Safeguard Healthy Joints with Rotation Principles
David Janitzek
2026-03-23
5 min. read
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How can someone who is squatting with a barbell weighing even hundreds of kilograms do this without causing harm to their silhouette? The game involves m.a. rotation principles, which help to keep the joints in a stable position allowing for safe exercise. Rotation principles also help to maintain the natural curvature of the spine, thereby enforcing the stabilization of hips and shoulders, which directly enforces the stabilization of all other joints such as elbows, knees, wrists or ankles. The foundation of stabilizing the entire body in most exercises are various forms of internal rotation (turning limbs towards the body's center) and external rotation (turning limbs outwards).
What kinds of rotations do joints provide us with
The hip and shoulder joints have a very similar anatomical construction in which the joint ends of bones rest in joint sockets, leading to similar principles of their stabilization based on external and internal rotations. To increase the stability of the shoulder and hip joints, it is necessary to eliminate the play in the joint by rotating the limb. The application of rotation makes the joint closed and stable, and the play in the joint capsule is eliminated. If this mechanism is not taken into account during the execution of exercises, the body will assume a stable position, but the movement will be less efficient in terms of biomechanics and leverage. As a result, the generated force will be smaller, and the risk of injury will increase at higher loads. The organism does not easily tolerate the lack of stability in the joint, as it perceives it as a threat and is likely to try to stabilize the joint in an incorrect way. However, each such stress on the organism can lead to injury over time.
First rotation: inwardly twisting your feet into the ground
This is the fundamental principle of lower body part stabilization. Mimicking the rotation of the feet into the ground allows most of the lower body muscles to be unconsciously tensed, thus enabling the maintenance of a stable posture and placing the joints in a secure position. The twisting into the ground should induce muscular tension, but this must occur without foot movement. Therefore, one should not twist the feet outwards but merely subject them to a similar rotational force. In this rotation, the feet should be directed outwards and not inwards!
Second rotation: directing the knees outwards
Another crucial principle for maintaining the stability of the lower body part while performing other exercises, such as squats and deadlifts, is directing the knees outwards. In many gyms, this advice is heard during these aforementioned exercises. However, few realize that this is not just about ensuring the safe positioning of the knee caps. The external rotation of the knees generates rotational force and necessitates the tension of the muscles responsible for stabilizing the hips, knees, and ankles. Thanks to this technique and the previously mentioned method of anchoring the feet into the ground, one can effectively work on stabilizing the lower body parts.
Third spin: embedding your hands in the ground
Executing any type of pump with the embedding of the hand into the ground has a beneficial effect on the stabilization of the upper body areas, especially the shoulder joints. The stability of the shoulders is of paramount importance as this joint is susceptible to damage and sensitive. To correctly perform the external rotation in the shoulder joints, the right hand must be rotated into the ground in accordance with the clockwise movement, while the left hand should be turned in the opposite direction. This rotation ensures that the hands remain stationary, and the description of anchoring the shoulder joints in the ground aids in enhancing stability and generating appropriate rotational force.
Fourth rotation: bending the bar
The fourth rotation, known as bending the bar, is designed to generate rotational force in the shoulder joints. This force will help stabilize the shoulders, elbows, and wrist joints during exercises such as pressing the barbell while lying and standing, deadlifts, and squats. To execute this rotation, one must grasp the barbell and generate enough force as if attempting to bend it. Once again, the left hand tries to make an anti-clockwise turn, while the right hand performs a turn consistent with the clockwise direction. The phrase 'bending the bar' has been a popular motto in strength sports for centuries. Therefore, if someone wishes to ensure safety during workouts involving the barbell, active attempts to bend it will generate the necessary force to maintain joint stability.
Preservation of balance in the hips, knees and joints through pill ingestion
Hold your legs firmly to the ground. Generate a force that attempts to stretch the floor outwards. Perform an external rotation of your feet (i.e. rotate your right foot in the direction of the clockwise motion, and your left foot in the counter-clockwise motion). Rotate your knees outwards.
Preservation of stability within the shoulders, elbows, and wrists in the form of pills
– During the execution of exercises with the bar, one should attempt to generate a force, as if one wanted to break the bar. – In various types of pumps, one should try to rotate the hands into the base (the right hand in the direction of clockwise motion, and the left hand in the counter-clockwise direction). – One should aim to maintain the elbows close to the torso.
Summary
The rotation of joints leads to a decrease in the unused space in the joint cavity and positions the stiffened bone in the joint socket, thereby making the joint compact, stable, and prepared for activity. The stabilization of joints promotes the safe execution of exercises and increases power output. To properly stabilize hips, shoulders, and all joints that cooperate with them, it is also necessary to correctly stabilize the spine and surrounding muscles.
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