25 Rotational Exercises for Athletes & Sports Performance
Dr. Joel Seedman, Ph.D.
Although mastering the big 7 with eccentric isometrics as I lay out in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED is paramount when it comes to mastering movement and muscle function, periodically including rotational training can be very effective particularly for athletes.
Here are my 25 go-to rotational exercises.
Eccentric Isometric Rotational Chops and Lifts
If you want to improve the quality and efficiency of your rotational movement while simultaneously addressing rotational mobility, power, motor control, and full body stability try using eccentric isometric rotational chops and lifts.
Most rotational drills only reinforce pre-existing levels of rotational movement quality and do very little to enhance it. For instance, if there’s a weak link in the kinetic chain or a small compensation pattern anywhere in the oblique slings, it’s almost impossible to diagnose or correct during more traditional rotational movements. Its for this reason that many of the rotational movements I implement involve eccentric isometrics.
Like all other eccentric isometrics I’ve highlighted over the years, the rotational eccentric isometric allows the lifter to hone in on their movement, self-assess where various issues may be occurring (via sense of feel), and then fine-tune their body mechanics based on the enhanced sensory feedback produced from the eccentric isometric. In reality it’s fulfilling the same purpose as all other eccentric isometrics I post such as squats, hinge, lunges, press, and pulls, except it’s applied to rotational movements occurring in the transverse plane rather than the sagittal or frontal planes.
As with any other eccentric isometric, the goal is never maximal or extreme range of motion but instead natural/optimal range of motion which ends up being more compact than what most coaches typically teach. Yes, you can go further on the ROM but you’ll be sacrificing activation, stability, motor control, and proprioception, not to mention ingraining faulty body mechanics as the rotational movements that we see in sports don’t involve inordinately large rotational ROM but rather natural or optimal ROM in the transverse plane.
Excessive ROM during rotational movements tends to compromise hip drive and lower body recruitment often resulting in over-rotating rather than relying on hip extension. Remember the functional purpose of most rotational movements is to allow the hips to fully coil, not to rotate to the point where you feel like your spine is going to snap.
Decline Rotational Chop Russian Twist
Russian twists are an old school bodybuilding ab exercise that’s been used for decades. While there’s likely nothing inherently wrong with these, most folks will reap very little benefit from this exercise as they’re primarily focused on concentric based movement. As we know from research, eccentric loading is a critical component not only for building functional strength and hypertrophy but also for injury prevention and athletic performance.
By applying the eccentric isometric rotational chop method to the decline Russian twist, we can fully target and isolate the rotational muscles of the trunk through a complete range of motion movement. Furthermore the lifter can feel for where the optimal range of motion is as it’s almost impossible to over-rotate on these.
Additionally, these take the muscles through complete cycles of eccentric-concentric based movement as the muscles will be both shortening and lengthening through their natural ROM at different phases of the movement. This is essential for athletic performance and functional training as well as physique development and bodybuilding. As an added benefit the upper body musculature also gets worked quite extensively.
Tidal Tank Rotations
Tidal Tank rotations are one of the most brutal yet effective full body rotational movements as the lifter will need to both accelerate and decelerate the volatile load while holding a lunge or split squat position.
Barbell Kayaking Rotations
Similar to the tidal tank rotations, these target just about every muscle from head to toe while simultaneously working rotational strength and motor control in the transverse plane. One of the unique benefits of this movement is that each rotation not only involves significant rotational torque, force production, and acceleration but there’s also substantial deceleration and force absorption.
These can be performed from either the top of a split squat position or the bottom of the split squat/lunge position. I recommend starting with the top of the lunge then gradually work your way into holding the bottom 90 degree eccentric isometric.
When performing these in the bottom of the eccentric isometric lunge, not only do these blast the entire lower body, but the smaller stabilizers of the hips, knees, feet, and ankles get worked overtime to help the lifter maintain balance and control their body while rotating the barbell.
As an added bonus these are a phenomenal conditioning and cardio drill that get the heart rate spiked to near maximal levels due to the incredibly high intensity and effort levels needed to perform these even with lighter loads.
Pallof Presses
When it comes to rotational training, it’s not essential that all movements involve rotational movement. In fact, one of the best ways to crush the rotational muscles is through anti-rotation drills. With that said, few drills target anti-rotation and rotary stability to the degree that Pallof presses do. While they may not look too intense, these simple exercises are deceptively intense and can be modified, progressed, and regressed in a number of ways.
Pallof presses can also be performed in an overhead fashion. These have a few additional benefits.
1 The overhead position targets the core musculature a bit differently as you’re resisting lateral forces acting on the spine making it an anti-lateral flexion exercise. This has tremendous carryover for overhead athletes as well as those struggling with back pain & weak core stabilizers. Be prepared to feel your obliques getting crushed.
2. Most athletes have difficulty maintaining a tight core during overhead exercises. This exercises teaches the athlete not only to maintain a tight core & braced abs but also to keep full body tension from head to toe.
3. The split stance position requires significant balance & stabilization throughout the entire body as you’re resisting lateral flexion forces with a narrow base stride position.
4. Besides working the core and abs particularly the obliques, these also work the hips and foot & ankle muscles. For instance as Taylor is holding this position his left glute medius is firing intensely to resist valgus forces acting on the knee. Additionally the smaller muscles in his feet and ankles are working to prevent valgus angle collapse and pronation.
Rotational Pallof Presses
Pallof presses can also be combined with rotational eccentric isometrics as MLB pro baseball players Austin Meadows and Parker Meadows show here using my favorite new exercise bands from Anchor Point Training. Use code AHP20 for 20% off the most versatile bands with the smoothest tension & best strength curve of any bands on the market.
Important Note!!! I don’t have any of my athletes do mobility drills, stretching, foam rolling, soft tissue work, corrective movements, or YOGA. Instead, they perform eccentric isometrics as shown here. Why??? Read more in full article.
As with any other eccentric isometric, the goal is never maximal or extreme range of motion but instead natural/optimal range of motion which ends up being more compact than typically suggested.
Single Arm Training
It’s easy to underestimate the effectiveness of single arm training when it comes to targeting the rotational muscles of the body. However, when performed properly particularly when using strict and controlled 90 degree eccentric isometrics movements, exercises such as single arm chest presses and single arm rows are some of the most brutal rotational exercises as the rotational muscles are working isometrically to maintain neutral body alignment and resist rotation.
If you want to further enhance the anti-rotation and rotary stability component, try performing them with a smaller base of support such as with this narrow based bird dog row or the half body off T-bench chest press.
Renegade Rows
Similar to the above exercises, renegade rows may be the single most infamous anti-rotation exercise not because of its ineffectiveness but because of the incredibly high intensity and effort needed to perform these brutally difficult movements.
The key is to resist rotation and lumbar extension while performing 90 degree eccentric isometric rows from a perfectly locked in single arm plank. If you want to further enhance the anti-rotation component and target the oblique slings even further, try performing them in a single arm fashion. Read more about renegade rows here.
Rotational Torque Trainer
The rotational torque trainer is becoming increasingly popular in the fitness industry as it provides unique options for applying rotational torque to just about any traditional movement pattern including squats, deadlifts, hinges, and lunges.
Here’s an example with my client Leslie Petch demonstrating eccentric isometric trap bar deadlifts with the rotational trainer from Physical Industries.
Think of this particular movement as a combination deadlift & Pallof press.
A very common & overlooked issue during deadlifts is lack of full body tension & tightness particularly in the core & smaller stabilizers of the lumbopelvic hip complex. Applying rotational torque forces the lifter to increase core & ab activation as a means of creating greater full body tension & intramuscular stiffness. Not only does this translate to greater motor control but it also means you’ll be lifting heavier loads once you return to normal deadlifts.
Another common issues during deadlifts & squats is shifting to one hip. Applying rotational torque to that side forces the lifter to clean this up. Additionally, I’ve found these are great for teaching the lifter to sit back into their hips & rely on their glutes while also improving foot & ankle activation during deadlifts. When combined with eccentric isometrics this helps the lifter fine-tune their positioning and dial in their form due to enhanced proprioceptive feedback.
Sledge Hammer
Sledgehammer training is one of the most old-school yet tried and true training methods to crush your rotational muscles through a very functional movement pattern.
You’re essentially coordinating your entire upper body, lower body and core to work in synchrony by performing a very dynamic and explosive functional movement that relies on both the anterior and posterior oblique slings.
Additionally there are numerous variations and modifications including single arm variations.
With this in mind the sledgehammer requires precise technique and proper mechanics to nail this complex drill. Unfortunately, most individuals perform sledgehammer work improperly as they typically muscle the sledgehammer through the exercise rather than relying on the kinetic chain to produce power and torque. Here are the 10 most important training tips for mastering your sledgehammer technique.
Rotational Medicine Ball Drills
If you don’t have access to sledgehammer and massive tires, never fear; medicine ball slams can provide a similar training stimulus. In fact I use these just as consistently as the sledgehammer with my athletes as they require a bit less coordination and skill and therefore emphasize pure power output a bit more.
Similar to the sledgehammer these can also be performed in a single leg rotational fashion
Here’s another great drill to reinforce hip drive on rotational movements as I have 4 NFL free agents & GSP sponsored pros Carson Meier, Taylor Heinicke, Julian Williams, and Ike Onike showing with the Nick Tuminello band.
One of the biggest issues on rotational movements is not lack of rotational ability but rather the inability to properly use the hips when performing rotational patterns. For instance many individuals will over-rotate their torso & muscle through the movement by relying excessively on their upper body & torso rather than emphasizing their hips. This drill provides 4 benefits.
1. The band tension teaches the athlete to sit back & coil into the hips on the eccentric. Most individuals keep too much pressure forward when performing the eccentric on rotational movements. Ideally we want to shift our weight back into our hips so we can then recoil forward by driving/extending the hips.
2. These teach the athlete to emphasize hip drive during rotational movements which as mentioned is a common problem.
3. In order to maintain balance & stick the end concentric release of each repetition you literally have to focus on squeezing your glutes particularly the glute of the back leg while sticking the split stance position.
4. These provide eccentric isometric variations of rotational medicine ball tosses since the added band tension helps the athlete coil into the movement. If the band is not present, using the eccentric isometric is almost counterproductive as you eliminate the eccentric rotational force vector. When the band is present this rotational force vector stays present throughout allowing the athlete to hold the eccentric & fine-tune their position before exploding into the concentric release. Learn more about Eccentric Isometrics in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.
Rotational Ab Rollouts
Ab rollouts are one of the best core movements that pummel the abs via anti-extension. Fortunately this same concept can be applied to rotational ab rollouts which is most easily applied to the landmine station. Here are a few of my favorite variations. See 50 more ab rollouts here.
Once you master the landmine variations you can progress to Kayaking barbell rotational rollouts as my awesome client Leslie shows here. These are surprisingly difficult and require precise execution. Here are 7 important cues.
1. Focus on creating equal tension with both arms as one arm will be pulling while the other arm is simultaneously pushing.
2. Try to decelerate the barbell as aggressively as possible before the plates run into your body. This requires insane core activation throughout the transverse abs, obliques, & recuts abs as well as the upper body.
3. Keep you hips & core tall throughout by hollowing your abs & not letting your hips or low back sag. Also stay tall on the balls of your feet & don’t let your heels sag at all.
4. Squeeze the daylights out of the barbell with your grip as this will help create full body irradiation & concurrent activation potentiation. This is a fancy way of saying you’ll experience increased neural drive by staying as tight as possible from head to toe.
5. Use a that’s at least equal or greater than 2x bodyweight as the additional load is not only harder to accelerate & rotate due to greater friction, but it also requires exponentially greater core strength to decelerate.
6. Focus on nailing 2-4 perfect reps per side rather than mindlessly blasting out rep after rep.
7. Don’t allow the rotational rollouts pull your body, spine, or shoulders out of alignment.
Anti-Rotation Ab Rollouts
Similar to some of the other anti-rotation exercises discussed above such as the Pallof press, the same concept can also be applied to ab rollouts.
Landmine Lifts
Landmine rotational lifts have been around for well over a decade and have become a true rotational staple movement for many strength coaches and trainers. Unfortunately many athletes tend to rush through these and fail to control the eccentric motion while also using a variety of compensation patterns.
By applying the eccentric isometric protocol as well as added lateral resistance band tension as I show here, not only will the lifter experience more constant tension to the targeted musculature, but they’ll be able to enhance and refine their rotational movement patterns.
Just be prepared for a full body workout as these are deceptively challenging and also require full body stability. See 40 more landmine exercises here.
Landmine Rotational Clean and Jerk
Here’s a great rotational power movement shown by NFL athlete Brandon Chubb as he performs an eccentric isometric split stance RDL clean and jerk on a landmine station.
Besides reinforcing explosive leg drive and hip extension, the rotational component of this exercise transfers exceptionally well to sports particularly those that involve any form of rotation, angled force vectors, or movements in the transverse plane.
Orbital Landmine Movement
Although not necessary rotational movement, orbital movement patterns involve unique angular force vectors that mimic sport specific movements.
These can simply be performed by turning 90 degrees to the anchor point of the landmine station. This setup allows the athlete to perform angular sport specific positions using orbital movement patterns that closely resemble drills and positions where the athlete is cutting and turning during sprinting. The key is to position the body in such a way that the movement & body move through an orbital sphere.
Landmine Rotational Isometrics Purmotion
Here’s a very unique but deceptively brutal full body strength and anti-rotation core stabilization exercise using the Wishbone attachment from PurMotion. Essentially you’re resisting lateral flexion & rotational torque by placing a load on only one side of the Wishbone (offset loading) then holding isometrically for 15 sec with full body tension before switching sides.
The goal is to keep the device & your body perfectly square similar to a Pallof press, which requires enormous core activation (transverse abs, rectus, & obliques), as well as forearms, biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, chest & more. In fact, the arms get pummeled on these as one bicep, front delt, & upper chest of the loaded sides fires aggressively while the tricep & lat, of the opposite side works to push down on the non-loaded side. Read more about Purmotion Training here.
Rotational Jumps
For those looking to apply rotational movement to more sport specific movements such as jumps and squat jumps, here’s a great variation.
This exercise addresses lower body power, hip drive, unilateral explosiveness, rotational power, stabilization, and motor control. Essentially you’re performing a deconstructed single leg RDL box jump while simultaneously focusing on contralateral knee drive. This drill has significant transfer to a variety of sports and athletic endeavors as it targets multiple biomotor capabilities in one complete dynamic movement. See 40 more jump variations here.
Eccentric Isometric Side Planks
When it comes to maximizing activation, recruitment patterns, mobility, strength, and stability throughout a muscle, perhaps the single most effective training methodology is eccentric isometrics. That’s because eccentric isometrics maximize muscle spindle activation and proprioceptive feedback. This not only helps maximize neuromuscular recruitment, it also helps fine-tune movement and find the ideal degrees of mobility with proper range of motion rather than excessive range of motion. Read more about eccentric isometrics in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.
While many inner and outer hip variations, such as band and cable abduction and adduction exercises, can be combined with eccentric isometrics, it’s important to understand that from a functional standpoint hip external and internal rotation rarely occur in an isolated fashion particularly when it comes to movements with larger ranges of motion. Instead, we often use hip internal and external rotation in conjunction with rotational movements of the body and torso. For instance, when an athlete cuts or turns on the field, or when he or she is running, there will inevitably be rotation of both the torso and the hips simultaneously, not one or the other. Read more about hip training here.
With that in mind we can see why the anterior and posterior oblique slings are so vital for movement as almost all movements require the musculature of these systems to work synchronously to produce functional movement patterns while simultaneously stabilizing the body. Read more about oblique slings here.
Furthermore, when examining the oblique slings we see that nearly all the muscles of the human body are involved to varying degrees in most movements, particularly those that occur in sports. That being said, in order to perform an eccentric isometric and produce a loaded stretch throughout the primary muscles involved in rotational body movements we will, inevitably, need to perform movements that actively stretch and eccentrically elongate most muscles of the body in an eccentric rotational fashion.
By taking the basic side windmill plank and side Copenhagen plank then applying rotational force vectors, not only can we perform eccentric isometrics that target the musculature of the inner and outer hips, we can also eccentrically target nearly all of the rotational muscles of the body while achieving the functional levels of external and internal hip rotation we’d likely witness in sports.
Rotational Trap Bar Exercises
These rotational trap bar exercises not only blast the entire core musculature as well as rotational muscles of the upper torso, core, & hips, but they also require high levels of full body tension, motor control, & postural awareness. They also include elements of both anti-rotation & rotational movement.
Furthermore, because the rotational twists will want to pull your body out of alignment, this forces the lifter to squeeze into the 90 deg eccentric isometric (squat, hinge, or lunge) as high levels of co-contraction will be necessary to maintain position. Ironically eccentric induced co-contraction is one of the most important elements of proper neuromuscular contractions. Simply, this protocol helps reinforce sound neuromuscular firing patterns.
Once you master these, try incorporating rotational squat jumps. This is great for teaching athlete how to produce rotational torque as well as absorb & rotational impact.
We commonly think about absorbing force using vertical and horizontal force vectors. However, athlete also need to have the ability to absorb impact and decelerate rotational forces. This exercise addresses just that.
Simply hold a brief eccentric isometric squat, jump and rotate 90 degrees, then stick the landing in the same position you squatted from. Reset then repeat to the opposite direction and perform several sets of 2-3 reps per side.
Rotational Coiling Upper Body Eccentric Isometric Exercises
Here I’m performing several rotational lunging Eccentric Isometrics.
Let’s discuss these rotational eccentric isometrics overhead presses as they not only involve rotational muscles & the serape effect but they also make strong use of the anterior & posterior oblique slings.
The key with these movements is that the rotation is not simply employed for the sake of it but instead it’s used to create a coiling effect as the eccentric rotation should feel like a coiled-up, spring-loaded sling shot which ultimately turns the concentric rotational phase into an explosive & violent burst.
As with most of the exercises I post make sure you use 90 deg eccentric isometrics as EI’s are just as applicable to rotational movements. In fact most rotational drills commonly seen in the fitness industry only reinforce pre-existing levels of rotational movement quality & do very little to enhance it. For instance, if there’s a weak link in the kinetic chain or small compensation pattern anywhere in the oblique slings, it’s almost impossible to diagnose or correct during more traditional rotational movements.
Its for this reason that many rotational movements I implement involve eccentric isometrics. Like all other eccentric isometrics, the rotational eccentric isometric allows the lifter to hone in on their movement, self-assess where various issues may be occurring via sense of feel, & then fine-tune their body mechanics based on the enhanced sensory feedback produced from EI’s.
Lateral Kettlebell Swings
The lateral kettlebell swing also known as the pendulum swing is a great lateral movement that also shares elements of rotational movement especially at the hips. Also shoutout and credit to 5 strength coaches I stole & modified these from including Vernon Griffith, Christian Thibaudeau, Alex Whitehair, Lee Boyce, and Gareth Saapested. Definitely follow everyone of these amazing coaches. I simply took some of their methods & modified them for my athletes.
These exercises are not only incredibly beneficial for rotational sports & athletes such as baseball, golf, hockey, tennis, & also fighters but they also work the hips & core musculature in a very unique way that all fitness enthusiasts could benefit from.
I have my athletes perform 2 variations on any given training day. We start with the isometric variation where the lifter slows the movement down to dial in the mechanics, technique, & neuromuscular firing patterns. These lateral swings requires some unique & subtle activation techniques that can easily get sloppy & biomechanically flawed if in fact the lifter jumps too quickly into the rapid variations.
Here’s an example of the split stance variations which also challenge balance and stability.
Once the lifter grooves the appropriate neural patterns & activation into their CNS & cleans up any neuromuscular aberrations then we move to the more explosive & dynamic counterparts with heavier loads. I found the iron grip 25 plates worked best for bilateral isometric variations whereas kettlebells felt most natural for the explosive swings.
Here are examples of the single arm variations.
Here’s the most advanced variation which combines the split stance and single arm variations together.
Isometric Agility Swivels
Over the past several years, the fitness industry has consistently promoted excessive external and internal rotation of the hip joint with many so-called experts recommending extreme end range of motion and mobility drills to “unlock the hips” via mobility exercises, many of which resemble contortionist movements. While ample levels of internal and external rotation of the hips are critical not only for sports but also for overall muscle function and everyday life, the level of functional external and internal rotation at the hip joint that’s both needed and optimal is significantly more conservative than what the fitness industry has been pushing lately.
Unfortunately, the ideology that maximal ROM and optimal ROM are one and the same has led to a host of undesirable training methods. As we know, based on research and experiential data, maximal range of motion and optimal range of motion are rarely the same. Read more here.
Additionally, many coaches will use examples taken from sports and athletic activities to highlight visually extreme positions we might occasionally see in sports as a means of justifying large range of motion movements for the hips, particularly when it comes to isolating external and internal rotation. While at first glance many sports, particularly those that involve more aggressive hip and lower body movements, do appear to involve a fairly large ROM at the hip joint and significant external and internal rotation, few if any of these aggressive range of motion positions occur in isolation. In fact, when the hips are isolated without the ability to move the torso, the range of motion should be fairly limited to avoid compromised positions that can lead to hip laxity and capsular issues.
With that said most of the more aggressive positions we observe in sports that involve external and internal rotation of the hips involve significant levels of torso rotation. Simply put, when it comes to hip positions that involves larger ROM internally or externally, these rarely, if ever, occur in isolation nor should they. Instead they appear to happen in tandem with torso rotation. From a functional standpoint this makes perfect sense as anytime an individual externally or internally rotates their hip it’s for the purpose of creating lateral or rotational force vectors rather than linear vectors. In other words they’re attempting to create force in a direction other than perfectly straight ahead.
Unfortunately, many of the extreme drills and end range training exercises we see in the industry involve scenarios that are arguably quite dysfunctional and flawed as they require the individual to use very large degrees of external and internal hip rotation while keeping their torsos perfectly square and fixed. From a functional standpoint this would not only be potentially compromising to the structures of the hip joint but in no way do they represent or simulate any movement we would ever see in sports or athletic activities. In fact, performing large degrees of external and internal hip rotation with a perfectly square torso would describe 1 of 2 scenarios both of which involve neuromuscular malfunctions or neuromuscular hiccups as I like to call them.
1. The individual attempted to turn and cut but had a neuromuscular malfunction that prevented his or her torso from following their hips. In other words, their torso and hips were mismatched. This is likely a scenario in which his or her body needed to turn but the core musculature simply did not produce the activation needed to cause the desired movement at the torso.
2. The individual was attempting to move in a straight or linear fashion (i.e. straight line speed) while keeping their torso square but unfortunately experienced a neuromuscular malfunction causing their hips to significantly deviate laterally rather than stay in line with their torso. This is likely a scenario in which the individual had very poor motor control and hip stability.
Simply put, in either scenario there was a mismatch of force vectors causing a portion or segment of the body to move in the direction of the desired force vectors while the other segment(s) moved in another undesirable direction.
With that said, here’s a great drill that emphasizes functional external and internal hip rotation and transfers incredibly well to athletic performance. I refer to these as Isometric Agility Swivels. It simply takes a more extreme position as would occur during agility on the field, such as cutting or quickly moving to the opposite direction, and deconstructs the movement sequence by sequence to simulate the same activation patterns we would see on the field. In the field of motor learning this drill would be described as one that involves the same invariant features of general motor programs as those that occur during their on-field counterparts yet with different variant features such as the speed or velocity of movement.
Here’s an example of how to transfer the drill into on-the-field athletic performance.
Using these same theories of motor learning the isometric protocol not only allows us to spend greater time in these desired positions thereby enhancing technical efficiency, neural programming, and mobility, it also allows us to fine-tune and correct our mechanics by virtue of performing slow and isolated deconstructed sequences. Unfortunately, most explosive movements occur so rapidly that any neuromuscular deficiency in the movement is almost impossible to address or correct during the drill as it occurs too rapidly to catch.
On similar note, here’s the slow motion version of the above drill. If you pause the video you'll notice lots of 90 degree joint angles particularly in the hips. This is a result of repeatedly and consistently performing properly executed 90 degree eccentric isometrics.
Simply put mastering eccentric isometrics on the foundational movement patterns will do more for your athletic performance and sprinting mechanics than any other form of training. Read more in my book MOVEMENT REDEFINED.
On a related note, many of the lateral movements and movements in the frontal plane recommended by fitness professionals often involve significant external rotation of both hips/feet at the same time. Similar to the above examples this would represent a mismatch of force vectors from a functional standpoint, not to mention potentially deleterious hip positions due to the extreme torque and dysfunctional positions.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with externally rotating the feet and hips during movement, the caveat being that only one limb should externally rotate at any one time such as during cutting, rotating, or twisting. In fact, during most rotational movements, when one hip externally rotates the other hip should simultaneously internally rotate in order to match all the force vectors of the body with the desired movement.
Simply put, dual external rotation of both hips and legs at the same time represents 3 primary complications: 1) a mismatch of force vectors, 2) a biomechanically faulty position, and 3) a neuromuscular malfunction in which there is a neural misfiring of one or more groups of muscles, with the body attempting to move in one direction and one or more segments/limbs moving in the other.
Its also for this very reason that generally speaking I do not advocate squats or other bilateral movements with the feet externally rotated. Instead, I recommend a relatively straight foot position with neutral hip alignment, neither externally or internally rotated. That’s because the force vectors involved in most traditional bilateral strength training movements such as squats, deadlifts, hinges, and jumps, involve straight and linear force vectors not rotational or lateral vectors. Read more about force vectors and proper squat form and depth here.
However, this principle applies only to biomechanically sound 90 degree positions. If, in fact, the individual is dead set on performing biomechanically flawed movements with excessive range of motion and insists on going significantly deeper than 90 degrees on their loaded squats or other strength training movements, then one could make the argument that externally rotating the hips and feet would, in fact, be a safer and more effective way to perform these functionally flawed and dysfunctional positions.
On a side note, and as a semi-disclaimer, there may be rare instances where dual external rotation of both hips is necessary. However, for a majority of functional movements as well as general fitness exercises that are therapeutic and biomechanically sound, dual external rotation is rarely warranted and unilateral external rotation is optimal. The same is true of internal rotation. Therefore, training dual external rotation or dual internal rotation is likely setting the athlete up for potential injury and compromised activation patterns since movements we perform during training transfer to the field.
