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Rest → load, working range

Joint angles · start → finish

Torso
94.0° → 94.0°
Hip
46.0° → 46.0°
Knee
72.0° → 72.0°
Shoulder
30.0° → 86.0°
Elbow
44.0° → 86.0°
Neck
-6.0° → -6.0°

Mobility

Thoracic Open Book

3 × 8/side, side-lying, rotate the top arm open and breathe into it.

Difficulty 1 of 52.5 METs · Light

Equipment

  • Mat

Muscle groups worked

  • Core
  • Scapular push

What it buys you

Twisting positions should turn at the ribcage, not the low back. This teaches that.

Capacity trained

Mobility. Hip, adductor and thoracic range. Determines which positions are available and comfortable.

Energy

Modelled kilocalories

Modelled energy cost for Thoracic Open Book at 10, 20, 30 and 45 minutes for both reference bodies
Reference body10 min20 min30 min45 min
Male reference · 82 kg36 kcal72 kcal108 kcal161 kcal
Female reference · 68 kg30 kcal60 kcal89 kcal134 kcal

Energy figures are modelled from standard activity MET values (Ainsworth Compendium, 2011) and the ACSM equation, not measured on you. They scale linearly with your own body mass, so a body 10% heavier burns about 10% more at the same intensity.

kcal = METs × 3.5 × bodyweight(kg) ÷ 200 × minutes (ACSM)

Load is effort, not pain. If a movement hurts rather than works, stop and see a clinician. Lifting another person is strength training with a person-shaped load — build the pattern unloaded first.

Cross-reference

Positions this workout helps · 50

It serves Side-Lying, Supine Base, Seated and Prone Base. Every position in those families is listed below, hardest first.

Honest framing

Training makes a posture available and sustainable. It is capability work, not a treatment for anything, and no single session changes a number. Consistency over eight weeks does.

Free PQ assessment · 6 min

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