Twist and Shred: The New School of Rotational Training

YOU (HOPEFULLY) LIMBER up before a workout—but likely not the way Paul Skenes does. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher’s warm-up is so unusual it went viral on TikTok last year. The routine is rooted in science, but it looks like a fitness dance from another planet.

First, Skenes mimics a pitching motion using bands and ends by tossing a football (simple enough!). In between, he stands on a pitching mound with a rubber yoke filled with water on his shoulders. He twists his pitching shoulder backward, and then whips it forward. Then he does the same drill on the other side. It almost looks like he’s glitching, shoulders twisting quickly, arms tight to his torso.

Skenes is showcasing the next evolution in rotational training. For years, we’ve known you can build rock-solid core muscle and power up your athleticism with rotational moves. Skenes preps his body to do something often forgotten: decelerate after rotating. Doing this unlocks even more power, while safeguarding smaller joints that can be prone to injury, such as your shoulders and elbows.

Even if you don’t want to hurl a ball like Skenes, who needs his warm-up to activate the chain of muscles he’ll use to throw, you can benefit from rotational training, says MH advisor David Otey, C.S.C.S.

“Rotational work is probably the most transferable training you could do,” says Otey, who dives deep on rotation in his new book, Complete Guide to Landmine Training.

It’s useful when you least expect it—for instance, when your hips rotate as you get out of a car. All athletes rely on some form of rotation. Everything from Shohei Ohtani’s home run swing to Jalen Hurts’s throwing motion requires twisting at the hips and shoulders. This transfers power from the larger muscles in your legs through your core and into your upper body.

Athletes typically train three categories of movement: forward-to-backward movements like biceps curls and lunges, side-to-side moves like lateral lunges, and those twisting moves.

None of this means reinventing your workouts and going full Skenes. Do two or three sets of rotational movements twice a week, at the start of your workout. Spend one month in each of the following phases.

The New Rotational Training CyclePHASE 1: GET LOOSETHE BIG INITIAL question: Can you rotate without pain? If you haven’t done it in years, this may be harder than you think. “Let’s say you’re a 39-year-old guy,” says trainer John Rusin, DPT. “Your shoulder’s shot, your back hurts. The time to play with rotation is in warm-ups and cooldowns.” To that end, start and finish your workout with three sets of these moves. That hip work is key, says Otey. If one side of your hips is tight, you may set yourself up for back pain.

1a. LYING TWIST

Justin Steele

Lie on your back with your arms out to your sides, knees bent, and feet flat. Without sliding your feet left or right, slowly lower your knees to the left and your head to the right (keep your right shoulder blade on the floor as you do this). Pause, then move in the other direction. Do 10 reps per side, teaching your hips to gently twist.

1b. SHIN BOX

Justin Steele

This one is hip heaven. Sit on the floor with your hands behind you, knees bent and feet flat. Sitting up as tall as you can, slowly lower both knees to the right as far as possible. Pause, then return to the start and move in the other direction. That’s 1 rep. Do 10.

PHASE 2: MOUNT A RESISTANCEBEFORE YOU ATTEMPT to rotate with Skenesian force, you need to train your core to resist rotation. Throwing a fastball requires your body to accelerate fast—and slow down to zero. If you can’t slow down to zero, your spine winds up absorbing all that force.

That’s why the next category of moves you’ll need involves fighting rotation (known as “anti-rotation” among fitness nerds). For four weeks, start your workouts with two or three sets of each of these exercises.

2a. OFFSET SPLIT SQUAT

Justin Steele

Stand with a heavy weight in your left hand, then step your left foot back two to three feet. This is the start. Keeping your torso upright and your shoulders square, bend at the knees and hips until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Stand. That’s 1 rep; do 10 per side.

2b. ONE-ARM FARMER’S WALK

Justin Steele

Get ready for a stealthy ab burn. Start standing, holding a heavy weight in your right hand. Keeping your gaze forward and your torso upright, walk forward for 30 seconds. (Tight on space? Just march in place.) Switch hands and repeat.

PHASE 3: DO. THE. TWIST.NOW, IT’S TIME to create rotation. When Skenes steps into his pitch, the muscles from his left hip to his right shoulder stretch, then snap violently back, slingshotting the ball toward the plate. This bungee cord–like action is foundational to throwing fastballs—as well as to striking, serving, kicking, running, and jumping. Moves like wood chops and landmine rotations mimic this motion. Do these early in your routines. Do two or three sets of these moves twice a week.

3a. KNEELING LANDMINE ROTATION

Justin Steele

Kneel facing the free end of a barbell in a landmine setup. Lift that end to chest height in both hands, then lower it toward your right hip. This is the start. Keeping your torso stationary, lift the bar away from your hip, tracing a large circle over your head until the bar rests near your left hip. Reverse the move. That’s 1 rep; do 6.

3b. STANDING WOOD CHOP

Justin Steele

Anchor a resistance band over your head to the left. Grasp your hands around the band and take a step or two away from the anchor point to create tension, left shoulder facing the band, arms reaching up and to your left. This is the start. Keeping your arms straight, rotate your upper body down and to the right, drawing the band toward your right knee. Hold, then slowly return to the start. Do 8 to 10 reps per side.

Gear UpStart your rotational training journey with this gear.

Gymreapers Resistance BandsPerfect for wood chops and Pallof presses.

Kettlebell Kings Powder Coat Kettlebell (18KG)Err heavy here so you can attack split squats and carries.

Titan Fitness Soft Leather Medicine Wall Ball (30 LB) Perfect for med ball throws, a fundamental rotational move.

Andrew Heffernan, CSCS is a health, fitness, and Feldenkrais coach, and an award-winning health and fitness writer. His writing has been featured in Men’s Health, Experience Life, Onnit.com, and Openfit, among other outlets. An omnivorous athlete, Andrew is black belt in karate, a devoted weight lifter, and a frequent high finisher in triathlon and Spartan races. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two children.