Open Book Stretch

Equipment

How to do it

Lie on your side with your head on a pillow or folded towel. Bend your hips and knees to about 90 degrees with your knees stacked, and reach both arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, palms together.

1. 1.Keep your knees together and resting on the floor for the whole stretch.
2. 2.Lift your top arm and sweep it up and over toward the other side, like opening a book.
3. 3.Turn your head and follow your hand with your eyes.
4. 4.Rotate as far as you comfortably can while your knees stay together, and let your arm relax toward the floor.
5. 5.Breathe out and hold for a breath or two, then bring your arm back to close the book. Repeat for the planned time, then switch sides.

Common mistakes

• Letting your knees slide apart or your top knee lift, which moves the twist to your lower back.
• Forcing your arm down to the floor.
• Holding your breath instead of breathing out into the stretch.
• Rushing through the reps.

Variations

Hand-behind-head open book

Bend your top arm and keep your hand behind your head as you rotate. The shorter lever makes it gentler.

Open book with a knee prop

Rest your top knee on a foam roller or cushion to help keep your hips from turning.

Alternatives

• Thread the Needle: An upper-back rotation stretch done on hands and knees.
• World's Greatest Stretch: A lunge-based stretch that adds an upper-back rotation.
• Cat-Cow Stretch: Moves the spine through bending and arching instead of rotation.

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