Brettzel With Head Turn

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie on your right side with your head supported or resting on the floor.
2. Cross your left (top) leg over your body, bending the knee to 90 degrees and pinning it to the floor with your right hand.
3. Bend your right (bottom) knee and reach back with your left hand to grab your right foot or ankle.
4. Ensure your bottom thigh is in a straight line with your torso, not pulled forward.

How to do it

1. Inhale deeply into your belly to prepare the spine.
2. Exhale as you rotate your left shoulder toward the floor, attempting to lay your upper back flat while keeping the top knee pinned.
3. Simultaneously turn your head to look over your left shoulder to complete the cervical and thoracic rotation.
4. Hold the end position for 3-5 deep breaths, sinking deeper into the stretch with every exhale before slowly releasing.

Form checklist

• Keep the top knee in constant contact with the floor.
• Maintain a long spine and avoid 'crunching' your side to reach the floor.
• Ensure the head turn is smooth and follows the direction of the rotating shoulder.
• Keep the bottom leg's knee pushed back to maximize the hip flexor stretch.

Pro tips

• Squeeze the glute of the bottom leg to create reciprocal inhibition, allowing the hip flexors and quads to stretch more deeply.
• Focus on 'breathing into the ribcage' on the top side to expand the intercostal muscles and improve rotational range.

Make it harder

• Incorporate PNF stretching by pushing your bottom foot into your hand for 5 seconds, then relaxing into a deeper stretch.
• Extend the hold time to 60 seconds per side to target deeper fascial tissues and improve long-term mobility.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the brettzel with head turn work?

The brettzel with head turn primarily targets the abs, glutes, obliques, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the brettzel with head turn?

The brettzel with head turn requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the brettzel with head turn good for beginners?

The brettzel with head turn is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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