that happens without you even realizing it - be mindful.
- The quadriceps are much stronger than the gluteus medius and minimis, rotating the thigh out is an attempt to use the stronger quads
WHAT TO DO:
- Keep the toes of both feet facing forward or even toe in a bit to make sure you are using the gluteals.
4. Avoid taking too big of a step
AVOID: Avoid taking too big of a step.
WHY NOT?
- This will make it more challenging to control the movement and stability and will not increase the benefits of the exercise.
WHAT TO DO:
- Take a small step - about 10-12 inches, maintain good balance and control.
5. Avoid dragging leg
AVOID: Avoid dragging the following foot/foot of lifting leg.
WHY NOT?
- In our efforts to glide sideways and not bob up and down, we might start dragging the foot of the following leg.
WHAT TO DO:
- Be sure to actually lift the following leg and STEP not drag the foot next to the other foot.
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY
WHAT & WHY
BENEFITS OF TRAINING THE CORE muscles
WHAT
By performing this standing obliques exercise, you're training your core to resist rotation, promoting better posture, enhanced stability, and reduced risk of injuries.
Anti-rotation core walkouts require you to hold your torso still against the increasing pull of a resistance band. The band is held in your arms which are stretched out in front of you. The resistance of the band is trying to rotate the upper body. The core muscles have to work to hold the torso facing forward. The further you step out the more the band will pull and the harder the muscles will have to work. Not only is this a nice core workout, but the hip muscles have to work hard also.
This is a full-body workout. This exercise works many of the muscles in the legs, trunk, and arms. As you side-step out and back the muscles need to work to hold the feet, ankles, knees, hips, pelvis, spine, shoulders, elbows, and wrists stable and aligned against the increasing rotational force. Using a band makes it easy to adjust how difficult this exercise is. Remember that this is a core exercise, not a leg or arm exercise. Use a band that lets you feel your core muscles work as you sidestep out and back. This exercise is easily adjusted to accommodate varying levels of balance, stability, control, and strength.
WHY BOTHER DOING IT?
WHY
WHY DO WE EVEN CARE?
This exercise is a simple movement - just side-stepping out and back. The focus is on keeping your spine neutral and very still as your legs move. This is a valuable skill to learn. First and foremost the exercise trains good posture while you are moving. Standing or walking with poor postural alignment can cause muscle imbalances and soft tissue injury over time.
Most back injuries happen as a result of bending and twisting at the same time, especially under load - meaning while you are lifting or carrying something. This position, the spine bent (flexion) forward and rotated, is a position where the discs and joints of the spine are in a weakened position making them more prone to injury. Learning how to move correctly and strengthening the muscles of the core will help to protect the back from injury.
This exercise targets the internal and external obliques. These are muscles that wrap around the sides of the torso. They can rotate and bend the spine, and they are very important for maintaining upright posture and supporting the spine. The external obliques are broad muscles that start on the bottom ribs and run diagonally down to attach to the pelvis. The internal obliques lie under the external obliques and run diagonally in the opposite direction.
Another benefit of this exercise is that it trains balance, leg strength, and stability. The hip abductors are muscles that are important for holding the pelvis in a good position during standing and all upright activities, are worked when you step out, pulling the body out against the increasing resistance from the band. They also work to decelerate (eccentric contractions) the movement of the body as the band pulls you back in. The muscles that stabilize and protect the knee and ankle will be working to maintain proper alignment of the leg and foot.
EVERYDAY LIFE
EVERYDAY LIFE &
MUSCLE FUNCTION
HOW WE USE OUR Obliques IN EVERYDAY LIFE
1. THE OBLIQUES ARE USED TO MAINTAIN UPRIGHT POSTURE
- Standing
- Sitting
- Kneeling
- Walking
- Running
2. PROTECT THE SPINE DURING LIFTING AND ROTATIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Shoveling snow
- Raking
- Vacuuming
- Taking dishes out of a dishwasher or clothes out of the dryer
3. THE OBLIQUES STABILIZE THE SPINE AND PREVENT COMPRESSION ON ONE SIDE WHEN HOLDING OBJECTS ON ONE SIDE
- Holding a child on one hip
- Carrying a suitcase or grocery bag on one side
SCIENCY STUFF
ALLLL MUSCLES & WHEN
ALL MUSCLES WORKING & WHEN DURING THE Anti-Rotation Step Out
The shoulder blades are pulled down (depression) and back (retraction) by the rhomboids, trapezius, latissimus, serratus anterior, pectoralis - initially this effort is minimal but it increases as you walk out.
The anterior deltoids and biceps work isometrically to hold the arms up in front of the body. The arm furthest from the anchor is being pulled into adduction, the arm closest to the anchor: isometric contraction of the pectoralis major and coracobrachialis muscles hold the arm in adduction. The elbows and wrists are straight and stabilized by the muscles that cross the wrist and elbow joints.
The internal and external obliques are working to prevent rotation of the torso. The shoulder furthest from the band anchor needs to work to prevent being pulled across the chest (horizontal adduction) - the posterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, teres major, teres minor, infraspinatus will work isometrically to hold the arm in place; the mid traps and rhomboids will become more active to hold the shoulder back (retraction). The shoulder closest to the band anchor needs to work to prevent being pulled out to the side (horizontal abduction) - the pectoralis major, minor, and coracobrachialis muscles work isometrically to hold the arm in place.
The muscles of the upper arm and forearm will work to stabilize the wrist and elbow.
All of the core stabilizers will be working, at some level, to hold the hips and shoulders squared: obliques, quadratus lumborum, transverse abdominis, erector spinae, rectus abdominis, multifidi, iliopsoas, latissimus dorsi. The more resistance used (further from band or heavier band) the more muscles will be recruited.
The stabilizing muscles around the hips, knees, and ankles work to hold the position.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
