Windmills for core modification

Debinmi

Debinmi

Cathlete
Hi Cathe, you have included core windmills in XT, LITE & ICE workouts... I unfortunately strain my lower back when doing them even when not using weights... this tells me my form is wrong. My sister tells me she has the same problem so she either skips them or substitutes.

Could you please provide more instruction or more modifications for this exercise because I read that it is a great exercise for core, glutes, hamstrings & for shoulder stability so I'd like to get the greatest benefit without straining my lower back. Maybe something in your newsletter or blog posts? Or even in your new series if you're including them..
Thank you!
 
Hey Debinmi, I don't have LITE or ICE...and I don't remember which XT has them.

Can you remind me which workout has them?
 
From the description in this video, I believe windmills are supposed to be hitting your back:

I find if I bend my front knee a little bit, the move feels better.
 
Thanks Kellyro77! I think the key phrase for me is "hip hinge" ... I'm going to focus on that next time as I think I may have been bending from the waist -- hip hinge makes me jut out my hip more...
 
My feet are also both at 45°.
Shove straight leg hip out... then initiate descent.

Front leg slightly bends as you descend.

Hold your weight only in hand going to the bottom until you get the hang of shoving your hip out. Might even be helpful to start out with no weight to get the muscle mind connection.

Let that hand with weight shave the inner thigh to ankle.

Initiate the movement ascending in the straight leg by envisioning pushing the floor with foot of the back/straight and tense that glute as you rise.

I actually love this exercise unweighted as mobility as a warmup and between strength sets. Learned this from Lauren Brooks.
 
I don't know if this will help but I kind liken the move to triangle pose in yoga. I think if you are comfortable doing that, the windmill may come naturally. Maybe try the yoga pose and then windmill with weights will make sense.
 
Thanks for the suggestion snowlover ... I do do triangle pose and usually have to mentally focus on the "hinge" part which is what I think I need to do for windmills. I also recently tried windmills while kneeling with one leg extended ... that seemed to help too.
 
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